Quote - I'm not sure how useful the term 'photo-realism' is. If you're trying to make a render look like a photograph, then you have to take into account the fact that photographs, especially portraiture, are often manipulated in various ways to be something other than perfect documents of the subject.

This is true. But I think part of the goal of "photo-realism" is to create an image which cannot be distinguished from a photograph, even when there is no concrete reality with which to compare the image. Hence, "photorealism," and not "realism."

http://www.old-boy.co.uk/personal/personal.html -- Have a look at "Bernadette"
The question is, I think, if you show this picture to people, are they going to say, "Oh, that's a nice photo," or are they going to say, "Oh, great CGI. Very realistic"?

 

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