Looking like steel

[ashscott]

I just want it to "pop" like your first image - yeah I know that is as ambiguous as can be.

Will tinker with lighting a little more and let it cook a bit longer

[Fletch]

your last image
http://twilightrender.com/phpBB3/downlo ... p?id=11819
is looking much better.
I still think that the right emitter setup over the model can give you even more dramatic lighting... but this is much improved.

[ashscott]

Thanks Fletch - its a real head-scratcher for a rookie like me to get it looking right

[Turner]

Hi all,

Great thread. Very informative!

From a graphic design standpoint, I'd try to ensure the "bubbles" are lighter or at least equal to the brightness of the rest; as it appears now, in the image where they're darker, they appear to be tilted up on a different plane. You may need another light source to the left.

If working with the lighting doesn't work, you could also try "filling in" the bubbles a bit so that the cutout of the extrusion only goes a little bit into the bubbles.

cheers
Andrew

[Fletch]

If you watch the video tutorials, especially the one with the wood toy roller coaster, there is a link provided to a great bunch of studio light photography HDR images.
You may try them... instead of fighting with the lights yourself.

[ashscott]

How did you know I was fighting with the lights?

[Fletch]

How did you know I was fighting with the lights?

...Will tinker with lighting a little more...

[ashscott]

Fighting with the lights is an understatement