Something simple

[Tangled-Universe]

Hi guys,

Just something simple to kill some time.
Maybe I'll continue on this with some extra variation in grasses and some dips filled with water, I'll see.

Cheers,
Martin

[TheBadger]

Excellent population control, Martin. As always. Very real looking over all too.

I like the white earth. I think I have seen some photos of a place like that. Where the ground is a kind of white color. But I cant remember at all where a place like that is. What is your source image?

The lighting looks real in photo terms. But Im not sure total realism is always the best goal in image making. For example I believe that the over exposed rock surfaces are "photo correct." But aesthetically, I think not desirable in this example.
Because the rocks are so important to the image, and because there is so little of that color over all. I really want to see them in as much detail as possible from this view. Texture and all.

Is is a HDR post image or corrected tiff? Or raw tiff-->.jpg?

Of course though, I get the point of trying for photo real. That is TG2's point.
Nice work.

[Tangled-Universe]

Thanks Micheal

I used the EXR output and adjusted the exposure and gamma (+1.5 and 0.85 respectively).
That's it actually, nothing more.

I seldomly use source images or references in a direct manner.
When I surf the net and forums like these I run accross things I like or I get ideas.
For instance, I've been in France a dozen of times and remember areas with calceous soil where pines and some loaf trees grow easily, along with grass. But honestly I only came up with that now you mention it and made me think about it.
I just had the idea, thought it might look nice, that's all

I see your argument about the rocks. I contemplated about removing the strongest highlights, but first of all I couldn't get it done in a nice way and on second thought I thought it might be more closer to how a real camera would capture it. Like you said.
I agree it's not very desirable.
I can add some extra detail and darker texturing, is that what you mean?

Thanks for your constructive comment

Cheers,
Martin

[RArcher]

I like it Martin, including the rocks.  The distribution of the plants works quite well but if you go any further I would add another species or so of weed to the small grass clumps areas where you can see patterns of soil showing through.

[Hetzen]

There's some really good population blending going on there Martin. What AA settings are you using, and which pixel filter are you using?

Maybe dry dusty worn patches meanderying bottom left to top right? Maybe just a little more displacement variation on the ground (tree roots, rain drainage etc). I like the stones a lot, but probably not that many.

[Dune]

I agree with Jon, and I also agree with Ryan. Maybe a bit erosion indeed, or a worn (roedeer) path meandering through the area. And I would hit the stone or tree seed; there's one tree growing from a rock 
What's that yellowish upright weed? Nice one!

[TheBadger]

I can add some extra detail and darker texturing, is that what you mean?

Theres probably a million things you could do. I don't know what would be best. I happen to like the rocks the way they are. There are few that are in the shadows, and they look pretty nice to me. Like I said, I like the white earth. It gives the image a kind of "special place" feel to the image. And the more I think about I am sure there is some place like that somewhere. I just cant remember where I saw it.

Perhaps just put some clouds up and see if that breaks up the "hot spots" on the few rocks that are effected.

But I also like dunes Idea of a, not to used path, winding through. Doing so would expose more ground and thus show more of that color. Then you would not have to mess with the lighting, because the few rocks that are over exposed will not be so important any more.

What ever you do, just keep to your methodical approach, and I'm sure you cant go wrong.

[choronr]

Martin, I really like that 'moss-like' green base. What did you use here?