How do you Post-Render colour correct the "cold, grey" images from LWF?

[beestee]

I prefer using levels to using curves as it makes more sense to me. I typically just use a single levels adjustment layer in photoshop like so:



If I want to change the image's tone to be warmer or cooler, I typically just use a photo filter adjustment layer on top of the levels.

[Morne]

I prefer using levels to using curves as it makes more sense to me. I typically just use a single levels adjustment layer in photoshop like so:

If I want to change the image's tone to be warmer or cooler, I typically just use a photo filter adjustment layer on top of the levels.

Some experimentation has shown that for my current project this method works very well. Thank you all for your tips.
Great image by the way beestee!

[JeffG2]

I'm back to rendering non-LWF.

I use Reinhard with a burn set to .25

My life is much simpler. I'm happy.

[panthon]

We have been using reinhard with low burn values (under 0.5) but altering this burn value leaves the image grey and dull, destroys your colors and gives a general feeling of "foggy" image. On the other hand, it lets you create a balanced lighting in no time, since it eliminates the burnt areas near the windows, due to high power exterior light (typically vraysky). I was wondering if there's any way to "simulate" the effect of the burn value in photoshop, ideally removing superwhite spots without trashing the colors, obviously working with 32 bit images.

Any ideas?

[tammo]

I'm also rendering non-LWF.

I have wasted so much time until i understood how to do it right only to realise how many problems you get with wierd plugin behaviour,
messed up displacements, velocity-channels and so on.

Last month i got a huge exterior scene from another company where they have put a color correct (the broken external one) on every diffuse texture because of LFW.
Took me a day to remove everything because the CC was crashing the cluster.

So much wasted time just to get a different light distribution that actually looks worse.

I'm also using Reinhard now with low burn.

I don't even have to use 32 bit anymore, getting small files and blazing speed in After Effects.

[snivlem]

I think a value of 1.8 over 2.2 gives a nice photographic look. Then I usually correct in post with exposure and curves.

[tangelder]

I also use "coolpicker" for colours as it forces you choose colours with the correct gamma applied

I have been looking at the coolpicker. I gave it a try a year back. Today i tested it again. I noticed that if i gamma correct my color in coolpicker the max vfb displays my corrected color correct but the vray vfb does not. This was the reason why i have not incorparated this script in my workflow. But if some how the coolpicker could also work with the vray vfb i would certainly be interesetd in using it.
Vlado, do you know why there is a diference in display between the max and vray vfb and a gamma corected color when using the coolpicker?

best regards,

Joost

[stef.thomas]

The reason, I think, that many people complain about washed out images from LWF is that they don't adjust their color values to linear. The gamma settings only take care of the bitmaps, you have to manually make your colours darker too, either by using the VrayColor map or similar as mentioned above.

[voltron7]

I usually just get the color close and then take it a bit darker. If it needs to be a closer match, I just make maps with the right colors and use them.

[mike_kennedy]

Levels and Photo Filters help but using some thing like the material control scripts to reduce the output of bitmaps along with Vray color maps which the scripts add also helps to darken images naturally. I think this step really helps because LWF gives such range in the Shadows but colors and bitmap blow out easily.

[Phalconheart]

If your problem is more in the "warmth vs. coolness" of your images, one thing that is often overlooked but can also have results that have pretty drastic differences is that if you're using VRay cameras, there's a "WHITE BALLANCE" option.
Going from D65 to Daylight to Neutral will yield quite a different result in the overall tone of your image.

For punching up your contrast in PS, we'll usually use a "levels" adjustment layer as mentioned above and maybe even do an Ambiant Occlusion pass and put it in a "Multiply" layer at reduced opacity. This helps with the shadows.