Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=184090&Start=1&Sectionid=21&WhatsNew=Yes

Wow. Great work. I wish I could do that. But you are right it doesn't look just right. Try some depth of feild.

First, You have to understand that your description of what you're trying to capture in this image needs to be provided in order to help people better give you some criticism. That said, Gut Reaction, The sky needs to be changed. However, maybe the sky is just the way you like it for whatever it is that you wanted. There seems to be a lack of shadow. One other thing, the redness on the boat is just a little to even. Some shadows would change that. In general, this image is very impressive. I would very much like to see the shader trees you used for the grass/rocks. -Kix

Great stuff, David !!! =) Like Kixum, i'd suggest more shadows . I would be nice to have some real black in the image to spread the values range, too . I think it needs more contrast on the (amazing!) grass on the front . About the sky, maybe the blue's too "green" ... And seagulls !!! it needs seagulls ! :) Good luck, you got something there. litst

Very nice image! It does look a little flat and to me it looks like the lighthouse is overhanging the back edge of the cliff. Maybe widening the point of land and more dramatic lighting would help. Keith

Thanks guys - I have had some difficultly coming up with a decent lighting scheme for this pic - right now I'm using only one distant light. I haven't had much luck with the 4 elements "sun" light. Any tips on positioning or type of lights that would be appropriate for the scene?

Your lighting could be a big part of the issue. You need about 8 more lights in this thing to get it lit correctly. Did you get the latest copy of the Renderosity magazine? One of the articles in there shows how to light an outdoor scene. It was excellent. You need lights to simulate the radiosity from the sky, and the water. Are you using the wind thingy for the clouds? You can actually get reasonable clouds using one cloud primitive for the whole sky but you have to be smart about it and it costs in render time. -Kix

Another thing that looks odd to me is the camera angle -- it looks like you're using a "wide angle lens" -- 35mm or so, or maybe even wider. That makes the lighthouse look bent; we're seeing way too much of the underside of the widow's walk to look like a natural view. I'd consider changing the camera to normal (in RDS the 50mm setting is "normal," as it is in 35mm photography). You'll have to back the camera away from the lighthouse to get a similar (but flatter) composition. I think this will help volumes. It's a really cool pic, BTW. I've been commissioned to do a pen-and-ink of a lighthouse and was working on it last night when the earthquake hit here in SF. A little frightening, but I'll never forget the lighthouse. (It was my first earthquake, and a small one at that, but now my drawing of the lightouse will forever be intwined with that earthquake.)

Good pic- my impression is that the image looks to clean. I think a better shader on the wood fence in the foreground would help, some larger undulations to the sea maybe, finally the sales are to flat- if there is no wind there should be some wrinkles as it hangs, or if there is they should bow out and there should be a wake from a moving boat. Very good image, cant wait to see more.

GREAT IMAGE. I would have to agree with suggestion about it being to clean and no true black. A problem I can see is the scale. The house is to small compared to the lighthouse and the Pines trees are to big.

Nice looking light house. I have one suggestion - How about making the water a little more active. A lighthouse would suggest a danger of rocks or shore. Your water is pretty calm. Rough it up, show a couple of white caps out there, put that ship in peril - that would be realistic. Also, bend those trees in the opposite direction that your wind is blowing. There is always wind at the shore, show it. Mike