Help me render in Iray - please ...

Alfi

For years I rendered in 3Delight- I still do - but I need some tips & tricks before jumping to Iray. My last render took me 34 hours in 3Delight (pheew) and now I have had enough !

Facts: Figure - Genesis 8 female, 1 dress, 2 hairs - one with long braids. Bare feet :) All textures is the RSL version - except skin and eyes. ( But I guess I will have to change to MDL textures?) The light is flat, very even and soft-shaded. Render resolution must be approx. 5000 x 2000 pixels on a tranparent background.

I need a flat shaded but photorealistic render. From here I'll work my 'way back' to a less realistic look in Photoshop. I do need details in the braids (Marigold Hair) and also in the clothing and the eyes otherwise I cannot apply the filters I use in Photoshop.

So hit me with your fastest most detailed super smooth Iray render settings - pleeeeeeeease  - screendumps are very, very welcome ! 
​And also where do you - yes YOU - 'tick off' the background and the floor in the Iray render ?

I'll be eternal gratefull 

RobotHeadArt

If you are using an environment map the background and floor are controlled by the settings Draw Dome and Draw Ground under the Environment section of the Render Settings.

Alfi

Thanks RobotHeadArt
That was the easy part - then what ;-)