Lighting / Scene Setup for dusk exterior rendering

[Jason Matthews]

Hey guys, I am about to start working on a highrise condo project and the client has request a few exterior renderings at dusk (the magic moment). I have to admit, this is probably my weakest type of rendering. Does anyone have any tutorials that they would mind sharing? Any tips or tricks? I am using Max and Vray to do the rendering, Sketchup to model.

 

Thanks in advance,

[SkylineArch]

A good sunset HDR in a dome light... Or just a simple Vray sky/sun can get you there if you set your time of day to dusk. for dusk shots it's more about the other lighting in the scene, inside the building, street lights, etc., and contrasting cool and warm lighting.

[Jason Matthews]

I agree. I was mainly talking about setting up interior lighting so that it creates the warm feeling as well as creating the exterior lighting in terms of the task lighting. How do people go about it? Setting up omni lights at different colors and intensities? Vray Area lights? IES? Thanks.

[notamondayfan]

It's all about balancing the natural light and artificial light. The natural light is pretty easy to set-up, low sun position, red / orange in tones. As you mention the "golden hour" I presume you are still wanting the sun to illuminate the scene, and see shadows cast? Just remember at this time of day the sun is still going to be the brightest light, and other artificial lights will be there to illuminate the dark, under exposed areas of your image.

As for setting up the lighting for dusk / night shots, only work with 1 light (or 1 set of lights), get the effect you want, then turn off and move onto the next light, and so on. Then you can turn them all on and balance the lights.

Also try and find a photograph of what you are trying to achieve, and copy how things are done in the real world, and try to see what tricks the photographer might have used, such as supporting lights, boards, etc.

[Jason Matthews]

Thanks for the feedback, Dean! Great advice.

[RyderSK]

 

Also try and find a photograph of what you are trying to achieve, and copy how things are done in the real world, and try to see what tricks the photographer might have used, such as supporting lights, boards, etc.

 

This is excellent advice, I was gonna write the same, the dusk scenario can be pretty diverse and hard to just eye-ball, I would find good reference that you like and just copy the lightning of it, it will end up being much more believable compared to eye-balling it out, which might very quickly fall into unsightly kitsch.

 

Also, beware of saturations and tones, correct these in post according to some quality photography too.

 

As for lighthing, hard to say because I don't know what scene it is (skyscraper or villa would be very different setup) but good HDRi is a start :- )

[Jason Matthews]

Thanks for the advice. I will be posting to the WIP section for this project so pleas come and check on it.

 

As far as the project type, it is a 16 story condo building (a twist on Mediterranean architecture). I think the lighting will add a lot of drama. I will fish around for some HDRI. Any favorites I should look for?

 

Thanks,

 

 

Jason Matthews

[RyderSK]

Of course, the best is definitely (and by big far out) CG-Source.

 

(I am seriously no-how affiliated, but they just beat the hell out of PeterG and CGSkies and all those old-school people still use like Aversis, Dosch, etc... the quality is not even comparable, it's like 10 times better)

[farhanburondkar]

really Good Advice. but As a new kammer i m didnt get ur point... pls can u mail me one of file for learn more about it on farhanburondkar@gmail.com

[Jason Matthews]

Wow I think that is the first time going to the CG Source website. The HDRI examples (moving the mouse to see the various points) are amazing. I definitely will put them on my list. Thanks Juraj!

[Nic H]

ah thanks for the pointer to cgsource juraj

been looking for some new HDRI

sick of low res reflections!

[RyderSK]

Just one advice, the only more mammoth HDRi I had was from DutchSkies which was 28000px and I think 500MB large.

These are 16k and roughly 200MB .hdri which do posses "slight" problem of being showable in viewport if you put them inside Max Environment slot. In 90perc. cases, it will just freeze. So I suggest to use the downsampled sample to position your light in viewport and only render with the true full-res.

[Jason Matthews]

Thanks for the heads up. I am about 80% done with the modeling so far. I will start posting images within the next few days.

[unrinoceronte]

Just one advice, the only more mammoth HDRi I had was from DutchSkies which was 28000px and I think 500MB large.

These are 16k and roughly 200MB .hdri which do posses "slight" problem of being showable in viewport if you put them inside Max Environment slot. In 90perc. cases, it will just freeze. So I suggest to use the downsampled sample to position your light in viewport and only render with the true full-res.

 

Juraj, (i am new to HDRi), but so regarding your comment, is there a way to have both maps, the full res (i guess this goes in the override Environment GI, or in the Vray Dome light, and the downsampled image goes in the "regular" environment slot? Or does one have to first use the downsampled for setting it all, and then change the file for the full res? is that what you mean?

[Coolhand78]

Of course, the best is definitely (and by big far out) CG-Source.

 

(I am seriously no-how affiliated, but they just beat the hell out of PeterG and CGSkies and all those old-school people still use like Aversis, Dosch, etc... the quality is not even comparable, it's like 10 times better)

 

 

Thanks for the heads up, will definitely give them a go... Big fan of their multitexture...!