I think I got the hang of lighting in Carrara. I know my way around the different types of light available. Now I wonder if there are any guides or tutorials of how to set up realistic light in Carrara? I mean something more advanced than just the basics of lights which I think I know by now.

I think my main problem is that everything tends to get a bit...boring or flat when I try to lit up a scene. I would like some input or ideas how to make the lighting more dramatic, exciting or sometimes just "thicker". I'd like to be able to compose a more interesting light. I've been looking around in the gallery here at rendo at pictures I find impressive, but it's a bit difficult to figure out roughly where the lights are positioned in a rendered scene. What type of lights were used? What colors where used for the lights? What angle, what height?

I realize there is no generic way of lighting up a scene, but I guess there must be tiny smart tricks to fuel up the depth of a scene. So do you guys know of any guides or tutorials that go beyond the technical aspect of how to place a spotlight in Carrara?

Hi Ravenous, you can use any light tutorial to learn more about this, dont matter what software the CG light work the same way. But here is a link that everyone need to read, its about how light works in real world (not tech thing), so you will learn how to light better in 3D:

http://www.itchy-animation.co.uk/tutorials/light01.htm

You want to check out lighting books for photographers.  Carrara's lights are realistic enough to simulate such lighting conditions.

Hi, Ravenous. I am where you are, good with basic lights, but somehow missing that extra quality. I do not have a particular tutorial to recommend (I am paying attention to the responses in this thread : ), but I have noticed that many of those extra light touches are taken care of in the advanced render settings in C6. The ambient occlusion and indirect lighting settings in the render room are like magic. They do increase the render time enormously.

Quote - Hi, Ravenous. I am where you are, good with basic lights, but somehow missing that extra quality. I do not have a particular tutorial to recommend (I am paying attention to the responses in this thread : ), but I have noticed that many of those extra light touches are taken care of in the advanced render settings in C6. The ambient occlusion and indirect lighting settings in the render room are like magic. They do increase the render time enormously.

Nice to hear that someone else is on the same level as me, or should I say I'm sorry? ;-)

I too realized that you can do magic with the advanced render settings. It just feels like they should be the final touch rather than something one should rely on when building a scene if you know what I mean? Indirect lighting adds that extra depth to the render but if the lighting in the scene is crappy, the indirect light will just make it less crappy.

GKDantas link above was great! It explained things that you might think is obvious but never thought about. For example, I made a habit of placing a light in front of my objects basically in the same direction as the camera. If you read that guide you'll quikly understand why that make my renders "flat". Light coming from the side will define the shapes in the scene in much better way. For example, the bump map on a concrete wall will not really be visible unless you can see the shadows from it. So directing a light straight towards the wall isn't the best of ideas. Light from an angle on the other hand, will produce shadows and let the texture come to life.

Simple stuff like that. Might be obvious but I never thought of it. I think I will return to that guide on regular basis (thank you GKDantas!). So more stuff like that please!

 Photography and film books are definitely the way to go.

Attached Link: Digital Lighting and Rendering (2nd Edition)

I'd like to see a tutorial on lighting for a retail environment. The bulk of my work is for, er, work - a display case manufacturer. I can never get the lighting in my renders to look "natural", that is, like a grocery store environment. Fah.

 You mean that lovely glow from the florescent lights?

Heh - yeah, that, and just the overall ambience of that retail environment. I've tried making lots of tube lights, but that only washes everything out. I've used a buttload of spots, which is more dramatic but hardly accurate.  Fah.

Its a good idea to post links to images that have similar lighting styles that you would like to achieve... Ive found that there are so many ways and methods of lighting in Carrara, it isnt even funny.

I walked down this path for about 2+ years, just trying to get comfortable and utilize more advanced lighting techniques. Took a while, but well worth the wait...

Quote -  Here's a quickie I put together. Obviously it can be as cool or warm as needed. Bright, soft and omni directional. Is this close?

Wow. That's just about right. Okay, so how do I pry the Secret from you?  :P

 Hi GL,

It's an easy trick. There is actually no lights in the scene.

Use a bi-gradient background with white at the top and a mid gray towards the center. Enable Global Illumination and Ambient Occlusion and your done. I've already trashed the file I made the image from or I'd give the exact settings. :-P  For best results, you'll probably want to also enable "better edges" and boost the photon count and fidelity up to prevent any "chunkies" in the shadows.

Mark

No lights in the scene? Mark, you're insane. The good kind, but insane nonetheless.

I think I know what I'm doing this afternoon....

BTW - how'd you make the pile of apples? I can't be individual ones, can it?

 It's actually two apples. I used a surface replicator controlled by a shading domain to place them in the correct position on the display.

Mark