Basic color grading in Lightroom
Material property data
Highest rendering quality with anti-aliasing
High rendering quality without anti-aliasing
Scalability Settings: extremely high scalability
Scalability Settings: high scalability
Scalability Settings: medium scalability
Basic color grading in Lightroom
Lumen Scene
Scalability Settings: low scalability
Basic color grading in Lightroom
Unlit
Detail Lighting
Nanite Triangles
Ray Tracing Debug Triangles
Reflections
Nanite Lightmap UV
Wireframe
*All the images above were rendered from the ElectricDreamsEnv in UE5.2, with no camera settings and post processing, directly output from the Movie Render Queue, and include the Nvidia anti-aliasing plugin.
*The images above are based on the graphics system of UE5.2, and results may vary in other software. These images are provided solely as examples to demonstrate differences and their constructions.
*Only a selection of the settings that have a clear and noticeable impact on image quality and visual effects is used as an example.
The current research focuses on the main topic:
Digital Images and Their Materiality
The title of a research project is:
The Materiality and Aesthetic Analysis of Digital Images:
Exploring Human-Technology Interactions in Contemporary Cultural Production
Abstract
This research is dedicated to the investigation of the materiality and technical aesthetics of digital images, as well as their evolving role in contemporary cultural production. In light of ongoing digitalization, the study aims to explore the complex interactions between humans and technology and to illustrate how digital images surpass traditional media forms while simultaneously establishing new paradigms in visual culture. Through the detailed analysis of the aesthetic characteristics and material foundations of digital images—particularly those generated through advanced technologies—this research makes an innovative contribution to media theory by deepening the understanding of the transformative power of digital images.
By applying Kittler's media theory, Heidegger's philosophy of things, and new materialist approaches, the study systematically examines how digital images and the underlying hardware shape and influence each other. This interdisciplinary research sheds light on the symbiotic relationship between practice, research, and industry. It proposes a methodological framework for the harmonious coexistence of humans and technology in cultural production. The research combines media archaeology, case studies, and practice-oriented approaches to comprehensively explore the aesthetic and material dimensions of digital images. This not only opens up new perspectives on the cultural and aesthetic potential of digital images but also highlights their central importance in the contemporary art and media landscape.
Keywords: Digital Images, Materiality, Technical Aesthetics, Media Archaeology, Visual Cultural Production, Symbiosis.