Some exteriors

[ZodiaQ]

I post some of my recent exteriors because I seem to be stuck on the same road.
Doing what I have been doing for years. I made a big jump 3 years ago with trying to better understand node editor, kray and using instances. But lalety I don't see any progress in quality / realism.
So any comments, ideas for improvement are very much appreciated

[thomas]

Beringen? Welcome fellow Belgian Lightwaver!

Very simple and effective ideas for improvement:
1) Learn how to use depth of field (with DOF Pro of even just Photoshop Lens Blur and the depth-channel).
2) Learn colour grading (even a simple Levels with different settings for RGB or Colour Balance in Photoshop does wonders. I posted an example of this a couple of months ago. 2 minute trick to create different atmospheres.
3) Add some bloom (= lens overstraling in het Nederlands) to your image, or even a discreet lens flare and some dust particles (together with depth of field)
4) Try to use a more interesting and dramatic composition.
5) Buy the Nik Collection filters for 100 dollars and play with the colours and analog dust settings.

All of these tricks are super-easy and can be learned in a day or two!

[Janusz Biela]

Nice renders. Pity, the most plants are Photoshopped clip maps.
Progress with exterior is only possible with good Global Illumination and new Physky light system.Both not available in K2.
Nodes can partly helps...but if you need good quality then you must invent something.
99% of render I stick with interiors - easy stuff, but for exteriors whole system must be taken differently. Exterior has less Global Illumination feeling , very close to raytracing.
I think one of the good idea is to render with very low bounce light amount: for example 4-5 bounces and use Path Tracing.
You can try also HDRi as light source - but this is the worst solution especially when you do not have Importance Sampling (again not available in K2).

...so if you invent something good, please show us information

[ZodiaQ]

Beringen? Welcome fellow Belgian Lightwaver!

Very simple and effective ideas for improvement:
1) Learn how to use depth of field (with DOF Pro of even just Photoshop Lens Blur and the depth-channel).
2) Learn colour grading (even a simple Levels with different settings for RGB or Colour Balance in Photoshop does wonders. I posted an example of this a couple of months ago. 2 minute trick to create different atmospheres.
3) Add some bloom (= lens overstraling in het Nederlands) to your image, or even a discreet lens flare and some dust particles (together with depth of field)
4) Try to use a more interesting and dramatic composition.
5) Buy the Nik Collection filters for 100 dollars and play with the colours and analog dust settings.

All of these tricks are super-easy and can be learned in a day or two!

Yes from Beringen Belgium
Thx so much for your tips, always great, new stuff to play around with

[ZodiaQ]

Nice renders. Pity, the most plants are Photoshopped clip maps.
Progress with exterior is only possible with good Global Illumination and new Physky light system.Both not available in K2.
Nodes can partly helps...but if you need good quality then you must invent something.
99% of render I stick with interiors - easy stuff, but for exteriors whole system must be taken differently. Exterior has less Global Illumination feeling , very close to raytracing.
I think one of the good idea is to render with very low bounce light amount: for example 4-5 bounces and use Path Tracing.
You can try also HDRi as light source - but this is the worst solution especially when you do not have Importance Sampling (again not available in K2).

...so if you invent something good, please show us information

Thx, did some tests in the past with HDRI but no good results, gonna try low bounce Pathtracing and still waiting for K3

[Janusz Biela]

With HDRI is that problem:
- big spectrum of power of photons
- too big spectrum of colors - this affect strong Photon Mapping when photons are "produce" randomly This make really bad photon map and after that problems with sampling.
- some HDRi maps contains "errors": some regions/pixels of map gives high energetic photons, it affects lights leaks or bad GI in some places in scene
- problem with reflection - some parts of scene has too strong reflection. Many people thinks that HDRi give better reflection....they are not better but just stronger with colours, but it doesn`t means it is correct.
- without Sampling Importance which correct also photons from HDRi and make this light source less "crazy" using HDRi is senseless.
- even with Sampling Importance I would not use HDRI - is too rough, gives strange colours and light.

I know some people use this, even with very good score but this is because of Path Tracing, some extra features for HDRi in code, maybe pre-processing on HDRi map (desaturate, contrast, blur).
I do not use it and I have no plans to use it. Only good Physky system gives perfect and clean technically light.

PS

You can try use SunSky from LW with new light system: Hosek. But is slow in Kray.

[thomas]

Also, I would add some "lively" objects: some childs toy on the terrace, and weaved basket, some pieces of wood, a shovel against the wall, etc... Make it more of an emotional story, somehow.

[ZodiaQ]

Thx again for all the input!