A method includes the steps of receiving training data comprising images of an object and associated camera poses from which the images are captured, training, based on the training data, a machine-learning model to take as input a given viewpoint and synthesize an image of a virtual representation of the object viewed from the given viewpoint, generating, for each of predetermined viewpoints surrounding the virtual representation of the object, a view-dependent image of the object as viewed from that viewpoint using the trained machine-learning model, receiving, from a client device, a desired viewpoint from which to view the virtual representation of the object, selecting one or more of the predetermined viewpoints based on the desired viewpoint, and sending, to the client device, the view-dependent images associated with the selected one or more viewpoints for rendering an output image of the virtual representation of the object viewed from the desired viewpoint.