Well I agree with everyone else here that "photo-realism" (whatever that is) is a personal choice. It is also something that I am currently working towards. That choice for me is about learning how materials and Poser work better. I am trying to see just how real I can make a render appear without using iRay or LuxRender. Again, that's just a learning adventure for me. That's the path I'm walking to discover my style.

You should choose your own path/style as well, and I (for one) will respect whatever path you choose. :)