Quote - "The current thrust in 3d seems to be hyper-realism which is counter productive to good art. If you want realism then go buy a point and shoot camera."

I gather from this that you are not a fan of Hollywood movies which use hyper-realistic CG quite extensively to great effect. Also, please tell me where the ruins of the hyper-realistic Metropolis can be found in the real world as I would love to go and shoot some snaps among the ruins with my point and shoot camera!

How is realism counter productive to good art any more than any other genre. It's just another form of art, which probaly takes alot longer to do than say a still life or abstract. 

CG allows you to create anything your mind can think of, wether it be realistic or surreal!

I was thinking of programs such Daz and Poser who have resorted to photographing real people to use as textures for their models. Thanks but no thanks. The early textures that were created in paint programs were in my opinion just as attractive as the current batch, and more relative to traditional art than the Playboy "centerfold genre."

I do in fact enjoy some hyper realism in scifi movies of which I have been a fan since reading the works of Andrea Norton as a teen; also Heinlein and Clarke. Back then hyper-realism was what your imagination created for you and everybodys was unique to that individual. Recently though hyper realism is again in my opinion, being carried to levels that border on completely unreal resulting in a disappointing viewing experience. A recent example would be the Battleship movie in which the USS Iowa is enlisted to help repel an alien invasion of Hawaii where giant grinding wheels are spreading havoc and destruction. Give me some air! This sort of mix and match of reality and un-reality are about as accomodating to one another as oil and water and about as appealing based on the movies rapid decline to the cable channels.

As to finding any hyper realistic metropolises in ruins to photograph I guess you will have to got to Abu dhabi, Bejing or Toyko and wait for the next asteroid strike. Its a bit late for Hiroshima or Dresden.................................