So obviously linear workflow is a better method mathematically to produce your renders. However, the side effect is your images have their contrast reduced. See figure 1 below...
both materials are the same grey level (the linear one is grey with gamma set to 2.2), lights are adjusted to give the same grey value in the final render, the only difference between the images is one is linear and one is not. Notice the bottom image has way less contrast than the top image. If I run the linear image through a levels adjustment in photoshop, I can get back something closer to my original non linear image.
See figure 2 for a textured result.
Sometimes you want utmost mathematical realism, and sometimes you don't, so I was just wondering how people are generally dealing with this? Are people accepting the lack of contrast as the new normal visually, and the older non linear contrasty images and being too contrasty? Are people using post processes to add contrast back? Are people adjusting their lights to get the most contrast they can? Just interested in hearing other people's experiences on the subject, I certainly have a number of techniques to solve the issue, I'm just wondering what other people are doing.
- Neil
