Photographic, not rendered

Images that read as generated share a small set of tells, and most of them come from asking for drama.

The tells

Light that comes from everywhere and nowhere. Colours pushed past what a camera records. Surfaces with no dust, no wear and no fingerprints. Composition that is too centred and too symmetrical. Rim lighting on every edge.

Steps

1. Describe the light source, singular. One window, one lamp, overcast sky.
2. Ask for a real lens behaviour: shallow depth of field, or a slightly wide angle, rather than "cinematic".
3. Leave something imperfect in the frame.
4. Compare against an actual photograph of a similar subject before you judge it.

Words that hurt

"Cinematic", "epic", "stunning", "hyperreal" and "8k" all push toward the rendered look. They are asking for more of the thing that gives it away.

What to watch for

The bar is not "could this be real". It is "would anyone stop to check". Slightly boring lighting is usually the right answer for commercial work.