Rendering issues

MJW

Having pressed the wrong buttons a similar post may emerge somw=ewhere else. Sorry, if so.
I am a newbie, already somewhat addicted as I have long been creative and just as long been unable to make my hands do what my brain expects.
I have issues which may be answered elsewhere, but I don't know how best to find answers, so....
I create images which are fine in DS 4.6 but when I render them they become flatter in tone and generally dark and overly contrasty. Examples attached of two (of many) attempts with a decent picture that doesn't render at all well.
I am also frustrated by the skin colouring. I have problems getting a decent skin colour (I'm English) - using Genesis baby mat often as the best answer in Genesis, but not for others. Sometimes clicking a mat works and others it doesn't and I don't understand why not unless it is to do with the different version of 'people - V3, V4, M4, V6, Genesis, Genesis 2, etc). As a result, when I render the skins frequently look as if they are darker than they should be or greyer.
I am also having lighting probs. In the attachments I have been completely unable to properly light her face. Bringing a spotlight up from ground level light s the dress as it rises, but seems to ignore her skin, for example.
The images use my own floor and wall, but otherwise the stuff is from online.
And now, when I click preview post, it just defaults to my account screen.......

Herald of Fire

Hard to say where you're going wrong with the lighting without seeing your light setup.

As for skins, different options will use different shaders so will net you different results. Some of the newer skins use Age of Armors subsurface shaders, some use the older Ubersurface option. Yet still some use the Daz Default Shader, but those are less common. Good lighting is key to getting the best results regardless of which skin you use though, so I'd focus on that first.

MJW

Thanks. I don't yet understand 'subsurfaces', but I have noticed there is an ubersurface thing. How do I show the lights?

halfmast88

mjw said:

Thanks. I don't yet understand 'subsurfaces', but I have noticed there is an ubersurface thing. How do I show the lights?

You should just do a screen capture of your scene without rendering it so we can see the same thing you see. If you have windows use Microsoft snipping tool its included with the operating system. You should also screen cap the setting of the lights.

Herald of Fire

mjw said:

Thanks. I don't yet understand 'subsurfaces', but I have noticed there is an ubersurface thing. How do I show the lights?

The AoA subsurface shader is just another type of surface material. The idea of subsurfaces is that objects have depth, so it will simulate the light bouncing around just beneath the surface (hence sub-surface). It essentially makes the surface seem a lot softer. depending on how much subsurface scattering there is. Perfect for skins!

MJW

Thanks for this advice. I found one light was set behind my back wall, bit moving it forward has not noticeably helped - see the render and the screen capture.
How do I see (let alone copy) light settings?