Realistic Image Synthesis

This advanced lecture discusses the mathematical concepts and algorithms that are used to simulate the propagation of light in a virtual scene. The topics include Monte Carlo sampling, various Global Illumination algorithms (from the basic Path Tracing algorithm to more advanced algorithms like Vertex Connection and Merging), and HDR imaging. In the practical exercises, the students implement some of the algorithms discussed in the lecture in a lightweight rendering framework. (courses page)

In this course I gave lectures on the following subjects:

• Probability theory and Monte Carlo
• Percetual error distribution
• Bidirectional path tracing