Midnight Christmas Pause

[masonspappy]

Been working on a Christmas tree in Blender.  Not done yet but it rendered out pretty nicely in Terragen.
I made this image  several years back but wasn't happy with the final result, so I deleted everything in the foreground and used the new Christmas tree as a focal point.  Playing a lot now with Terragen's lighting system. I wanted the church to look deserted, so turned off all lights there except one in the bell tower. Also using spotlights to highlight the Christmas tree, but not over-lighting it.
I know the horse desperately needs leg improvements - still working on that.
Background trees are xfrog with snow applied. Every other object was created in Blender.
The image and Christmas tree are still WIPs so C&C's welcome (as always    ) 

[Dune]

That turned out really nicely indeed. Nice setting with the partly snow-covered bridge.
A few suggestions; the horse also is a bit elongated in the mid section.
I would also make the snow much less reflective. You could drop in a sprinkle (PF masked and not more than 0.1 density) of fake stones at sand grain size 0.005m, and use that as mask for a shiny reflective shader (use surface shader as masked base for tyhe reflection as child).

[DocCharly65]

Except the a bit too glossy ground I like this very much!

[Jo Kariboo]

Nice set-up. The snow with this reflection is similar and realistic after a freezing rain. Can be added ice to some other objects if what you are looking for is an ice effect after a frezing rain.

[WAS]

Ironically this is very realistic to clear night skies freezing melted surface snow from the day. It's likely minus 0 with a sky like that. Very common reflections in town on the icy old snow under lights.

[bobbystahr]

In the realistic camp as well as we've been getting god's dandruff lately here...agree on the horse.

[WAS]

god's dandruff

Lol Haven't heard that one.

[masonspappy]

Hey all, thanks for the comments.  I'm trying to rebuild the horse at the moment...lost count of the number of times I've switched between fixing the model and making a new model. For reasons I don't fully understand (perhaps lack of talent?) my horses tend to look like jackasses. And sad-looking jackasses at that.
About the glare on the snow...I get the point about it being too much.  The thing is, down here were I live (North-By-God-Carolina) it's a common phenomenon on those infrequent occasions when we have snow. Night time temperatures can easily get into the low 20's but during the day it get's well above freezing. So it's common for the top layer of snow to melt during the day and then freeze solid at night. 

[luvsmuzik]

Yes! and what makes it so treacherous, also makes it soooo pretty! well done!

[WAS]

Sad jackasses. Oh man. I almost woke my son laughing.

And by they way, Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!

[masonspappy]

And Merry Christmas backatcha....

So, another iteration. Added the boy (and gave him a toboggan to wear as my wife insists no mother would let her child out on a cold winter night without a hat.). The horse isn't perfect but I think is better than it was.   Although I almost never add post-work, I'm doing so here to get the stars in the sky.   

Now have to make a dad to drive the sleigh...

[bobbystahr]

And Merry Christmas backatcha....

So, another iteration. Added the boy (and gave him a toboggan to wear as my wife insists no mother would let her child out on a cold winter night without a hat.). The horse isn't perfect but I think is better than it was.   Although I almost never add post-work, I'm doing so here to get the stars in the sky.   

Now have to make a dad to drive the sleigh...

actually that'd be a toque heh heh, as a toboggan is a sleigh with no runners just a rolled up front.

https://i1.wp.com/www.thisbigadventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/toboggan.jpg?resize=759%2C500

[WAS]

Love the new setup, though you could try procedural stars instead of post, it may come out a little more natural. Could even throw in a SSS shape for Northern Star.

Only other thing that's interesting to me is the light on the church. The weird kinda green lighting glow that seems solid with no falloff.

[masonspappy]

actually that'd be a toque heh heh, as a toboggan is a sleigh with no runners just a rolled up front.
https://i1.wp.com/www.thisbigadventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/toboggan.jpg?resize=759%2C500

Well, actually, for those of us in Southern USA, it's a cap or a sleigh:    https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/11359/whats-the-origin-of-using-toboggan-to-mean-a-knit-cap
I tell ya Bobby - us southerner's are a strange and different lot! 

try procedural stars instead of post, it may come out a little more natural. 

I will , thanks

Only other thing that's interesting to me is the light on the church. The weird kinda green lighting glow that seems solid with no falloff.

yeah I gotta clean that up a bit.
Thanks!!

[luvsmuzik]

Nice!

actually that'd be a toque heh heh, as a toboggan is a sleigh with no runners just a rolled up front.
https://i1.wp.com/www.thisbigadventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/toboggan.jpg?resize=759%2C500

Well, actually, for those of us in Southern USA, it's a cap or a sleigh:    https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/11359/whats-the-origin-of-using-toboggan-to-mean-a-knit-cap
I tell ya Bobby - us southerner's are a strange and different lot! 

For gosh sake, don't wrap anybody in a MacIntosh.....