Cheers Jeff - not seen you around for a while.

Really, I've just tried to follw bb's explanations for using VSS and the EnvSphere. The theory is all there. Funny thing is that at various stages (like with my mistake not using enough IDL bounces) I've deviated from his logic and tried lots of other tweaks and approaches, but eventually ended up with almost the original default settings using both systems.  The only changes I'm making are to the bump and SSS in VSS, and to the GC in the EnvSphere where specific environment maps require it.
I think the only thing I've been doing that I haven't seen suggested elsewhere on the forums (it might have been and I've just missed it) is to use a second EnvSphere scaled slightly smaller than the one that's visible to IDL (I set this second sphere to not be visible to RayTracing in the object parameters). This just means that any adjustments I make to Sphere that's lighting the scene don't affect how the background image renders.

I've never had renders come out so close to where I'm happy with them before now - seemed to require much more aggressive levels adjustments in post work. Now I think I'm just doing very minor balancing to account for differences between TM and GC (that P8 lacks).

 

PoserPro2014(Sr4), Win7 x64, display units set to inches.

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