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Re: Obviously still a beginner.

Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 6:50 pm
by Mike Amos 20220716142256
Thanks very much to those who responded, appreciated and I mean a lot. MXM does not seem to work and oddly, I find it difficult to get my head around:-
F stop, shutter speed and fine tuning of reflectance. It's all very well having presets but there are a few missing categories and fine tuning.
I have only really improved this last week, at least it feels like that so I can move on.

Re: Obviously still a beginner.

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2022 7:13 pm
by Andreas Hopf
As for camera and lighting, best is to understand how a real camera works (focal length, ISO, shutter speed, f-stop), how real lights work (lumen output, colour temperature, HDR image based lighting) and how some of the camera settings work together.

The reason is that Maxwell Render really works just like a camera. I always encourage learners to watch free product photography, nature photography or interior photography courses online, or to take such a course in the real world.

For example, I made a video tutorial related to a real-world course about the basics of taking photos of glass objects https://youtu.be/g_oBvryh-NQ and as you can see, there is a 1:1 translation from photography to Maxwell Render rendering.

What also helps is to always start with something "boring" until camera and lights are understood. The same goes for materials, textures or UV-unwrapping. I had many learners with a good eye, but wanting to start with an "all singing and dancing" scene right away. Of course they fail and become frustrated.

Even something as seemingly banal as lacquering a plank of timber for a DIY cupboard needs observations and understanding to get it right.

Re: Obviously still a beginner.

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2022 3:49 am
by Mike Amos 20220720014217
OK, I have been taking photographs for a very long time, since I acquired my first proper camera, an Olympus OM-1N in 1981.
I am quite happy with this but not how to get these settings right in Maxwell render.

Also. I have mentioned numerous times an aversion and difficulty with video tutorials which frankly I detest yet, you folk keep pushing them.

Fine tuning shine depth etc in Maxwell is also a miss Terry. I am going to acquire a tablet of some kind to read pdf etc but the dreaded video so called tuts, not a fan and I wasted enough time already. I think many people see the tut comment and automatically go blind after that, seeing how a lot of you equate tut to video.

I know, I am not standard, I am a free and individual human being with all that brings.

Re: Obviously still a beginner.

Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2022 12:05 am
by Mark Bell
Mike Amos 20220720014217 wrote:
Wed Jul 20, 2022 3:49 am
Also. I have mentioned numerous times an aversion and difficulty with video tutorials which frankly I detest yet, you folk keep pushing them.
Another option you might explore is in Studio under File/Library/Scenes/ there are 7 sample projects created with all the geometry, materials, lights and settings in place so you can do a SaveAs and then play around with the settings to get to learn how they work using the original as a base line sample. Unfortunately there's only one architectural scene (Bilbao) as an exterior with the rest being geared more towards product rendering.

NL- it would be useful if more sample projects could be included in future versions, particularly another exterior scene(s) using IBL and Maxwell Sun as well as some interior scenes and perhaps one using other special features in Maxwell, such as volumetrics and achieving sunlight / light rays coming through windows into an interior space.....I'm sure Maxwell can do this....you just have to show us how ;-)

Re: Obviously still a beginner.

Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2022 1:56 am
by Andreas Hopf
Just use the same settings as you would using a real camera.

If you don't like video tutorials, your only option is a tutored course at a local design college offering rendering courses.

Re: Obviously still a beginner.

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2022 2:39 pm
by Mike Amos 20220912123638
Thanks mate, after a total pc failure I am now setting up again. Fun, well not really but them's the breaks.