Problem with lighting this scene

Hera

Hello! I'm working on a scene using this background https://www.daz3d.com/mick-great-hall and I've added some characters and aimed spotlights to them, but they turn out all dark, it's as if the spot lights are not woking, no matter how much I turn them up. Neither does the camera headlamp.

I render in Iray.

Save for the two spotlights I have no light added in the picture, I use the default skydome. There's a lot of emissive candles in the picture, which provides light to the scene but they don't light up my characters, hence the spotligths.

So to cut the story short, the Great Hall is all out of the box, the only addition is three characters, one dog and two spot lights aimed at charactes and dog, But those act as if turned off.

Anyone who can figure anything out?

 

3Diva

In the Render Settings tab make sure the Environment Mode is set to Dome and Scene - see if that helps the spotlights show up.

If all else fails I recommend HeroineAdventure's Iray Interior Camera: https://www.deviantart.com/heroineadventures/art/Iray-Interior-Camera-V1-4-758604718 

I use it a lot as I find that lighting scenes with HDRIs tend to help speed up render time. :)

LenioTG

Yes, check out if the Environment Mode is set to Dome and Scene! :D Maybe just return to the default render settings.

I don't particularly like the Iray Interior Camera, because it basically lets you use outdoor light, that's not very natural looking IMHO.

Consider learning how to make ghost lights, that are very important in indoor lighting! :D

fastbike1

@TGFan4 "because it basically lets you use outdoor light, that's not very natural looking IMHO."

That's completely dependent on the HDRI being used. There are many available HRDIs that have "indoor" light.

TheKD

Make sure the spotlights are not inside some ceiling or prop geometry by accident, I have done that one before lol. Seemed like it was fine, but looking through spotlight and "zooming in" a few scroll wheel clicks fixed it.

Fauvist

Try and turn up the brightness of one of the spotlights by 5000% and see if lights anything.  If not, try 50,000%.  How close are the spotlights to the characters you're trying to light?  Move the spotlights to 10 feet from the characters. Increase the angle of light to 180'.  View the character through the light to make sure it's directed at the character.  Make the entire ceiling of the hall invisible and see if any light comes in from the dome.  That hall is HUGE.  If that was a real life movie set, it would take dozens and dozens of spotlights to illuminate it.  Turn off the headlamp.  Can you post a render? 

fastbike1

@Fauvist "Try and turn up the brightness of one of the spotlights by 5000%"

The intensity control doesn't work for Iray sporlights. You need to change the lumen value.