Caustics

[dj_buckley]

Whenever I render pool caustics I always get these odd looking areas.  I don't really know how to describe other than it looks like the same effect you'd get on texture on the sides of a box if you applied texture mapping in planar mode rather than box.

I don't see them in any references photos of swimming pools etc.

The water is simply a flat piece of geometry displaced with Phoenix FD Ocean Tex.

So I'm wondering if its an artifact caused by Corona's displacement?

[Beanzvision]

Isn't this how it works in real-life too? ;)

[dj_buckley]

Not sure.  I guess that's what I was trying to ask

[dj_buckley]

Maybe they just look really artificial in Corona because I'm struggling to find an example that looks like the render

[Beanzvision]

There are plenty of examples out there ;)

[dj_buckley]

I can't help but notice all of the samples you've posted are really shallow water with uneven ground below the surface.  Maybe that makes a difference

[Tom]

Hi,

@dj_buckley your render doesn't look odd to me. It looks pretty realistic actually. I mean, if I hadn't read this post and I saw your render, I wouldn't say caustics look fake. And given all the examples posted here it looks like there's nothing wrong with your render, but that's just my point of view.

[dj_buckley]

I'm happy to accept that.  I think I just found them distracting and now it's a case of, what has been seen can't be unseen :)

[Beanzvision]

Good ole' fashioned optical distortion :)