If you have the Quicktime plugin, you can view clips of photorealistic models by simply clicking the image.

Although advancements in recent modeling techniques have advanced by leaps and bounds, the process of creating photorealistic models remains a somewhat tedious and time-consuming task depending on the circumstance and whom you ask. Plus it may not always be beneficial to spend extensive time creating complex models such as humans, cars or any other real-world subjects in a day-to-day production pipeline. With the advent of image-based modeling (IBM), the technique has caused quite a stir in the industry and rightfully so. With the ability of artists to explore objects and scenes captured from real world photography, it has become extremely attractive, but it does carry its share of limitations, which we will explore later in this article.

Although image-based techniques cover a wide range of topics, including animation, inverse lighting, light field rendering, layered depth images, to name a few, I will cover the process of creating 3D models from normal everyday photography. I will attempt to help those who don’t understand exactly what IBM is, and explore its pros and cons.

Tour this 3D environment created with ImageModeler. © www.animations-and-more.com

Noted graphics researcher Paul Debevec used Façade to model the interior of St. Peter's Basilica for his film Fiat Lux © 1999 Paul Debevec.

Understanding Image-Based Modeling
IBM is the process of having the user take photographs from different points of view and then using these photographs as a "starting point" in the process of using point-to-point measuring tools in an image-based modeling application. By using a typical consumer digital camera to take these photographs, it makes this technique accessible to a very wide range of users. Although IBM is relatively new, researchers such as the renowned Paul Debevec and artist Greg Downing have made very impressive discoveries utilizing image-based techniques. Furthermore, more advanced image-based techniques have already made their way into production environments. Let's take a look at how this technique can assist your projects.