I was having issues with uploading to sketchfab.
So, I figured I would just submit this here @theluthier if that is okay.
I tried doing some compositing for post process polish since I have only used the compositor once before. I think it turned out nice,.
Hey! I really like that you pushed this into a unique direction with the rendering + compositing! The stipple pattern is a nice touch đź‘Ś
My main note is that the bottom-right quadrant of the image dips to extreme black. A general rule is to rarely venture into 100% black or 100% because those represent limitations in the color range/values of the image. In this case it's very much like a black hole in an otherwise beautiful image.
Thanks @theluthier I love this kind of constructive feedback. I made a few different printouts of the compositing and came up with 3 promising results that all looked similar but had varying levels of contrast and darkness. I'm still new to compositing but this was actually one of the really fun parts.
This was the darkest of the bunch that definitely had a black hole and my wife said that she liked it best. I was trying to talk myself into how sea light tapers off quickly due to light absorption/refraction, but I should have studied that more thoroughly. Â Your explanation really helps though. You are correct. The transition is too harsh.
Part of this had to do compensating that I was struggling getting the rays to work exactly how I envisioned them. They were very finicky which just means that I need more training on how to make them work better rather than just toying around in the fog or my on ignorance. But I did learn a lot on my own!
I went back to research a little more and this was what I was trying to get at but I was too aggressive on this render.
https://manoa.hawaii.edu/exploringourfluidearth/physical/ocean-depths/light-ocean
Here’s a render with the black hole toned back. Unfortunately I’m still novice with the compositor and I toned back the body  shadow as well when I did that (unfortunate side effect of my novice workflow)
 It’s okay though. All things come with time, training, and practice.
 All things come with time, training, and practice.
Couldn't be said better! Here's more what I had in mind for the black depths:
Not e how the darkest part of the water is a deep navy blue but still shy of black. I still think this looks like deep water but in a more appropriate spectrum as the light shafts and specular level of the shark's body.
Values shy of white and black also leave room to adjust in compositing. Once values are committed to white or black it's hard to do much with them.
Hopefully there's a nugget to be gleaned from this. Good work overall đź‘Ťđź‘Ť
Thanks @theluthier . Yeah that makes total sense. I am glad that I definitely rendered the original image far from that black and white spectrum.
I have plenty of room to play on the original render. I’m glad I did that part correctly: my problem is that I am playing in this compositing sand box and I see all these tools around but I need more experience using them effectively haha.
At least I figured out how to use light rays to a somewhat believable degree with no prior knowledge or experience. Yay!
digitalseed thanks. I recommend that new fundamentals of Sculpting course!
