A method for automatically generating a strong classifier for determining whether at least one object is detected in at least one image is disclosed, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a data set of training images having positive images; (b) randomly selecting a subset of positive images from the training images to create a set of candidate exemplars, wherein said positive images include at least one object of the same type as the object to be detected; (c) training a weak classifier based on at least one of the candidate exemplars, said training being based on at least one comparison of a plurality of heterogeneous compositional features located in the at least one image and corresponding heterogeneous compositional features in the one of set of candidate exemplars; (d) repeating steps (c) for each of the remaining candidate exemplars; and (e) combining the individual classifiers into a strong classifier, wherein the strong classifier is configured to determine the presence or absence in an image of the object to be detected.