The realist view is that we perceive objects as they really are. They are composed of matter, occupy space and have properties, such as size, shape, texture, smell, taste and colour, that are usually perceived correctly. Objects obey the laws of physics and retain all their properties whether or not there is anyone to observe them.
I would agree with this except for the "smell, taste and color" part. Objects do not have color or smell, but physical properties like size, shape, mass as well as the fact that they are made of certain chemicals, as well as being able to reflect only certain wavelengths of light and not others. Smell and taste are a construct of the mind related to chemicals; color is another construct of the mind related to wavelengths of light. Size, shape and texture exist whether a mind exists or not (as do wavelengths of light and chemicals).
What this means is that as (what I consider to be) a realist, all I could vouch for is seeing a roughly textured, black-and-white image of a rock being thrown at my head.
Fortunately, I rarely see this.