We describe an optomechanical technique using a knife-edge, which is scanned spatially across a beam of light to identify shape-based irradiance. Symmetry groups are identified through linear and rotational scanning signatures of illuminated shapes. The scanning signature is used to classify the shape into a symmetry group. To demonstrate the shape analysis technique, we have classified basic geometric shapes, which belong to the orthogonal and dihedral symmetry groups $O_2$ , $D_2$ , $D_3$ , and $D_6$ .