Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?Form.ShowMessage=2063735

In the linked thread I made a visual comparison of the effects of GI, GR, and associated render times. In my experience GI works miracles for any form of architecture, but also for plants etc. It brings out heaps of detail in shadowed areas, and lots of nuance in the shadows themselves. It takes away the flat look that non-GI renders have. The effect is particularly noticeable in scenes with no direct sunlight. My recent gallery post "Mountain stronghold" looked absolutely hideous in non-GI preview renders, but turned almost photorealistic after GI was switched on. The added benefit of GR is less clear to me. In fact, in the attached link I think the GI image looks better than the GR. Both take a lot more time than non-GI, but IMHO the result is worth the wait.