A method is provided for classifying objects. The method detects objects in one or more images. The method tags each object with multiple features. Each feature describes a specific object attribute and has a range of values to assist with a determination of an overall quality of the one or more images. The method specifies a set of training examples by classifying the overall quality of at least some of the objects as being of an acceptable quality or an unacceptable quality, based on a user's domain knowledge about an application program that takes the objects as inputs. The method constructs a plurality of first-level classifiers using the set of training examples. The method constructs a second-level classifier from outputs of the first-level automatic classifiers. The second-level classifier is for providing a classification for at least some of the objects of either the acceptable quality or the unacceptable quality.