Request for ideas to make the render look more photorealistic

[steven talbott]

I am looking for any and all ideas to help improve the quality of the render so far. What I have now I really like although it does take a long time to render across 2 machines to look this good (the grass added a lot since I went with displacement). Lighting is currently using hdri with the sun off because to me it gives it a softer look (I don't know if its more realistic or not but I like it). What I'm looking for from you guys who have used nXt a while is more ideas to mke this pop out and look like a photo so I can use it to sell. Sadly some of the models like the rock on the left hand side I am stuck with a lower quality model so there isn't a lot I can do to change that. Other than remodeling, what type of changes would you make if you could?

Thanks!

[steven talbott]

It does, and my texture is pulled straight from there. Only problem is the resolution and distance so it kind of loses that clarity. I'm rendering another one as we speak that is higher res that you can see it a bit better. Now maybe I should go ahead and expand the texture out so it's more visible, I'm not sure.

[steven talbott]

Higher resolution picture with sun adjusted a bit. If you zoom in you should be able to start noticing the texture on the poured in place. Again I still may need to work on this, not sure yet.

[Ian Foster Griffith]

Looked at it and your sky in the background look like a storm is coming. less cloud more sky maybe.

[George Ioannidis]

Two things:

Grass needs definitely post process in photoGIMP ( :) ) and I would avoid to use those two nXt trees. Try to paste them in photoGIMP or try to use "cut-out" tree (planar face with tree bitmap with alpha channel transparency).

Red shiny parts (tubes) have strange reflections (like caterpillar). They are supposed to be monochrome, aren't they?

Sky is OK to my eye. It's usual cloud condition, where sun shines through holes in the clouds making shadows very intense.

It's going to be one hell of great renderings!

[Roy Hirshkowitz]

Really nice.  I actually think you're done.  I love the sun angle here. I also really like the use of nXt trees from this angle. Consider not rendering your final at quite so high a resolution and using photoshop or equivalent to increase the pixel count.  Sometimes a bit of blurring can help make any shortcomings not so noticeable.  For example, there is something odd in the meshing of some of the red tubes which you can only see if the resolution gets high enough.  The textured grass and the nXt trees also become less convincing, not more, when you increase the resolution.

steven talbott said:

Ok so low resolution render...  Comments on this one?

[steven talbott]

I tend to agree Roy, just some minor changes I think on the textures to even out like the red posts. Otherwise only other thing I see would be the grass but don't know gimp well enough and haven't seen any tutorials on how to make realistic looking grass so that may have to wait for a long time. Otherwise thank you all for the help. It's deeply appreciated!!!

[Roy Hirshkowitz]

The grass looks fine-- leave it alone.  What the others are referring to is just cutting and pasting some tufts and other details using photoshop or eq.-- nice entourage technique but certainly not required.  Like I said, a somewhat reduced resolution will be your friend here.

[George Ioannidis]

Mr. technocrat speaks... :) Don't get me wrong Roy. :D

Roy Hirshkowitz said:

The grass looks fine-- leave it alone.  What the others are referring to is just cutting and pasting some tufts and other details using photoshop or eq.-- nice entourage technique but certainly not required. 

[Richcat]

Very nice image, but just could not resist adding some more warmth and softness with filters in photoshop. (it most be my rosed tinted specs, remembering back when I was a child - and that was some time ago)

[Marc Chaumier]

When you use nXt tree, with real trees, in the foliage settings, decrease the "translucency" cursor to 0.1. You will get more contrast in your foliage and so it looks less washed-out.

[Marc Chaumier]

The point of view is not favorable to your grass texture.

[George Ioannidis]

Do I discern small dose of nostalgia Richcat? Don't think you're older than me or some others, real "veterans" here :D

Richcat said:

(it most be my rosed tinted specs, remembering back when I was a child - and that was some time ago)