Bryce cloud/smoke/fog interacting with scene elements examples

CTippetts

@Hansmar - Um, I'm on an old computer that has programs that XP SP3 violates, due mainly to the fact that SP3 was nearly all about Digital Rights Management. Though I did the individual updates that were actual security flaw updates, I can't use programs that require SP3, such as Bryce 7.1. So I have to use Bryce 5.5 for now, and put up with loooong render times. Still 54 minutes for this one, despite the changes. I do appreciate you taking the time to show me what I could do if I had 7.1. Someday ...

For now, I fixed some of the issues. Some involved moving things. Some involved editing things. Some involved resizing things. Some involved replacing things.

No more Cattails ... just generic "Foliage". It doesn't look as bad sticking into and out of the sand. I will look into NGPlant, Plant Studio, and Power Plant. In fact, I downloaded them, but have not yet installed them. You're not the first person who suggested I try them. You are the person who finally got me to download them. Even if it turns out they don't work for me, thank you, for the push.

The beach with the incline adds the effect of previous tides. Flat, it would all be one color.

I also revisited the boat to smooth some of the facets, and redid its material.

None of that fixed the fog and haze ... the purpose of this exercise.

However, I was back at my lawyers office, and took a picture of the painting that inspired this. Wow! I'm way off. Oh, well. Other than possible vegetation changes, (if any of the above named programs work out for me), I'm done for now. I might load this back in when I have another computer and Bryce 7.1. Thank you very much for your support and encouragement.

Um, where did you post those clouds you spoke of? The idea of the camera inside the cloud slab intrigues me. Might be better than a fog, if placed right.

Hansmar

@CTippetts: You're very welcome.

The perspective indeed works better now. I now also see what you mean with the need to have idea of waves having been on the shore. I like it that you kept the general colour scheme.
The foliage doesn't yet convince me. It looks 'detached' from the rest of the picture.

Regarding using the camera in the cloud slab: I would not do that instead of fog and haze. It will give you a render time way above an hour, probably closer to days! It works with a volumetric material. That leads to lots of render time. I used it because I wanted my plane in the clouds. See here: http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=2560839
I did start making another one with a plane and a hot air balloon that had more cloud effects, but it crashed and yes, stupid me, I had not saved a recent version. I think I'll do that later (takes many days to render, because it needs IBL and true ambience too).

Regarding haze and fog, there are some good tutorials explaining that the start height of the haze is very important to set low to have a good control. I don't have a link just now, sorry for that. I guess David Brinnen made the tutorial

Regarding plant tools: I have not used plant studio a lot. And I recently got into Ngplant and am really surprised by its versatility. Once you get to grips with it, you can make great trees, I think. But you definitely do need to follow two or three tutorials to understand how it works.

I hope you can go back to proper cattails, because the look better in the scene (if not with leaves in the sand).

Do show a next version if you have one!