overexposure avoidance (WIP)

[iMotion]

Hello.
Tell me please, brothers in Corona =)
What is the best solution to avoid overexposure or bright highlights on the surface with preserving less or more bright render?
Maybe such topic are already was started or it is very general or something. But ... as example:
I have a scene illuminated with coronaSky through window. If I increase intensity multiplier of coronasky I'll get more brighter scene but with hard highlights and overbrighted areas, but thanks to Post Processing section, I can kill such highlights by increasing "compress highlights" option. BUT! As we know, with such option we also kill nice and realistic hotspots and picture become little more unrealistic or smthing.

So, any combinations or options to how to do the best?
Any decision ?

Thanks in advance

Example in attachment (renders are draft)

Of course, would also be glad to hear recommendations or comments about overall work

[Juraj]

Nothing on general level but local adjustments through masks, gradients, dodge/burning,etc.

[gabrielefx]

With Vray I save in exr or HDR. Never tried with Corona.
In Photoshop I create several versions of the render with different exposures, a sort of bracket exposure.
Many cameras do this job automatically.

regards

[maru]

With Vray I save in exr or HDR. Never tried with Corona.

Why not? You are answering yourself. :)

[iMotion]

Ok, as I see, one common thing of your decisions is that we still always make local edits, as Juraj also said.
What about whole work? Any recommendations?

[maru]

Your whole image looks underexposed and the background is just horrible.

[Alex Abarca]

The towel under that heavy tub looks really weird. Use a hdri in env slot, I think that will help your scene. And about the background, looks too glorious, is that a real perspective view of the design or make believe?

[iMotion]

Its just make believe. Honestly, I dont have too much good panoramas at my library (. The question is, whats the best solution: to use hdri like panorama or make a 360 deg. backplate?
As for HDRs in environ., I prefer to use P.Guthrie's hdrs, cause they really make beatiful light filling, but they dont have a ground, only black plane under sky

[Ondra]

If you dont have suitable panorama, just place a plane behind the window and assign it CoronaConstantMtl with a suitable photo (in addition to environment map for lighting)

[iMotion]

Ok, Thank you very much for all comments. I'll try & post edited renders later

[Alex Abarca]

Look it. I used VizPeople HDRI (free) skies and it looks good and its even giving me shadows. By the way this is just a test scene I use at home, these are free models i got from various sites. let me know if you need help.

Its a raw render

[iMotion]

When I'll walk up to final image, I let you all know here;)

[Alex Abarca]

When I'll walk up to final image, I let you all know here;)

Ok cool, cant wait to see!

[Juraj]

There's nothing magical you can do that will give you what you're envisioning. What you get currently is natural. You have relatively small window opening with single light source outside and you have white, reflective material right next to it. You won't avoid burn outs unless you solve any of those mentioned things (like adding interior ceiling light, or flash light, or soft-box light,etc...). Otherwise you're stuck with tone-mapping the image to your suiting. Either through Corona highlight crushing, which you can compensate for lack of contrast in introducing S-Curve in Post, or using midtones boosting curve to even out the scene illumination directly in Post. I.e see my example attached

[Alex Abarca]

Damn that's looks good. Great fix.