Challenge WIP***Update2!

[NWsenior07]

I'm starting to work on this image and I'm mostly ready to do the full size render but before I commit my computer to probably a week's worth of run time I wanted opinions on what could be changed in the image. Right now the only thing that I'm considering is the noise style of the cloud layer but what else could use improving?

[Tangled-Universe]

I think the moody atmo and lighting are nearly perfect. Maybe, if possible, try to lower the sun a little bit and increase red decay to give the light a slightly more orange color. That would look pretty cool on the snow I think. The clear sky fits the scene perfectly, I wouldn't change that at all.
As you said the clouds could use some work, maybe a little less color roughness of the color...can't say for sure, I'm not so good at cloud settings
I really like the image, looks very good! Look forward to see the final result.

Martin

[rcallicotte]

I agree with TU about the sun and lighting.  This looks pretty good.  The clouds seem a bit wild to me, but maybe it's the direction of the light as well as anything else.

[dhavalmistry]

an HQ version would be better...

[overlordchuck]

Total agreement with TU.

[NWsenior07]

I think I've got it the way I want it. I tweaked the clouds and moved my POV forward slightly then increased the redshift and contrast. I had to manually take out some cloud related noise in paint (don't have photoshop) but I think it turned out well.

[overlordchuck]

The clouds make everything look volcanic.  Pretty cool.

[crosseout]

thats a very nice scene, but I think the clouds are a bit too scattered and maybe you could raise them a bit?

[Virex]

The clouds look a bit to thick. If you could somehow have the background shine throuhg, like a fog, then this'd be completely perfect.

[dhavalmistry]

I agree with the clouds being too scattered....the background looks very good....and probably remove the water since its only gonna increase the render time....

[Tangled-Universe]

I agree with the clouds being too scattered....the background looks very good....and probably remove the water since its only gonna increase the render time....

Very good suggestion dhaval.
The lighting has improved and it looks almost like I had in mind when I made the suggestion to lower the sun.
Maybe you could go for a less dense red sky decay, an even lower sun and increase the strength to about 10 or so.
This keep the scene as lit as the first one but still keeping that nice yellow touch on the snow. How about that?

[NWsenior07]

To make the scene look as it does now I actually raised the sun slightly and then turned up the red-decay and contrast. My terrain actually has a mountain or ridge in front of the sun so I can't get it much lower than it is currently. I am going to smooth out the clouds and pull them together though.

[Tangled-Universe]

To make the scene look as it does now I actually raised the sun slightly and then turned up the red-decay and contrast. My terrain actually has a mountain or ridge in front of the sun so I can't get it much lower than it is currently. I am going to smooth out the clouds and pull them together though.

Ah ok, I understand. Well, I'm looking forward to see the improved clouds! 

[NWsenior07]

Okay I took the second set of suggestions into consideration and I have new version up and ready. Again I had some manual editing to do on the clouds, I keep getting some unwanted noise in there (does anybody know why?).

[rcallicotte]

The distant mountains and sky are awesome.