How to you deal with overexposed windows for interior renderingf?

[fraggle]

Hello, just wonder what are the trick you used to avoid the overexposed exterior when making interior rendering.
I'm looking for a solution to avoid doing 2 rendering with 2 differents exposure plus the post production in Photoshop.
I am pretty sure this is a commoin problem encounter by most CG artist, and there is probably more than one solution.
When dealing with just a backplate, then the bitmap level can be lowered, but when the exterior is made of 3d model, what will be the fatest and most efficient way?
Thanks for sharing.

[caypiranha]

oh well, please ask Photographers in first line...not only CG Artists.
Yes, rendering in 2 different speeds, might help - you can render the exterior only having windows automatically masked.
Or try to dimm the exterior light down - never tried it, but maybe is working well. ( but needs light linking for sure)
A bit of overexposure outside is also not to bad. Having all exposures adjusted on the same level might look a bit unnatural.

[Luma3d]

Yep...photographers bracket their shots. They take multiple exposures. Set the interior lighting the way you want. Save. Then take a shot two exposures below and two over. Save all images as exrs. Then combine them into PS make adjustments as-needed.

[sirio76]

Photographer blend several exposures but in our case making or saving more renders is a waste of time.
Provided you are using a linear output you willl get a 32bit unclamped image, that means that unlike photographer you already have an high dynamic range image with several exposure that you can use to get some areas darker or brighter without the loss of quality/information.
The easiest way to take advantage of this is to do everything from the VFB, select your window glass using cryptomatte, lower the exposure, done.
All that being said I like a bit of overexposure, it feels more natural, so usually I just compress the highlight to bring back a bit of information from the exterior.

[fraggle]

Photographer blend several exposures but in our case making or saving more renders is a waste of time.
Provided you are using a linear output you willl get a 32bit unclamped image, that means that unlike photographer you already have an high dynamic range image with several exposure that you can use to get some areas darker or brighter without the loss of quality/information.
The easiest way to take advantage of this is to do everything from the VFB, select your window glass using cryptomatte, lower the exposure, done.
All that being said I like a bit of overexposure, it feels more natural, so usually I just compress the highlight to bring back a bit of information from the exterior.

Exactly what I was looking for, why should we go for long way when shortcut exist. Thanks

[Luma3d]

Or just render out your passes and do it in post.

[glorybound]

I do it in post production. Render an exr and you'll have all your infomration there. Mask the glass and expose it on photshop.