Hi all;
These are my first KS2 renders from an imported model. I have always used my own geometry, but now that I can use obj's and others, it's fun playing around. The Tahoe is from Digimation, free on a CD included with 3D Artist Magazine. Unfortunately the mapping is rather crude, like "all the glass", so there's not a lot of control over materials. On my own work I always map extensively (over-map) just to have more control over material properties.
The backplates are from a series I created in KS, not Photoshop. I use a variety of ground planes, table-tops, and various shapes. I then apply a variety of materials, usually frosted glass or matte metals. The HDR's give a huge range of options as to the play of light and reflections. It's great to have a whole folder of these backplates ready for almost any studio situation. The last three images illustrate it, with the "photostand" small to give an idea of the shape.
Bill G
www.GouldStudios.com (http://www.gouldstudios.com)
Very nice - check "sharp glossy reflections" in the Environment tab to get a cleaner reflection when working on shiny materials with light roughness.