Thanks to all for your time and patience in helping me solving my problem.
I m very grateful.

@BragginsBill
Thanks for providing me with all your great stuff and your advices.
Poser is now a different ball game and nothing would have been possible without you.
On a side note, VSS works better for me with lower Gamma Correction settings (closer to 1)
with higher ones, RMC is now overlit.
Last, advertise loud and clear when your book is out. we don't want to miss it.

@Vestmann
Thanks for all the info especially all the step by step guidance.
That was crucial, I couldn't have done without it.
Also, you seem to be a very nice person.

@IsaoShi
Thanks for dividing my render time by 3 or 4

@Hborre
Thanks for your timely and precise interventions

Sorry I've been so busy. I meant to tell you that since you are using render GC in Pro, you do not want the shader GC enabled that comes with VSS. You found that out yourself apparently.

With PPro, use render GC, and set shader Gamma = 1.0

Or, if you prefer per-shader GC (for extra control) use shader GC=2.2 (or whatever number you prefer), and set render Gamma off.

But for a full understanding of all the ramifications, you have to consider color parameters in your lights, too. If your lights are white, and you only modify intensity, not light color, then either way works the same (render vs. shader GC).

 You're welcome JimmyJohn.  Make sure you read up on other VSS threads like these:

VSS Skin Test
This is the original VSS thread by bagginsbill. It's HUGE and it might be a good idea to skim through it although some of the first pages might be outdated because of VSS PR3.

VSS and Transparency with clothes
This thread has some points on using VSS on clothes with transparency (it's several posts down)

VSS and Tattoos
VSS with overlay for tattoos, suds, 2nd skin etc.

There are others as well...

Hello again.
Another question if you don't mind.
In order to achieve an effect (high contrast) I was told to use overexposure in the V-RAY
Unfortunately, the guy didn't develop.
Does that make sense and how do you do that?

What's "the V-RAY"?

Quote - What's "the V-RAY"?

Sorry, I don't know.
I've asked, now I hope he answers.

I'd guess he's talking about the exposure settings in VRay which aren't very applicable to Poser unfortunately.

The equivalent to an exposure setting in Poser would be to increase/decrease all your light intensities by the same proportion.

For example, suppose you had 3 lights, #1 at 15%, #2 at 40%, #3 at 70%. To double the exposure with a camera would be cut the shutter speed in half, thus doubling the time that the sensor is exposed to light. Effectively, this doubles the light intensities.  So just double the light intensities to 30, 80, and 140% respectively.

I made a utility that does this for me in Poser. I have buttons to increase or decrease all light intensities in proportion to each other. I never released it since it used an experimental GUI and server I wrote and the server part doesn't run nicely in Poser 8 or Poser Pro 2010.

I get it.
Maybe he was talking about another program.
I'll tell you if he answers.

PS - overexposure does not equate to high key (speaking photographically that is)
It's all to do with lighting ratios and whether you expose for the shadows or not.

OK, but exposing for the shadows while not overexposing the bright areas is what tone mapping does. When tone mapping is enabled, it is impossible to blow the highlights. In fact, it is nearly impossible to reach 255 with tone mapping on, unless you mess with the gain. Which I do.

What I m talking about is a pic a guy (girl?) made:
It's his or hers so I m not going to post it without his consent.
Basically a naked model is so lit that the skin is almost white and blending in the also white background.
By contrast, the hair & eyes are very dark and the mouth very red. Very nice effect.
He told me that was done, as I said, by over exposure in V-Ray and very little photoshopping.
Maybe he doesn't want to unveil all his tricks.
I'll keep you informed if (hopefully) he answers.

one of these days I'll find a good book about this kind of stuff and actually figure out how the hell to use it (and get a render engine that supports it!)

Was much easier with film :)

Like this?

See the Vargas thread: http://www.runtimedna.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24546&highlight=vargas

Or this?

See the Albino thread: http://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?thread_id=2784202

I put VSS versions of the Vargas and Albino shaders on my web site.

Albino[

http://sites.google.com/site/bagginsbill/free-stuff/random-shaders/VargasVSS-Mats.zip?attredirects=0&d=1](http://sites.google.com/site/bagginsbill/free-stuff/random-shaders/VargasVSS-Mats.zip?attredirects=0&d=1)

Vargas

http://sites.google.com/site/bagginsbill/free-stuff/random-shaders/VSSAlbinoSkin.mt5?attredirects=0&d=1

The Vargas shader is meant to look non-photoreal. The albino is meant to look real.

Yes!
Exacly like the ace of spades, only maybe with the effect exagerated.
Your free stuff page is a treasure chest!
I had a look at it but I don't know enough about the mat room yet to know what to look for.
And VSS3 is keeping me busy:
I try things and see how it goes but I don't understand how shaders work yet.
Don't know if you've been there but maybe you know what I mean.

I've just found this sticky topic:
Material Room, Nodes & Shaders - Tutorials and Discussions (Bookmarks - Updated)
right up the forum page...

Why is it always harder to see what's just under ones eyes?...

Yep. The problem with the thread, though, is the master list of links in the first post are out of date and you have to read the whole thread to find the updated list.

But now we have a Wiki, so I've started building the Wiki page to replace that thread here:

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/rrwiki/index.php/Poser_Shader_Threads

There are quite a few new links that need to be added, though.

> Quote - Yep. The problem with the thread, though, is the master list of links in the first post are out of date and you have to read the whole thread to find the updated list. > > But now we have a Wiki, so I've started building the Wiki page to replace that thread here: > > [ http://www.renderosity.com/mod/rrwiki/index.php/Poser_Shader_Threads](http://www.renderosity.com/mod/rrwiki/index.php/Poser_Shader_Threads) > > There are quite a few new links that need to be added, though.

I definitely have to go through those threads.

After a few hours of VERY hard work with MATMATIC, I finally got this result...
(it is supposed to be a Vargas, sorry)

THEN, I read THAT:

Oh, man, you've killed me there. I first laughed my head off. Now I wonder if i should start crying...

BTW, I got the answer: V-RAY is a renderer pluggin for 3DSMAX.