Canfield’s novel imaging system, with an open-air Overhead Lighting Environment (OLE) facilitates clinical assessment of facial skin aging attributes by simulating how the subject is perceived by the human eye in everyday settings. Historically, facial skin imaging has been accomplished using closed imaging environments for illuminating the subject with uniform diffused lighting, while eliminating unwanted effects of ambient light. While a closed environment is also ideal for fluorescence and absorption imaging, direct illumination and secondary reflections may reduce contrast of skin topographical features. Natural lighting, under which a subject’s face is typically perceived, is overhead and directional. Directional / raked lighting reveals surface textures by illuminating features facing the light, while creating shadows for those facing away.