What Do We Mean By Realism?

Redefining Realism

When working within CGI, we produce high-quality imagery on a daily basis. Recently, however, we’ve found ourselves revisiting a fundamental question: what do clients actually mean when they ask for “realism”?

Realism, at first glance, seems like a straightforward objective but in practice, it is far more nuanced. When experiencing a space in person, the eye does not perceive a perfectly balanced, ultra-high-definition image. Instead, it absorbs a constantly shifting composition of light, shadow, texture, and subtle imperfection. Lighting conditions evolve moment to moment, materials respond differently depending on angle and intensity, and our own vision adapts continuously. What we perceive is not “perfect,” but it is believable.

Photography, often used as a benchmark for realism, introduces another layer of interpretation. A photograph captures both clarity and flaw: lens flare, sensor noise, depth of field, chromatic aberration, and slight colour inconsistencies. These artefacts are not necessarily defects, they are part of what makes an image feel authentic. Yet, paradoxically, photography is also frequently refined through post-production. Colour grading, retouching, and correction are applied to enhance the image, subtly balancing between documentation and idealisation.

Crafting the Image

CGI has traditionally leaned toward precision and control. Materials are calibrated to exact colour values, textures are refined to remove inconsistencies, and lighting is carefully balanced to present a space in its “best” possible state. In many ways, this approach produces images that are technically superior but not always emotionally convincing.

This is where the current conversation around realism becomes particularly interesting. As an industry, we are now, in some respects, moving backwards to move forwards. Reintroducing elements that were once deliberately removed. The question is no longer simply about increasing resolution or sharpness, but about understanding what feels real.

Does realism mean embracing imperfection?

Is it the introduction of subtle irregularities in materials, the softness of natural light falloff, or the inclusion of photographic artefacts?

Or does it lie in achieving a heightened clarity that surpasses reality itself?

A Considered Approach

The answer is not fixed. Realism is inherently subjective, shaped by individual perception, project context, and client expectation. For some, realism is crisp, clean, and aspirational reflecting a perfected version of reality. For others, it is grounded, tactile, and imperfect, so much closer to lived experience.

As a team, our role is not to define realism in absolute terms, but to interpret and translate it. This means understanding each client’s visual language and aligning our process accordingly. On recent projects, this has led us to explore a more refined approach to materiality, introducing subtle variation, depth, and nuance without compromising the overall clarity of the image.

An important part of this process is context. Whenever possible, we prioritise the use of on-site photography for backplates, anchoring our visuals within a real-world environment. This immediately grounds the image, providing a layer of authenticity that is difficult to replicate synthetically.

Ultimately, realism in CGI is not a single destination but a spectrum. It exists somewhere between technical accuracy and perceptual believability—between perfection and imperfection. Our challenge, and opportunity, lies in navigating that spectrum with intent, creating images that do not simply look real, but feel real to the viewer.

Written by Lucy Marsh, 3D Visualiser