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General => Image Sharing => Topic started by: JimB on November 16, 2009, 05:19:48 PM

Title: Alpine Lake (FINAL)
Post by: JimB on November 16, 2009, 05:19:48 PM
A continuation of Alpine Forest which I posted recently, but with water and a bunch of changes.

added: No more changes to be done.  ;)

added: No more changes to be done.... honest.  ;)

Thanks for looking (again and again...).

(http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l469/jimbowers/TESTS/alpine_lake_v5_Jim_Bowers_2009.jpg)

Full size here: http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l469/jimbowers/TESTS/alpine_lake_v5_Jim_Bowers_2009.jpg
Title: Re: Alpine Lake
Post by: FrankB on November 16, 2009, 05:24:53 PM
great job, Jim, just like I got used to from you  :)

I thought it was a photo, on first sight. I wonder how this would look like bigger and at higher detail.
My minor crit is on that I don't fully believe the rock color.

cheers,
Frank
Title: Re: Alpine Lake
Post by: RArcher on November 16, 2009, 05:25:59 PM
Beautiful Jim!  Maybe just a slightly lower sun position and you would start getting some pinks/yellows reflected off the snow.  Something like this:  http://www.archer-designs.com/zp/index.php?album=photography%2Fchristmas-2008&image=DSC_0014.jpg (http://www.archer-designs.com/zp/index.php?album=photography%2Fchristmas-2008&image=DSC_0014.jpg)
Title: Re: Alpine Lake
Post by: Gannaingh on November 16, 2009, 05:45:08 PM
This is fantastic! I agree with Frank's comment about the color of the rock but beyond that it is pretty hard not to believe that this is a photograph.
Title: Re: Alpine Lake
Post by: Kadri on November 16, 2009, 05:55:43 PM
First class image, JimB  :)

Kadri.
Title: Re: Alpine Lake
Post by: Henry Blewer on November 16, 2009, 06:59:21 PM
It's really good. I'm surprised that more of the mountain is not reflected into the lake. But I would not change the POV. A lower sun angle might make the image more 'cinematic'.

EDIT: The mountain reflection: Changing the wind patch may make the reflection larger.
Title: Re: Alpine Lake
Post by: JimB on November 16, 2009, 08:46:29 PM
Thanks everyone. I'm doing a new render tonight with that redder look Ryan pointed out, for the hell of it  ;) . It'll also have a heavier misty atmos lower down. Will post when it's ready.

I've not been too fussed on the rock surface, either. It'll be a kind of progressive piece. The grass needs 'something', as well.

Ta.
Title: Re: Alpine Lake
Post by: Oshyan on November 16, 2009, 11:02:15 PM
Excellent! I find the high-altitude cirrus clouds to be a bit too "squiggly", but otherwise it's near photographic. Also perhaps a bit too much sharpness (or noise), e.g. on the vegetation or the foreground water. Perhaps a tad higher AA, or a smoother AA filter? Looking forward to future versions...

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Alpine Lake
Post by: moodflow on November 17, 2009, 12:47:57 AM
Wow, the rocks and snow on the mountain are spot on!  Not sure on the squiggly cirrus (as Oshyan stated).

Nice work for sure.
Title: Re: Alpine Lake
Post by: Seth on November 17, 2009, 02:02:36 AM
very good job
Title: Re: Alpine Lake
Post by: Dune on November 17, 2009, 03:28:00 AM
Damn fine piece of art. I really like the contrast, but I agree with Oshyan about the cirrus. They make it kind of surreal. As you yourself stated, the grass might need some differentiation, at least for a big render.

---Dune
Title: Re: Alpine Lake
Post by: schmeerlap on November 17, 2009, 05:01:18 AM
Inspirational use of cloud layer for lighting effect, and great result. I like it.

John
Title: Re: Alpine Lake
Post by: inkydigit on November 17, 2009, 05:22:21 AM
I like this, kind of agree about the rocks, but still, this is excellent!
Title: Re: Alpine Lake
Post by: JimB on November 17, 2009, 06:11:25 AM
Damn, everyone noticed the cirrhus. I thought the grass, rock and sharpness would have distracted you all from that  ;)

Working on it anyway.
Title: Re: Alpine Lake
Post by: Henry Blewer on November 17, 2009, 07:43:10 AM
We all look forward to the next version. :)

Side Note: Smoother AA filter? I detect a hint of the future. 8)
Title: Re: Alpine Lake
Post by: Oshyan on November 17, 2009, 10:11:06 PM
Quote from: njeneb on November 17, 2009, 07:43:10 AM
We all look forward to the next version. :)

Side Note: Smoother AA filter? I detect a hint of the future. 8)
The AA filter options are already available - Cubic, Mitchell Netravali, etc. ;)

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Alpine Lake
Post by: JimB on November 18, 2009, 05:57:15 AM
Well, I did use Catmull-Rom. You see, someone mentioned the previous one being too soft.....  ;) ;)
Title: Re: Alpine Lake
Post by: Hannes on November 18, 2009, 07:20:27 AM
Fantastic! Maybe the colour of the rock could be a little darker with a power fractal as colour function.
Title: Re: Alpine Lake (FINAL)
Post by: JimB on November 19, 2009, 05:31:00 AM
Final version posted.
Title: Re: Alpine Lake (FINAL)
Post by: Dune on November 19, 2009, 06:14:44 AM
It's absolutely staggeringly fantastic, and I'm not exaggerating. Great sky now, and the lighting is superb. One question; what did you mean by the now crossed out sentence: The darker lighting towards the bottom of the terain is done using a cloud layer without any noise function, clipped behind the camera (???), inverted profile and a very soft bottom.

---Dune
Title: Re: Alpine Lake (FINAL)
Post by: JimB on November 19, 2009, 06:18:37 AM
I took it out and went with the natural lighting instead, given the lower sun. Clearly it's confusing, so I've deleted that bit from the original post altogether.

Thanks.

Actually, I just thought of something and might re-render with one tweak  ::)
Title: Re: Alpine Lake (FINAL)
Post by: domdib on November 19, 2009, 07:43:12 AM
Fantastically staggering  ;) I agree that the lighting is superb. Like Dune, I was puzzled what you meant by "clipped behind the camera". Did you push it there with a Distance shader?
Title: Re: Alpine Lake (FINAL)
Post by: FrankB on November 19, 2009, 09:51:45 AM
amazing, Jim. Looks fantastic!
Title: Re: Alpine Lake (FINAL)
Post by: Seth on November 19, 2009, 10:55:55 AM
very very good !
Title: Re: Alpine Lake (FINAL)
Post by: littlecannon on November 19, 2009, 12:40:57 PM
That is one beautiful image... I see you went with Ryan's suggestion of lighting. Very nice work!
Simon.
Title: Re: Alpine Lake (FINAL)
Post by: sjefen on November 19, 2009, 06:21:39 PM
There are some strange patterns in the clouds just above the mountains to the right, but other than that it is just spectacular.
Could you do a extra big render of this one?

- Terje
Title: Re: Alpine Lake (FINAL)
Post by: JimB on November 19, 2009, 06:38:08 PM
I'm actually re-rendering now with some extra quality settings and a GI change (taking much longer to render, though). So far it's looking much better, so I'm un-finalling the final. I know what you mean about the cloud patterns, but I personally like them. I'll post the 2k version next.

Ta.
Title: Re: Alpine Lake (not FINAL)
Post by: Henry Blewer on November 19, 2009, 06:40:09 PM
How do you improve this one? I'll have to wait and see, but I am very curious...
Title: Re: Alpine Lake (not FINAL)
Post by: Oshyan on November 19, 2009, 11:05:49 PM
The update is definitely an improvement, looking very nice, but I find it all a bit underexposed. Granted the sun shining on the mountain is pretty bright, but everything else, including the sky, seems a bit dull or underexposed. Probably something easily fixed in post, especially if you're saving to EXR - maybe a bit of tone mapping. :)

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Alpine Lake (FINAL)
Post by: JimB on November 20, 2009, 06:33:50 AM
Okay, that's definitely it. Done.

Thanks to Ryan for the lower sun suggestion. Also to Matt Howarth for his Mackerel Sky clip file which I modified, but it gave the basis for the cirrhus.
Title: Re: Alpine Lake (FINAL)
Post by: domdib on November 20, 2009, 11:49:09 AM
Even better. The trees in the mid-distance look fantastic.
Title: Re: Alpine Lake (FINAL)
Post by: rcallicotte on November 23, 2009, 10:25:17 AM
Love your work.  So inspirational and relaxing.    :)
Title: Re: Alpine Lake (FINAL)
Post by: moodflow on November 25, 2009, 07:37:22 PM
Definitely in the top 25 best TG2 images so far.  Very nice work!    :o
Title: Re: Alpine Lake (FINAL)
Post by: JimB on November 25, 2009, 08:24:08 PM
Thanks. Much appreciated (blush).
Title: Re: Alpine Lake (FINAL)
Post by: buzzzzz1 on November 25, 2009, 08:55:21 PM
For me this is The Best I've seen! Hope you don't mind but this is my new desktop Background.  Hats Off Jim!
Title: Re: Alpine Lake (FINAL)
Post by: TheBlackHole on November 26, 2009, 01:06:40 AM
Awesome!!!! :o :o :o :o 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
Title: Re: Alpine Lake (FINAL)
Post by: chris_x422 on November 26, 2009, 06:37:38 AM
This is wonderful Jim!
Great mood, lighting, clouds and very well balanced composition. Inspirational!

Chris

Title: Re: Alpine Lake (FINAL)
Post by: MGebhart on November 26, 2009, 04:24:35 PM
Very Nice.

Marc