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Help with preset light packages?

baggins1583baggins1583 Posts: 0
edited December 1969 in New Users

First - I'm a noob to 3D in general and DS in particular.

I bought a few set/scene/prop packages and many of them come with lighting presets.

Here's one example of what I purchased: http://www.daz3d.com/shop/the-library

When I load the lighting presets, all of the lights are set to 100% intensity and the actors are blown out. Am I not loading the presets correctly or do they just load at 100%?

The example above - The Library - has about 20 lights in it, so setting all the intensities (and warmth, and shadows, etc.) will be a pain, especially since their effects will be cumulative.

If I have no choice but to tune everything by hand, any advice as to shortcuts or recommended intensity values would be truly appreciated.

Comments

  • SzarkSzark Posts: 10,634
    edited November 2012

    Are you saying that the figure is blown out at render or before you render? With Area lights (as they are for the Library) you don't get at render what you see in the viewport window before rendering.

    If the figure is being blown out in the render then adjust the surfaces to suit the lighting....Reduce Diffuse Strength is a good starting point.

    If you want to adjust each light then yes you will have to do each one manually

    Post edited by Szark on
  • baggins1583baggins1583 Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Thanks very much for the quick reply.

    The character is blown out both in the viewport window and in the renders.

    If I understand you correctly, it's the character - not the lights - that needs to be adjusted?

    I see many threads on setting light intensities quite low (10-30%) when setting up. Is this an artist's choice thing or best practice? I ask because all of the lighting presets I've purchased have the lights at 100%. This leaves me at a pivotal point in my go-forward work flow - 'tune to light' versus 'tune to character' - and I'm wondering if there is a common convention. Noob question, I know, but if the shoe fits...

  • SzarkSzark Posts: 10,634
    edited November 2012

    Nope no preference just looking at things logically and no there is a commen convention. The Library itself looks good with the provided lighting....yes or no? I have this set and for me the answer is yes so that would mean if I add anything new to the scene I am going to make adjustments to the added figures/props etc as the lights are all ready set up for the Library. If I adjust the lights then I will have to mess with all the Library's surfaces.

    And don't be fooled in to thinking all surfaces have been set up so you can load and render, sometimes it does work like this but not always and not that common to be honest. The lights work great for the Library itself which given the vendo it's not surprising but Jack has no control how other vendors set there content up, surfaces wise.

    There is no one correct way to do things in CG, just good and bad resluts. See my "Somethings to Consider when starting to learn CG" link in my sig. In that opening post at the bottom are some useful reading that may help you. The first link "The Science Of CG" has some really good do and don't do info.

    Post edited by Szark on
  • baggins1583baggins1583 Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Thanks again for the reply.

    I suspected as much but wanted to check - Occam's Razor will out once again :-).

    Thanks, as well, for your reading suggestions, and for all your helpful posts on other threads. I don't know if you get the feedback often enough, but it's willing experts like yourself who make a community like this thrive.

  • SzarkSzark Posts: 10,634
    edited December 1969

    LOL Thank you but I am no expert... as x is an unknown quantity and a s-pert is a drip under pressure. :) Seriously I am not an expert far from it. I just know what I know and in the grand scheme of things I know very little.

    I do this CV (Community Volunteering) because I want to and not to get a pat on the back so it doesn't bother me if I don't get feedback or thanks but it is sure nice to get them from time to time. Some folks will never say thanks even after a lenghty help session but I remember them just as much as the ones who do appreciate our time given to hep others.

    There are some great bonuses for helping others one being the satisfaction of just helping and the other is that I learn so much more in doing this job.

    Occam's Razor...indeed but I do prefer the disposable razor. ;)

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