NEW USER Contest March 2014 “WIP Thread”
Totte
Posts: 14,013
Sponsored by DAZ 3D and RawArt
Are you new to the 3D World? Are you at the beginning stages of learning 3D rendering? Have you been around for a little bit but feel you could benefit from some feedback or instruction? Have you been around awhile and would like to help other members start their creative journey? Well then come and join the fun as we host our newest contest...
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DOF - Depth Of Field
This month’s contest is about DOF, Depth Of Field, or how to put something in focus while keeping distracting elements out of focus.
Objective: Render an image using depth of field to focus on a particular item.
It should not be a portrait with focus on the eyes and blurry backgrounds though, way too easy and too common. Think more like a photographer working for National Geographic's, who focus a bird on a branch in the middle of the forest, or a news photographer focusing one person in a crowd.
For a list of the current contest rules, please see this thread: http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/3440/
Here are some sources of information that may be helpful:
DAZ Forum Threads
From a previous DOF contest:http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/5084/
Other sources:
At DeviantArt: http://thyranq.deviantart.com/art/DAZ-Studio-Camera-Tutorial-256687214
Prizes:
This month's contest is being sponsored by RawArt. First, Second and Third Place winners each receive 1 item from his store.
This is the WIPthread where you post progress of your work for comments until you feel you are happy with it, and then you post the entry in the Entries Only Thread.
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Closing Date: March 31st 2014
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Comments
KaribousBoutique did a nice tutorial on using Depth of Field in DAZ Studio and in Poser.
The tutorial also covers the process of creating depth-of-field effects in postwork--for this contest, you should not use that method, but it can come in handy for other projects.
Some people find depth of field intimidating, but once you start trying it out, it shouldn't take long to get the hang of it. Find a tutorial that makes sense to you, and follow along. What appears below should not be considered a tutorial, but rather more of a quick reference guide:
A few words on Focal Length:
- To create Depth of Field effects, you don't need to adjust Focal Length at all, so you can ignore it when first learning how to set up DOF...but you can adjust it if you need a wider or narrower field of view
-- Lowering the focal length creates a wider field (like zooming out). It can be helpful for panoramic landscapes or other wide-angle renders. You might notice some distortion around the edges of your image, if there are objects close to the camera. When used with depth of field, lowering the focal length will cause more of the scene to be in focus (so you may need to decrease F/Stop to compensate)
-- Increasing the focal length creates a narrower field (like zooming in). It can be useful for character portraits, etc. When used with Depth of Field, less of the scene will be in focus (so you may need to increase F/Stop to compensate)
And please note that for this contest the objective is that blurred foreground and background type image (depending on your focus subject) like you might see in a National Geographic or other nature type magazine. Your image does not have to be about nature, just have that type of DOF (Depth Of Field) effect in the render.
This is not even close to being done. I just want to make sure I have the right idea for this DOF challenge.
Looks like it to me... I say yes. to what I see so far.
I think I've got it.
Kismet2012 & bobfisher, you both have captured the basic concept of what you are to do, some great starts.
Hint: The real tricky part is to have just enough "disturbing elements" in the foreground so they form a nice DOF effect and frame for the object in focus without being intrusive in the image and take the viewers eye focus from the object in focus.
Thank you Totte, made a few changes and here is the result.
First version of my entry this month :) I know the male/male couple doesn't touch the ground, I noticed that after the render was done.. so that will be changed in the next version.. just wanted to put this up for now :) My poor computer do not like me right now, was a tad bit too many ppl with clothes/hair etc so my little machine was complaining *smiles*
The Tiger of Jade
The local museum had finally got an amazing piece of art, a full size tiger crafted entirely in jade with eyes made of purest amber. They put the magnificient tiger on display and opened up... making a lot of different people come to look at the statye, and not only local people but people from all over the world took the time to visit the museum just too look at the Jade Tiger.
Very nice Carola, you can try with an even more narrow DOF to see the difference. I know the render kills your machine when you render, to find the perfect DOF settings, you could save a copy of the scene, replace the people with textured cylinder primitives or something that wont kill it, just to get a feeling for how it will look.
I for one am seeing some very good work here folks... keep it up.
I agree Master Jaderail, strong with the DOF they are.
Yes, you all are off to a great start!
Kismet2012, you definitely have the right idea...the DOF is set up very well. Looking forward to seeing this develop.
bobfisher: the DOF is very well done, and I must say the lighting looks great too. Actually I kind of prefer the first one to your more recent one, but they both look great.
Carola O: I love the appearance of the jade tiger, and the DOF and lighting are excellent. I think you have some room for improvement as far as the composition is concerned. I'm not sure about the pose of the couple in the left foreground...I mean, the poses themselves are great but I'm not sure how well they fit the scene...I found it a bit distracting (though maybe that's just me). Also the jade statue might stand out more if you remove the character who is standing behind it (the one whose face is blocked by it)--that also might help a bit with your computer's performance.
wowza some excellent renders going on.....yes that's right I said wowza.
Thank you very much Scott. I thought the first one was a bit cluttered and wanted to frame only one object and after a lot of looking at them together I prefer the metallic materials over the plastic in the second one.
I am working on another one and need a good lizard model (for DAZ) if anyone can help.
Thanks.
I really love this render. Good job and you got a firm grip on the concept of this challenge.
I really love this render. Good job and you got a firm grip on the concept of this challenge.
Thank you very much Frank. After reading the comments from Scott and yourself I think it will be my entry.
WOW some really good renders here ....I will learn a lot from keeping up with this thread.....Trish
Here is an updated version with lights applied. I am having trouble deciding how much DOF is appropriate.
In the first image the F/Stop is set at 16. In the 2nd the F/Stop is set at 34.
Any comments/suggestions?
Nice one Kismet!
I like the first one better, but I would just fiddle a little with the camera angle so the branches that are a little less intrusive, specially those that are in focus, and have something more than just plain ground in the background, like a bush, a fence or flowerpot, something that gets out of focus but gives more depths to the image.
Thanks Totte.
I have been trying to figure out all day which F/Stop I liked better. As soon as I posted I thought "I like the first one". %-P
I also like the first one best. Have you thought of looking up at the wind chimes so that you see them through the branches with the sun on the other side streaming light down through the tree. Just an idea I had while looking at your render.
Just wanna say YEP the first one for me to, and Totte's idea's sound good for adding some UMPH!
I was going to say I liked the second one. :-P Though the windchime does draw the eye much more in the first one, which is presumably what you want. Either way, good work so far!
Really nice work Kismet I also like the first one ....Trish
I've been playing with this one. Any ideas on what to improve?
Combat Ops
It looks pretty good. Maybe a bit to blurry at the back. Try pulling it forward a bit. Your focal point is the tip of the barrel so you won't have any in front
I'm a bit slow today - I won't have any what in front? Sorry for my confusion! :)
I believe, and could be wrong, that because the barrel is right at the forefront of the image, you won't be able to get a tremendous amount of DOF in the front, but if you try raising the F-stop value for your camera, you can reduce the amount of blurriness in the background, maybe enough to bring out some of the details on the face...
Another version of my jade tiger, had to remove most of the people due to not being able to work with the picture in the viewpoint... somehow I think I need a new computer *grins*
Anyhow, less people and a different angle