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Definitions
Definitions
Walkthrough
A type of animation typically associated with interiors, simulating the movement through one or more rooms.
Flythrough
A type of animation typically associated with the exterior of buildings, simulating the movement through or around a building. Also referred to as a flyover or flyaround.
Rendering
A computer generated image (CGI) that is the product of the work undertaken in a 3d software package. A rendered image is a computer generated view of a 3d model that calculates the information shown in the view of a virtual camera, such as the material properties, lighting and reflections, to produce an image.
3d model
A three dimensional digital model that is typically created from architectural drawings such as plans, sections and elevations. A 3d model is created in a 3d software package such as Autodesk’s AutoCAD or 3d Studio Max. After a 3d model of the proposed design has been created materials and lighting can be applied and an image can be rendered.
High Definition (HD)
The production of video or animation at a resolution higher than standard definition. High Definition is commonly displayed at 1280x720 pixels or 1920x1080 pixels. The higher resolution provides a clearer and more detailed picture because it contains more information.
Aspect Ratio
The ratio of the width to the height of an image, usually expressed as two numbers separated by a colon, such as 4:3 which is common in photography, or 16:9 which is used for HD video.
Postproduction
The work process carried out after the image has been rendered. Postproduction might involve colour correction, the addition of people, and compositing work. The postproduction work is carried out using photo editing software such as Adobe Photoshop.
Photorealistic
A term used to describe the likeness of an image to a real world photograph. A photorealistic image is often the result of the successful application of materials and lighting to a detailed 3d model.
Virtual Camera
The equivalent to a real world camera, a virtual camera is setup inside a 3d software package to view and produce renders (equivalent to a real word photograph) of the 3d model.
Green Screen
A green screen can be used for photography and filmed footage and is used to separate the foreground subjects, such as people, from the background. The subjects can then be separated in editing software such as Adobe After Effects using a process called chroma key compositing and placed onto a different background.
Studio Photography
Photography that is undertaken under studio conditions, using a specific lighting setup to simulate the lighting of the 3d model, which can be used for the photography of male and female models to be composited into a final rendered image in the postproduction stage.
Render Farm
A collection of computers linked together to render one or more images. A render farm is particularly useful for animations that will often require thousands of frames rendered.
Camera Match
This is the process of matching the virtual camera to a real world photograph inside the 3d software package, allowing the 3d model of the building to be accurately scaled and placed into the perspective of the photograph.
IES
Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) is the electronic format used by lighting manufactures to contain photometric data, or a digital profile, for real world lights. IES profiles are produced by many lighting manufactures and the data can be used to accurately simulate the distribution and intensity of lights inside a 3d software package. This means an architect or designer can specify a particular light and the IES data can be used to accurately simulate the lighting for interior scenes.
Retouching
An initial process for preparing a raw photograph for use as a final image, typically undertaken in photo editing software, removing unwanted artefacts and objects from a source photograph. Retouching is commonly carried out on source photographs that are later used for photomontage images, unless the client required the photograph to be untouched for planning application purposes.
Compositing
A postproduction process undertaken photo editing software such as Adobe Photoshop that involves the layering of one image on top of another. A common form of compositing is a photomontage that requires a rendered image of the proposed building to be placed on top of the background photograph. Various techniques such as colour correction are then used to help blend the two layers together to create a seamless image.
Pixels
A pixel is a single point in a digital image. A digital image is formed of thousands or millions of pixels, each a different colour of shade of grey.
Resolution
The image resolution is the number of pixels in an image, or the amount of information that image holds. The higher the resolution the more pixels the image will contain and the more detailed the image will be.