Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=398251&Start=1&Sectionid=2&filter_genre_id=0&WhatsNe

Well, I've finally finished the piece I was working on giving DOF a try. I have to thank all of you who gave the wonderful suggestions that helped make this an image I'm proud of. This originally started as an attempt at the recent SAM3D contest but I'm just not quick enough yet to be able to do a contest that's over that quick. Besides, this took 18 hours to render! :o) So, I decided to make this my own contest (in which I won first place and got a cookie, I'll have you know!) and I'd like to dedicate it to both SAM3D for their absolutely too cool models and to all of you here, those who helped specifically with this image and those who I've learned from simply 'listening' to the conversations here. Thank you all so much! Susan

Nice.. Very slight dof effect but the composition is great. Well done!!

awesome post, really love that blurred branch in the foreground. overall excellent image.

Very nice eelie!

I love the fact that some things are in focus and some things aren't. Sharen

Turned out just excellent Susan... The DOF is perfectly restrained to give it just the right touch. The only thing I noticed that you might want to change is that the 2 ducks on the left seem to be hovering over the water. I just noticed their reflection/shadow in the water was separated from them and that suddenly stood out to me. Other than that it looks just perfect. Enjoy being a winner and go eat that cookie. 8)

Yeah, someone else has already mentioned that and I'm already re-rendering. My monitor is adjusted as high as it'll go for brightness and contrast but that area is still so dark that I didn't notice it. I should have the revised version posted this evening. I'm glad everyone has enjoyed it and I really appreciate the comments. :o)

eelie you don't need to re-render the whole thing, just mover your ducks, bring up the image with the esc key then drag a marquee around the duck and re-render that tiny area. Saves a hell of a lot of time. :)

Oh and if you've already started rendering the whole thing you can stop, don't save it and go to file/open image then do as I've said above without having to reload the whole scene.

Well! You're just tooooo late fella! I've done gone and done it. And re-posted it too! :o) Honestly, I didn't know you could do this. I figured someone would give me advice to do a plop render and fix it in something like Photoshop then I'd have to 'splain again that I don't have it and feel like I'm more of the backward child than I already do and...... Well, you get the picture. However, this is going into my notebook. Now, if I can only remember to read my notes! :o) Thanks Aldaron, you're a peach! S

Uh, I have a question. How do you get rid of the render controls then? When I tried this, it worked fine, but the render controls that come up on the picture stay there.

Click the little triangle and select collapse (whatever it is). And you're welcome. :) Sorry I was too late for the re-render.

Oh. ~Doing one of those forehead slaps that go along with "I coulda had a V-8."~