Simple Rendering, where to start?

[universalpiping]

I have been doing very simple renderings for a while now in 3DS Max.  I do all of the modeling in AutoCad, and I import the files into max to creat a simple JPG rendering.  

I have serious issues when trying to accomplish simple tasks, and I always end up with a product that is washed out, or to dark, and the background is as simple as it can get.

For what I need to do, I have been able to be successful so far in creatign a decent image for the client. But Now he is asking for a rendering of a night scene and I have no idea where to start. 

Does anyone have any advice on how to get started on a night scene? Or, any tips on how to accomplish a cripser / clearer image? 

i have attached a few images of the type of work that I am talking about, the first file ISO VIEW DOORS UP, is a sample of the un-edited rendering that I get from using spotlights and reflective floor with white background. I have had moderate success with this.

The second image is one that he wants me to do in a night scene, with so much glass this image took 4 hours to render, and I dont really have the time to play around with night imagery. hoping for some assistance.

[darawork]

What rendering engine are you using? Scanline, vRay, Mental ray or iRay?

Could you list your system specs in your signature, I am wondering why the second image took four hours to render.

If you are lighting the scene with a Daylight System light (with MR sky environment map) you can drag the sun icon closer to the horizon to increase the time of day automatically; Light icon high above the model = Midday. Light icon close to horizon = Evening time. Light icon below the horizon = Night time.

I also helps if you have environmental lighting (press '8' on your keyboard for a shortcut to the dialogue box) as a dark colour, darker than the stand default white... and lower it's intensity from the default '1'.

Finding a nice background (Google images) would go a long way towards 'grounding' your model in the scene. Even try to use a HDR image for HDR lighting, this technique uses the lighter areas in a background (environment) image as sources for light energy. You may want to check that out on YouTube, I'm sure there's tons of easy tutorials up there for lighting a scene with a HDR image.

Also, taking a couple of screenshots of your rendering engine settings is always handy way for members to deduce if you have put the wrong numbers in somewhere.