A method of counting pliable objects within a stack, wherein said pliable objects have non-linear edges and are selected from feminine hygiene products, disposable diapers, pull-ons, training pants, adult incontinence articles, paper towels and napkins, the method comprising: (a) capturing an inspection image of a plurality of pliable objects using a camera as the plurality of pliable objects passes into a field of view of the camera, the stack being arranged orthogonally relative to the camera's field of view, wherein: (i) the inspection image is a top view of the plurality of pliable objects, the top view being a view of the non-linear edges of the plurality of pliable objects within a stack; (ii) a non-uniform gap is present between adjacent pliable objects of the plurality of pliable objects; and (iii) each non-uniform gap is substantially represented by a first luminance value range and each pliable object is substantially represented by a second luminance value range in the inspection image; (b) partitioning, by a processor, the inspection image into a plurality of windows traversing the inspection image; (c) preparing the inspection image for image analysis by setting a background luminance value of the inspection image to within the second luminance value range that substantially represents the pliable objects; (d) performing, for each individual window of the plurality of windows, a blob extraction process to determine a plurality of blobs corresponding to regions within the inspection image having substantially the second luminance value range such that the plurality of blobs correspond to the plurality of pliable objects; (e) counting a number of blobs within each window of the plurality of windows; and (f) providing a signal rejecting or accepting the plurality of pliable objects based at least in part on the number of blobs that are counted in one or more windows. (a) capturing an inspection image of a plurality of pliable objects using a camera as the plurality of pliable objects passes into a field of view of the camera, the stack being arranged orthogonally relative to the camera's field of view, wherein: (i) the inspection image is a top view of the plurality of pliable objects, the top view being a view of the non-linear edges of the plurality of pliable objects within a stack; (ii) a non-uniform gap is present between adjacent pliable objects of the plurality of pliable objects; and (iii) each non-uniform gap is substantially represented by a first luminance value range and each pliable object is substantially represented by a second luminance value range in the inspection image; (i) the inspection image is a top view of the plurality of pliable objects, the top view being a view of the non-linear edges of the plurality of pliable objects within a stack; (ii) a non-uniform gap is present between adjacent pliable objects of the plurality of pliable objects; and (iii) each non-uniform gap is substantially represented by a first luminance value range and each pliable object is substantially represented by a second luminance value range in the inspection image; (b) partitioning, by a processor, the inspection image into a plurality of windows traversing the inspection image; (c) preparing the inspection image for image analysis by setting a background luminance value of the inspection image to within the second luminance value range that substantially represents the pliable objects; (d) performing, for each individual window of the plurality of windows, a blob extraction process to determine a plurality of blobs corresponding to regions within the inspection image having substantially the second luminance value range such that the plurality of blobs correspond to the plurality of pliable objects; (e) counting a number of blobs within each window of the plurality of windows; and (f) providing a signal rejecting or accepting the plurality of pliable objects based at least in part on the number of blobs that are counted in one or more windows.