Here is a lake home I just completed. I am not 100% happy so some comments would be appreciated.
looks pretty good! The grass is a little over the top, and the sky is really giving the image a not so good feel, like there’s a tornado on the way. Try and cheer it up some, the client will most likely thank you! 
Nice. I think the reason why you’re not happy with it is because the colors, especially in the shade, are a bit monochromatic.
There’s two ways that you can improve the composition of this image:
- 1) Increase the contrast between the trim and wall paint colors
2) Move the sun so that the walls facing the camera get light on them
If you want to keep the forest feel, move the sun, but then put in a shadow tree to push some nice lacy shadows on the front of the building. But having the sun shine on the facades you are focusing the image on is very important.
As an added bonus, I’d turn off filtering on the map for your roof tiles… that’s what’s doing the wierd blurring, and give it some displacement while you’re at it.
Lake Home
I tried to do everything in VRAY so other then the diffused glow in PS everything is VRAY. I’ll brighten that sky and shorten the grass. Thanks for the prompt reply.
i have to disagree with the prior comments…as a moody piece, it is quite nice. Not everything has to be super photorealistic-bright-cheery-etc. Its nice to see some feeling in an image. That said, another version with different time of day, in addition to this one couldn’t hurt…but i wouldn’t throw this one away. Give 'em both…or multiples. better more than not enough.
mh
Lake Home
Great comment, thanks. It does print a lot nicer then it looks on screen also. I’ll play with the sun when I get time.
I totally agree with mikeh, also with the grass and roof tiles.
I like this moody feel, and the sun that hits the side wall looks very nice.
I would do something about the shiny chimney though. And maybe it would be nice to see water by the balcony/veranda, since its a lake home, right?
The saturation on the tree sticking out in the foreground to the right is a big high. Also, there is a stranded tree top above the house in the middle of 2 other dis-similar trees that just looks strange.
This image is very nice, grass a bit high, and I personally would change the sky out with something more blue. Just my .02, very nice image, looking forward to seeing an update!
-Colin
What Dynedain said about the lighting.
The overall model and scene looks good but the lighting puts most of the house in shadow. If you posterize the image to four shades of grey you’ll see that the center of the image is mostly a dark hole. Most of the interesting bits are on the extreme left side of the frame.[/img]
I really like the lighting of the scene…I get bored with the same ol’ afternoon sun shot. Rocks are nice too! The tiles can use some work and the grass is a bit choppy. It looks like some ground in missing in the background.
What I, and others have been trying to explain, is that the late afternoon mood of the lighting is fine, in fact a very nice change of pace.
What we’re talking about is that from a compositional standpoint, the most interesting aspect of image is the lit wall to the left.
If the sun angle was rotated so that the light hit more of the walls that the image is focused on, it would make for a much nicer image overall.
The ability to move the sun is something photographers would kill for… make use of it!
Nice one mate. Sky is abit ominous tho 
Lake home
Thanks,
I moved the sun and tweaked the grass. I am running it tonight and will post tomorrow.
nice image. I agree with pretty much all that’s been said, the shingles, grass and background by the deck and let’s see what the sun change does. I think the sky is the biggest issue though as it doesn’t seem to share any of the same colours as the light on the house - something with a bit more orange would hit the spot in my opinion.
Lake Home Updated
Here is a version with the sun behind the camera
Looking good
Grass and hedges look great.
Lake Home
to much PS glow, I’ll correct that.
nice work, i think the green on your trees may be a bit too saturated when compared to the grass etc.
Really nice distinctive style though
Good render Glory,
may be too: the end of the world sky eheh just IMO