Photorealistic 3d rendering of physical model

[TomD_Arch]

Studio/Institution: Personal
Genre: Other
Software: 3dsMax and mental ray
Description:

I am trying to recreate a scale C.G. version of a physical model I built in architecture school many years ago and has since been lost, throw-out, whatever. The C.G. model itself is not complete, but close enough that I wanted to start working on the materials (basewood, cork site and rock walls, and MDF base) and the lighting. I am trying to get the image to look as much like a photo of what the actual model would have looked like if I had smartly photo-documented it. Alas, I'm just not convinced, and I am sure you guys wont be either.

 

I have created an enclosed environment with a wood top table that would have been specifically for the purpose of photographing items in real life, a studio space I guess. I have also toyed with Depth of Field.

 

I currently have 3 lights:

1. m.r. Spot, shadow casting, coming from the right

2. m.r. Omni, no shadows behind the model and behind the camera

 

What other settings and such can I provide in order for you all to be able to give me good feed-back.

 

I am going to try and upload a few .jpgs.

 

Thanks!

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[JCM]

It might be nice to try to light it using a HDRI image. given that an interior HDRI would give you pretty accurate lighting and if you find the right one, you could probably use it as an environment map as well.

[Tommy L]

Its a good start, but I think your composition needs more interest. There are large expanses of the image in which nothing happens. You would be unlikely to go to the trouble of photographing the model in a studio and choose the angles you have here.

Once you compose the shot better you will need to enhance the realism of your materials. Add a falloff to the reflection channels of all materials and play with the settings. Your right to consider HDRI. AO may help.

Get really close tot he model and DOF will help to make the model feel small scale.

[Claudio Branch]

Since you are primarily interested in making this appear like a photo, then why not start with an actual photograph and composite in the 3D model using a single plane and a matte material to catch the shadows?

 

Make the model the primary focus and the background secondary. Once you have the integration of the 3d model into a 2d picture mastered, you can up the ante by modeling the environment.

 

The best cg work is seamless and unseen. Make photography work for you to this end.

[Tron]

Since you are primarily interested in making this appear like a photo, then why not start with an actual photograph and composite in the 3D model using a single plane and a matte material to catch the shadows?

 

Make the model the primary focus and the background secondary. Once you have the integration of the 3d model into a 2d picture mastered, you can up the ante by modeling the environment.

 

The best cg work is seamless and unseen. Make photography work for you to this end.

 

Great idea; especially since you are using MR and have access to the production shaders. If you have a mirror-ball or "victorial gazing ball," use it to create your camera map. See Master zap's blog on production shaders for help if you are unfamiliar.

[TomD_Arch]

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So this is the latest version with A.O. A.O. and closer in really does help with the depth of field. Am I wrong to state the lighting now looks more like outdoor sun light filling the room?

 

Been reading on the HDRI mapping and think that sounds great.

 

Now I really like just starting with a photo of a real table. I could stitch an actual light-probe of the room together and create the .hdr file I would need to light scene properly right?

 

Thanks for the comments so far.