3D-scanning of real objects or locations via hundreds of overlapping photographs — generates precise geometry and textures for VFX. Faster and more accurate than traditional modeling.
You need a building, a statue, or a car in your VFX shot and want to integrate it into the frame with pixel-perfect accuracy, just as it exists in reality. Photogrammetry solves this problem: you take hundreds, sometimes thousands, of photos of the same object or location from different angles—always with overlap between the shots. Specialized software (RealityCapture, Agisoft Metashape, NeRF pipelines) then identifies feature points across all images, triangulates them spatially, and generates a highly detailed 3D mesh plus photorealistic textures—all within a few hours to days.
On set, this works pragmatically: You pack a good DSLR or mirrorless camera, and you need at least 100, preferably 300–500 shots per object. Important: uniform lighting, constant focal length (no zooming), and the images must actually overlap—60–80% is standard. Some teams use drones for buildings, others grab a 360-degree rig and shoot object carriers. The raw processing time on the computer is then relatively inexpensive; a good mesh from 400 photos can be processed in 2–4 hours, including texture unwrapping.
Where photogrammetry is powerful: You don't need manual retopology or manual painting of details. The algorithm captures scratches, wear, material transitions completely automatically. Compared to classic 3D modeling (where an artist sits for days), you save massive amounts of time—especially with complex architectures or organic objects like rock formations. In compositing, you integrate the mesh like any other 3D asset: lighting, shadow pass, ID mattes.
But there are pitfalls: reflections and shiny surfaces (mirror fronts, chrome-plated steel) confuse the software; temporary covering helps. Movement that is too fast during shooting creates ghost artifacts. And with moving objects—vehicles, people, plants in the wind—static reconstruction only works if everything is still. For photogrammetric location surveying, you therefore usually need a few hours early in the morning or at night when pedestrians are gone.
In modern pipelines, photogrammetry works closely with Lidar and Match Moving—not competing, but complementing. Where Lidar provides fast point clouds, photogrammetry gives you the texture. And where traditional modeling struggles with excessive detail, the camera provides it automatically.
News
Photogrammetry of people is gaining importance for film productions, as actors can be scanned in a T-pose to create precise 3D doubles for wide shots. This technique allows for the reduction of expensive shooting days with principal actors while ensuring the authenticity of characters even in distant scenes. This method is increasingly being used, especially in elaborate action or fantasy productions.