That guy used paint effects for Maya to create the landscape. They're basically photo clip maps applied to 'tube' 3d geometry. Sorta like how Vue creates leaves. I've seen the same done many times using other non-biased renders. They work great at a distance, just don't zoom up on them. I can only imagine the howl the Vue community would make if all our plants were created in the same manner.

Silly comparison actually. More like associating the skill of a great water color painter to the kind of brushes he uses.

Alexcoppo, most of us here know this simple fact: it's not the tool, it's the artist. There are a number of photoreal images (and animations) done with Vue by terrific artists. One only needs to look in the gallery here or at e-on to see many of them.