A method of document processing, comprising: activating, in sequence, a plurality of illumination modules (212, 214, 216, 218) of an illumination source to illuminate a document, wherein the plurality of illumination modules are located at different positions relative to the document; imaging the document each time the document is illuminated by an illumination module of the plurality of illumination modules (212, 214, 216, 218), to provide a plurality of images; obtaining a shadow profile of the document based on the plurality of images; and identifying, with aid of at least one processor, at least one of a boundary of the document and presence of a fastener attached to the document using the shadow profile, the method characterized by further comprising removing the identified fastener wherein the removing comprises: coupling a document transfer end effector to a robot arm; contacting a top surface of the document with the document transfer end effector coupled to the robot arm to apply a suction force upon the document to lift the document from a document pedestal on which the document is positioned to separate the document from other documents on the document pedestal; rotating a document pincher of the document transfer end effector to contact a bottom surface of the document to secure the document against the document transfer end effector; positioning a document platform under the lifted document to maintain separation of the document from the other documents; releasing the suction force applied upon the document by the document transfer end effector to place the document on the document platform; and releasing the document transfer end effector from the robot arm and coupling a fastener removal end effector to the robot arm. activating, in sequence, a plurality of illumination modules (212, 214, 216, 218) of an illumination source to illuminate a document, wherein the plurality of illumination modules are located at different positions relative to the document; imaging the document each time the document is illuminated by an illumination module of the plurality of illumination modules (212, 214, 216, 218), to provide a plurality of images; obtaining a shadow profile of the document based on the plurality of images; and identifying, with aid of at least one processor, at least one of a boundary of the document and presence of a fastener attached to the document using the shadow profile, the method characterized by further comprising removing the identified fastener wherein the removing comprises: coupling a document transfer end effector to a robot arm; contacting a top surface of the document with the document transfer end effector coupled to the robot arm to apply a suction force upon the document to lift the document from a document pedestal on which the document is positioned to separate the document from other documents on the document pedestal; rotating a document pincher of the document transfer end effector to contact a bottom surface of the document to secure the document against the document transfer end effector; positioning a document platform under the lifted document to maintain separation of the document from the other documents; coupling a document transfer end effector to a robot arm; contacting a top surface of the document with the document transfer end effector coupled to the robot arm to apply a suction force upon the document to lift the document from a document pedestal on which the document is positioned to separate the document from other documents on the document pedestal; rotating a document pincher of the document transfer end effector to contact a bottom surface of the document to secure the document against the document transfer end effector; positioning a document platform under the lifted document to maintain separation of the document from the other documents; releasing the suction force applied upon the document by the document transfer end effector to place the document on the document platform; and releasing the document transfer end effector from the robot arm and coupling a fastener removal end effector to the robot arm.