Patow, GustavoPueyo, Xavier2014-07-292014-07-2920031467-8659https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8659.2003.00716.xInverse rendering problems usually represent extremely complex and costly processes, but their importance in many research areas is well known. In particular, they are of extreme importance in lighting engineering, where potentially costly mistakes usually make it unfeasible to test design decisions on a model. In this survey we present the main ideas behind these kinds of problems, characterize them, and summarize work developed in the area, revealing problems that remain unsolved and possible areas of further research.ACM CSS: I.3.6 Computer Graphics Methodology and Techniques I.3.7 Computer Graphics-Three-Dimensional Graphics and Realism I.4.1 Image Processing and Computer Vision Digitization and Image Capture I.4.7 Image Processing and Computer Vision Feature Measurement I.4.8 Image Processing and Computer Vision Scene Analysis10.1111/j.1467-8659.2003.00716.x