Realism of plant usage in images

[BlueRose]

So Im a gardener as well as a Terrageneer.  Im not doing any images cos my current PC is way too slow to run the fancy new version   But Im saving hard!

I do keep tabs on the Forums here and enjoy looking at peoples images and being inspired by them, but I have noticed a bit of theme that is more common now people have access to plant objects to include in there images.  That theme is basically incorrent or unnatural usage of plants within the images.  Im not going to point any fingers here because its all down to artistic licence.

But I would be interested to know - are the people on here making images using plants who are not familiar with how they look in nature (habitat/environment/altitude etc) do you do any research to make them look more natural?

Or do you just plonk what looks good into your picture regardless?

Now I state there is nothing artistically wrong with either option.  You are free to do it anyway it pleases you.  But for myself, as someone who sees something out of place, it does interfere with my enjoyment of the image.  Maybe I need to get over myself

So do you care about the naturalistic integrity of the image?  Obviously photorealism has been a focus for years, but this is another thing that now begins to make a difference as to how *real* it might look?  Genuinely interested here!

[Goms]

I think the decision, what plant(s) are used is mostly a question about what looks good in the image.
The problem in landscape rendering is in my opinion always the difference and conflict between what the artist imagines and thinks about what looks "real", and what it would look like on a photo. During my "work" with Terragen and other programs, I noticed  few points which are often "the problem":
- too much saturation of grass, sand and plants
- an often unnatural blue sky
- no enough details in ground-cover
But also I see many images where the artist has really cared about this and made an absolutely stunning ground-cover or realistic sky.
How realistic the vegetation in context to the altitude, climatic environment etc. is, is something I can't judge about, as I have no deeper clue about this.

[Walli]

I think there are many points that play a role:
- how many objects to people have. Often they need to take something that probably wouldn´t grow in  a certain landscape, but either they have no ther choice or they simply like the result
- how much knowledge you have about plants and ecosystems and how good you can look at nature
- limits of software, let it be the plant generation tool or limitations when it comes to populating a landscape
- difference between realistic/photorealistic. We are very used to pictures and film that we seen on screens. You easily forget that this iamgery often has been altered and "optimized". And I think this point will change over time and will adapt to technology (HDR monitors that capture the "real" lighting and brighntess of a scene).
- and for sure many more

[FrankB]

- how many objects to people have. Often they need to take something that probably wouldn´t grow in  a certain landscape, but either they have no ther choice or they simply like the result

That's the main issue for most, I think. Secondly there's some level of skill required to actually handle TG2 in order to make the vegetation look good.

Cheers,
Frank

[arisdemos]

Be very careful with this possibly explosive question!. I once made a comment concerning a certain beloved TG2 tech's placement of his Joshua tree within the flashflood path area of a desert gully as being "unrealistic."

Big, big mistake, because this little comment unleashed a bitter biting commentary that ran for about three day until the subject was locked up tighter than a Gordian knot.  In the end I am not sure that the problem was in the subject matter of the natural order of faunal things or had perhaps involved a perceived savage impingement on the artistic license of one this forum's sacred cows.

I believe the man said something to the effect "That he would put the Joshua tree on the moon if he felt it was appropriate to his art."  I still felt his tree seriously needed moving to a dryer location, but I think that was going a little too far!.

[Mohawk20]

The lack of variety is my greatest problem, but I would really like to have the right plant in the right landscape, so no one can complain about lack of realism 

So I'm saving up for the xfrog mega pack.
And please tell me if I used the wrong plant once I have that, I will gladly swap species...

[BlueRose]

I believe the man said something to the effect "That he would put the Joshua tree on the moon if he felt it was appropriate to his art."  I still felt his tree seriously needed moving to a dryer location, but I think that was going a little too far!.

*nods* I have no argument with anyone who wants to put any plant anywhere in creating their perfect picture.

I was more curious as to how many people here even took the time to think about the natural selection of plants and placement thereof before/while they create their image.  It sounds like people work with what they have, which makes perfect sense (You cant work with what you dont have).

Now that we can achieve photorealism, is it as important to make sure that the contents of the picture are correct to nature, for that different kind of realism?  If people had access to pick and choose from Xfrog range and get an affordable number of plants they could reuse in a natural setting *would* you make the effort to do so?

[RArcher]

I try to within reason depending on what sort of vegetation I have available.  I think some cases may be influenced by knowledge and experience of an area.  For me, I know the geography and ecosystems of Western Canada very well, but I have practically zero first hand knowledge of say desert or tropical regions.  In these cases I pretty much rely on photographs or even just a feeling of what may be correct.  Whether I hit the mark or not I have no idea, but I'm always happy to be corrected if I use the wrong sort of plant.

[neuspadrin]

If i had the resources to pick and choose proper plants i definitely would take the time to do so for what my goal was.  But as is, with the limited few resources i do have, i stick to whatever i can get and feels the closest to what im aiming for.