Secrets to good studio setup (vray)?


#1

I struggle to make my studio lighting scenes look realistic and I was hoping to get some help. I think my main problem is that the direct light might be too strong so that the GI becomes less apparent.

I use vray and 3ds max.
*Gamma in max enabled 2,2.
*Color mapping in vray, linear multiply.
*Mode: Color mapping and gamma.
*Gamma: 2,2.
*Save images with gama 1.0.

Lights and camera:
*When setting up a scene, what is good realistic exposure settings for the vray camera?(I suppose if the exposure is too dark, I need to set the lights too bright?)
*What are good start values for the lights in W and color temperature?
*How should I place the lights and roughly what size should they have? (height from the ground, distance from object etc).
*Most setups I´ve seen have three lights. How should I view the different lights function?
*Is there a good method for setting up and balancing the lights?

Studio shape
*Should the studio have a ceiling?
*How big should the studio be in relation to the object being rendered?
*What color should the studio have? Dark, medium or light gray? (I suppose lighter makes for a more neutral look, but it seems like metal materials can start to look a little washed out and bland, or am I doing something wrong?).

If I have a studio for a large object, like a car, do I need a smaller setup of a smaller object (like a ring). If yes, what are the main reasons for this?


#2

If you have the resources, I’d recommend using HDR Light Studio to create your lighting then outputting a dome back into Vray. We use this technique to light our Studio Shot Vehicles, and it gives pretty good results.

https://www.lightmap.co.uk/


#3

Your questions actually relate just as much to real world lighting as they do in CG, so I’d recommend going on Youtube and looking at real studio lighting techniques! Things like 3 point lighting and lighting for cars are covered pretty extensively online and will apply directly to lighting in 3D!