Need help progressing

[samhosken1]

Studio/Institution: OSG
Genre: Residential Exterior
Software: 3ds max 2016, iray, photoshop
Description:

Hi all, i'm new to cgarchitect, was wondering if anyone could help me progress my visuals in general.

I'm using iray and switch between a daylight system which tends to give me better shadows and a HDRI which gives me nicer reflections (cant seem to find a way to have both).

The attached image is one of my latest projects but have been producing a similar sort of result for a while now and would like to step it up a bit, any help would be great.

Thanks

[Corey Beaulieu]

Every image needs a reason to be and every thing that is happening within that image needs to be geared towards that reason. Your composition is not leading us to view anything in particular and your subject doesn't seem highlighted in any way.

 

Straighten your cameras verticals and lower it down to a human level or go aerial. Add way more to the surrounding so it has a bit of place in the world and tell me what feature is to be understood through your composition.

 

The design is a bit a lack-luster, but often that is not within your control so you need to do what you can to enhance the design with more and more detail. The white portion is seamless and the glass is not reflecting anything. The color palette is limited at best and every window is floor to ceiling. Why?

 

You seem to have a decent balance of light and saturation so keep up that good work, but if I am focussing on the entrance here, then it probably shouldn't be the one part of the image in shadow. Unless it should be better articulated with artificial lights or a more worthy doorway/canopy.

 

I hope that helps. I'm not trying to be rude, just trying to be honest.

[samhosken1]

Thanks for the feedback, not taken as rude, that's the reason i've posted, i know its not the best image, just need a little help putting my finger on the main issues.

Like you said, i don't have much design input so full height windows, canopy etc. will be a struggle, however, it can be a discussion.

I will work on the camera, i normally do set it at eye level, can't remember my reasoning for raising it on this one to be honest.

What would you say is the best way to get decent reflections while using a daylight system? i often use a HDRI but struggle getting shadows out of them.

I often feel my images are a bit washed out, any thoughts? i've played around in photoshop but cant seem to get the colours looking right.

[jonasmotiejunas]

Try modeling some environment or use planes with photographs applied for reflections. Modeled environment may have possitive effect on scene lighting,while planes with photographs - wont. You can still use HDRI lighting, and link vray sun to it to strenghten the shadows. http://viscorbel.com/vray-hdri-lighting-tutorial/

 

Its quite hard to position 2d people in scene realistically, shadows in wrong direction (i mean own shadows, not the drop shadows), colours to bright, lack of contrast. try painting correct shadows and correcting colours, but if the scene ir rich enough with detail, 2d people might be unnecessary at all.