Problems with rendering chrome material

[abankstonRAS]

I'm trying to render a metal hook with a chrome material, but the renders look flat in some spots and reflections in other areas look too dark.  It makes the item look like a drawing, rather than photorealistic. I'm using the 2020 version of Maya and rendering with Arnold.  What settings can I change to get a better result?

[damaggio]

Just use Arnold chrome preset.

chrome will reflect whatever is in your environment set up and lighting.

the settings are not in the shader necessarily.

[Anonymous]

@damaggio, do you use both V-Ray and Arnold? 

[damaggio]

Vray only.

[abankstonRAS]

What other settings should I try?  I have to render on a totally white background, so I'm using AIrayswitch, an area light, and a skydome light.  Initially, I tried rendering with a backdrop, but it was giving me an off-white background, no matter what I tried.

[damaggio]

Your render is correct with a white background, if you want to make more interesting then the environment has to be more interesting, white background is not a good choice here, chrome is the same as mirror.

try a studio light HDRI instead.

[abankstonRAS]

So this is probably the best I'm going to get with an all white background?  I would change the environment, but it's going to be used as a product image and has to be on all white.  Would you recommend rendering with a backdrop and then removing the off-white background in post?

[damaggio]

Just edited my answer above.

[abankstonRAS]

Mostly my problem is that I don't like how dark the reflections are on it.  It doesn't feel photorealistic to me.

[abankstonRAS]

Thank you!  I'll try a studio light hdri and report back.

[damaggio]

Use an studio HDR like real photographers do for product photograph.

[abankstonRAS]

Ok, so the studio hdri definitely improved the flatness issue, but I still have the issue with those dark lines.  What is that, and how do I soften it, so it doesn't look so cartoonish?

[damaggio]

Those dark lines are either on the hdr image or your ray trace settings. I can’t tell without a scene file.

[abankstonRAS]

I'm guessing they must be in the ray trace settings, but I'm not sure what to adjust.  Not sure if I can share the scene file since it's a proprietary design.

[damaggio]

Read in the documentation about raytracing in render settings, in lights and in shaders. 
I ‘m on location now and won’t be available till tomorrow.

[abankstonRAS]

Will do.  Thank you for all of your help!

[abankstonRAS]

Just a quick update.  I think I've got it worked out.  Thank you again for helping me!

[Anonymous]

That came out nice!

[abankstonRAS]

Thank you!