Like just about anything, these days, volumes of information about Daz studio live on the internet. Finding the gems among the junk can be a challenge. But when those learning gems are uncovered, it feels like time well spent! The consensus among those keepers is that proper, dynamic lighting is the line between a good render and a bad render (artistically speaking). I’d studied art in high school and took a few photography courses in college, so these were not new concepts for me. Where the problem really lies is this: What makes good lighting?

There are thousands of lighting tutorials on the web, so I’ll spare readers any sophomoric attempts at etching my measly scraps of learning on this blog. I am, However excited to share some of my progress! Let’s go back and visit our solder, who’ve I somewhat lazily named “SciFi Girl”. Inspiring, I know. I’ve enjoyed imagining her world and what brought it to the state it’s in. It is not apocalyptic, but it is a war zone where parts of the city lay in ruins.

Using HDRI lighting tinted with a coral-colored hue, I added an emissive primitive (basically a rectangle that sheds light) and gave it a soft blue tint to offset and contrast the overall lighting. If this were indoors, I would have used a three-point lighting rig. The HDRI lighting was sufficient to fill the entire scene. Here are the results of the render with some post-processing contrast and brightness adjustments plus a subtle soft glow filter.

She has returned from the war zone to a compound in the suburbs where she lives and works. She discovers …something on her way back. What is it? I don’t suppose it’s dangerous though she does appear somewhat dumbstruck. What could it be?