My problem is I want the skin to look as close to photo realistic images as possible; so I was wondering if someone could give me a few lighting and rendering tips as to how I might best achieve my goal.

Thanks much

Steel 

Probably your best bet would be to wait for Reality 3.

Did you try this

http://snarlygribbly.org/3d/forum/viewforum.php?f=27&sid=96dcef5468de4d9364b41738eb010b77

It is a great script and I am guessing that you use P9 or PP2012

I think you should use IDL lighting Elliot!

Monica  

What you really need is a good bump mapping for all the skin textures.  The surfaces are too smooth and imperfection free.  And you are missing quite a bit of ambient occlusion around close proximity surfaces, for example, between the ring and finger.

Hborre not sure Im undestanding "bump mapping"  could you direct me to some place where I can get exampls and tutorails

Also "ambient occlusion"

where can I learn more

I use point lights for lights w/inverse square falloff. Looks better IMVHO :) I also render inside an invisible box. I have it turned off in camera but it's still a light emitter so it will bounce the light around.

Laurie

Turn off texture filtering in the material settings, that's a start.  IDL is another.  A Better texmap is still another.

Quote - I use point lights for lights w/inverse square falloff. Looks better IMVHO :) I also render inside an invisible box. I have it turned off in camera but it's still a light emitter so it will bounce the light around.

Laurie

do light emitters work without IDL turned on?

Quote - > Quote - I use point lights for lights w/inverse square falloff. Looks better IMVHO :) I also render inside an invisible box. I have it turned off in camera but it's still a light emitter so it will bounce the light around.

Laurie

 

do light emitters work without IDL turned on?

I'm not certain, but I think not. No IDL, no light bounce. I was also talking the light emitter checkbox on an object, not a glowing material. In order for an object to bounce light, the "light emitter" checkbox needs to be checked.

Laurie

A bump map is similar to a displacement map but it does not have the same impact on the mesh.  Displacement maps can distort and change the mesh.  The Poser Manual does explain the difference between the two. 

Smith-Micro does have a tutorial/explanation on ambient occlusion, but, in a nutshell, ambient occlusion occur in areas where surfaces are in close contact creating realistic shadows in inner corners, crevices and crannies.  You can either add ambient occlusion through lights or material based nodes.  And it can be evaluated in IDL.