Depth of Field WIP

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Yeeeeah! WIP Bandwagon!! Depth of Field is looking awesome!! Lantios also has a DoF via postwork that you could use either with it or in addition to. Love the scene setup as well! Learning the in-program DoF is good, and I think the effect is excellent here. The Lantios thing is just another resource ;D

This is a very creative pic especially the background. Also like your choice of colors, pose and expression ;D

I actually quite like the composition and placement of the background props in the first one. I like the scaling you did with the platform in the second. As for comp and the background, maybe try sticking them in the thirds position (the rule of thirds thingamabob). (for example: http://painting.about.com/od/composition/ss/art-composition-rules.htm )

Lantios tut: http://lantios.deviantart.com/art/Z-Depth-Mask-Tutorial-in-DS3A-170794440

Very awesome pic nonetheless with great lighting ;D

Oh nice, thanks KaAnna! I remember someone telling me that like years ago, but I've since forgotten. So it's either along the intersecting points or within the center square? That's cool, going to have to adjust the camera. The only thing that is weird with DOF is the default camera blocks out everything so you have to use separate cams or perspective (that's to set up the dof field actually). I think I can just turn it back off and adjust the camera - but the focal length changes the perspective as well. Is...confoozing!

I like Lantios' tutorial - I'm horrible using masks, but I'm going to give that a try, as well. Thanks!

The lighting I'm using is that CloudNine sky lighting from Daz. Comes with that sky background which you can turn on or off. I haven't posted a WIP so yeah, I'm hopping on your bandwagon!

Thanks for the links!

http://cl.ly/3o1K422K3k3W0K2z1n2P

Another partial render.

AMG! Excellent! Love, love the framing with the props!

Yeah the DoF camera thing is a little weird. I just use another camera to view the DoF red frame.. thingie. I don't think I used the Focal Length at all when messing with DoF (mostly just the Focal Distance and F/Stop). I think the Focal Length is the only thing that messes with how your pic will look in the viewport.

YES! CloudNine from DimensionTheory is aaamazing! I use it in 90% of my pics! Love them to death. They make everything look so awesome ;D

Makes me want to dust off my old Canon and take some real photographs instead of phonetographs. :(

I used to use Lantios lighting but Vex has me using the uber stuff more and more - it is rather nice. I tend to use the cloud stuff more than lantios now though. It's perfect for outside scenes like this one. Inside, I bug Vex and she helps me with uberenvironment hehe

Last one is looking great, tho I kinda like the layout of the first one. It almost reminds me of a book cover set up the way you had it there :)

I liked the closeness of the floating islands from the first render, but I really like the position of the spacecraft (or whatever it is) in the last one, and I guess you can't have it both ways because the relatively bigger island in the bottom right from render #1 would probably be too distracting combined with the ship from render #3. The red lights in the foreground from render #1 were cool too. The containers are awesome.

I also liked the beam-me-up-Scotty teleportation pad-looking device she was standing on, because it made her look like she was impatiently waiting, turning to flash an irritated glance at the observer, like "WTF do you want? Can't you see I'm busy?" Maybe it's still there and just not visible in the screenshot.

And I always like blue hair. The lighter-blue shock of hair is a nice touch.

Yeah, for some reason Lantios lights never agreed with me. While CloudNine lights still take a bit to render, Lantios lights always took a lot longer. I usually only use the Lantios backlights that is included. They work wonders!

Inside is still difficult too, because you want the AO of UberEnvironment but not necessarily the large scale bright ambience that it has. It certainly is a juggling act ;D

Can't wait to see more progress shots!

I have only gotten the depth of field to work once for me. I am horrible at finding tutorials and aparently following them as well lol. I love what you've got so far. I agree with a lot that was said, about the first render's islands, but your last partial was looking pretty damn hot! :D

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

I need to move those islands in the back, maybe make them a little bigger. Add more ships, but honestly that's the only ship I have right now lol. You probably can't tell because it's blurry, plus the one docked up next to the main heliopad is half covered, but that's a freebie model of the Sulaco.

PLEASE SOMEONE TELL ME THEY KNOW WHAT MOVIE THAT IS FROM!!! Vex didn't know and I've since filed for bff divorce.

LoL Well I didn't know from the name either, but knowing you I made a wild ass guess, then googled it and was right ;)

I love the framing, indeed. Maybe a bit of scaling to show some of the sky on the right could be cool, but I like it! Maybe move the island to the right a bit so its nearly diagonal of her head.

Just some thoughts, but it looks great!

Well rendering now, but I scaled up the islands, added another ship, and adjusted the camera angle and junk. I think I fucked up the dof though - going to have to let this finish and see what the dealio is. =(

Hopefully not, but if so you can give the Lantios tut a try. It may be a bit weird to get the gradient-type thing to work (it takes a lot of trial and error) but it can turn out really awesome ;D

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

She got caught up in the blur a little, going to have to pull the length back a tiny bit. Did I place her correctly for the 'rule of 3' thingy though? I think I did, she'd be lined up with the two right connecting dots, I would think. Added ships in the background but found different ones, might replace one of the Sulaco's (Aliens, you heathens who didn't know that!) and do a distant group of planes, I dunno, I don't want to over do it.

Amg, this is fantastic! I actually really *love* how you've got the thing behind her. Perfect placement. You may have a bit of a busy background, but that makes sense with the scene, and it might diminish with the DoF.

I feel like it needs something small or subtle on the left (bottom-leftish area). Maybe a wire or some tools or something? Opinion only of course! :D