Overall Realism, buffer and post processing, Builder looking for critique

[Paul Springer]

Before moving forward beyond frame buffer please check my render of this loft bedroom (measures +-5mx6m).   I also attached my buffer tool settings.

Architecture and finishes provided by our Architect.  This is an image to be provided to sales as one of many in a brochure for a new construction project.  I decided my goal was to visualize the room as a west-elm style cozy retreat with 6pm low sun.  Im the actual builder so i have good amount of discretion here how this project is presented to customers.

Using Max+corona3, default render settings, corona sun/sky, light mix, only this at this point.  I dont love the artificial + natural lighting, but too dark for sales agent without the IES Lighting.  The side windows have a wood awning roof above the windows locking direct sun.  Two doors leading to rooms with single windows are behind the camera (closet and bath).  Its a townhouse so no windows other than whats seen is on the left wall.

Any opinions how to push this further towards realism.? Much appreciated.

thanks

[actrask]

Minor, but the first thing that took me out of it was the chandelier. My eye gets stuck on it instead of flowing by with the rest of the ceiling.

I would make the gold much brighter (have the intensity read closer to the ceiling brightness) and the refraction on the glass bulbs seem dark. It may look cleaner to have the bulbs read closer to the ceiling color behind them. When I need to do this, doubling up the refraction in comp seems to do the trick.

Looks great! The floor feels really nice.

[Noah45]

Respect for the model and lighting C+C/me would say, actrask comments spot on, hard to define it's location on clg. To add the lighting would be something to experiment with cools/warm combos. GL

[Paul Springer]

Minor, but the first thing that took me out of it was the chandelier. My eye gets stuck on it instead of flowing by with the rest of the ceiling.

I would make the gold much brighter (have the intensity read closer to the ceiling brightness) and the refraction on the glass bulbs seem dark. It may look cleaner to have the bulbs read closer to the ceiling color behind them. When I need to do this, doubling up the refraction in comp seems to do the trick.

Looks great! The floor feels really nice.

]

Thanks actrask.  Good, Ill work on the lamp glass and metals and try to boost bulb power without firefly overload which i got in lightmix.   Ill read up on those two things and improve it.

[Paul Springer]

Respect for the model and lighting C+C/me would say, actrask comments spot on, hard to define it's location on clg. To add the lighting would be something to experiment with cools/warm combos. GL

thanks Noah45 all cc is needed. I definitely will run some more combos and present some client choices.

[aaouviz]

Hey,

I really like this. Scratches in the floor is a great touch! Agree that the chandelier is a bit problematic, it seems to be missing bulbs?

I think composition is also a bit off - its quite busy for the majority of the image, but is almost completely empty in the top left corner - 1/4 of the image! Maybe more lights? Or at least some light on the wall?

The rug should also be straight IMO - so rotated approx 45 degrees. And maybe remove the pattern, the fur is making it look like a low-res texture.

The texturing of the top step seems to be out-of-scale. And finally, the tree in the background is distracting. I think it should be a bit smaller/further away, less purple and maybe see a bit of the sky.

Otherwise, everything is VERY photo-real. I can't ever usually get this quality. Well done.

[Paul Springer]

Hey,

I really like this. Scratches in the floor is a great touch! Agree that the chandelier is a bit problematic, it seems to be missing bulbs?

I think composition is also a bit off - its quite busy for the majority of the image, but is almost completely empty in the top left corner - 1/4 of the image! Maybe more lights? Or at least some light on the wall?

The rug should also be straight IMO - so rotated approx 45 degrees. And maybe remove the pattern, the fur is making it look like a low-res texture.

The texturing of the top step seems to be out-of-scale. And finally, the tree in the background is distracting. I think it should be a bit smaller/further away, less purple and maybe see a bit of the sky.

Otherwise, everything is VERY photo-real. I can't ever usually get this quality. Well done.

Thanks aaouviz, yeah, the bulbs are supposed to be these tiny 10W, G4's. But they 1) don't show up good on wide angle camera & 2) throw fireflies at 1,500-2,000x power enough to create actual room light.  I f'd up more when i scaled down the whole fixture for a short 8' ht ceiling so you dont appear to bang head on the fixture while in your bed.  NOT real life scales and it shows.  Ill also work on rug and trees i agree.  Thanks again.

[bluebox]

This already looks great. Hope you don't mind but a little postpro makes this image "ready" for me unless it is really super high end property.

[aaouviz]

Wow, yeah. Bluebox! That helped. You're right - that's definitely ready.

Paul, I wouldn't bother too much. This already looks stellar.

[Paul Springer]

Bluebox, you woke-up what i thought was a mediocre image.  What did you do mostly, masked exposure/gamma, curves,etc?. if you dont mind me asking.  It would have taken me another 6mo of playing to figure out i could do that with straight render output.   Also, the price point of these properties is average for Georgia, mid-$300's (US) so they have to feel approachable to the customer.  aaouviz i still have a "carpet complex" so im fixing that.  you all are awesome for the feedback

[Paul Springer]

I...think...better.? Any addl c&c also much appreciated - again these are to be used for the developers' website to help customers visualize to-be-built homes. I also posted two exteriors.

[actrask]

Yes that chandelier is much more grounded and I like the shape it adds to the ceiling, great job.

Now you can make a nice focal point with the light from that spilling onto the bed and a tad on the ottoman. Really push the translucency on that blanket so the light can play with it.

This will also help to step the shot back. Right now the brightest part of the shot is that back wall and that's the least interesting part of the space.

Everything else looks great!

[Paul Springer]

THANKS! :) Other topic for that scene, i used an 8' clipped cam (through a wall), w/55mm film width, 40mm focus. Maybe i need more Bertrand advice of shoot as if you are photographing the space?  But it looked tiny on cam.  Is my set up too unrealistic or is this pretty common?