One of the things I'm noticing more as I try to match materials. . .
There are so many images, particularly if they're product visualizations, that are already rendered images that represent an idealized reality instead of actual reality.
Doing the candle exercise for Core Materials I'm tempted to go out and buy a thin and thick beeswax candle, a glass and porcelain candle holder, wait until night, turn off all the lights, and take photos of "real" reality. (I don't actually have any candles.)
Also do it with regular ambient light to see what the candle looks like without the flame.
I tried out rendering with and without a "flame" in both Eevee and cycles.
Cycles with flame:
Eevee with flame, blegh:
Externally lit Cycles:
Externally lit Eevee - Not bad:
