This is beautiful work!

Thanks Starship!

The lighting in this is awesome! Cool render! 👍🙋‍♂️

See below Saby :)

What an impressive and superb lighting and what a superb woman not a skinny ghost like the ones we can see on the streets !

Thanks gaius - at a little less than 5 feet tall she packs a lot of wallop into a small frame...

lol, that is the way to do it, shock the burglars into stunned immobility giving time to aim and blow a suitable piece of anatomy off with her pistol... love the beautiful warm lighting contrasting with the cold outdoors through the far window, very nicely done, excellent render and comp

Thanks paul - a lot of this was set up for another character(s) and then repurposed for this scene. Took a bit of time to get the light right on account of my limitations but it fell together. The pistol's always ready to go. It's in 'Free Stuff'...

Perrrfect lightning buddy!

Thanks Ute - was wondering when you'd end up with that gal as an icon. She's sorta your signature and a real cutie!

Thanks Saby - had to cheat a little bit with an ambient and spot while turning down the candles..:)

Last round before going to bed and more safe with a pistol. I like the glowing light.

Thanks Anne - light is always tricky in darker a scene but can make or break it...

Burglars are not welcomed here...as this is the last nude woman they will ever see upon leaving this world for good! My personal congrats on starting the year with this beautiful render...it turned out awesome for you! Sometimes unintended consequences can lead to wonderful new things. The work you put forth towards lighting this splendid scene was well worth the effort my friend! :-)

Thanks Johnny it sorta glows which lightens Mary's darkish complexion. Was going to curt back the candles further but left them be...:)

Sweet job on this, like it!

Thanks makennedy - was a fun exercise despite some frustrations. Oddly a test render took three hours but this version was less than 30 minutes. Didn't 'hide' a lot so I have no idea why...

As with others who comment I think the lighting is what sets the picture apart. I don't mean to slight the character or the setting; they are both wonderfully eye-catching. What get's your attention is the gentle backlight from the windows and the globe of stronger illumination from the candles. You mention cheating rather than allowing the candle flames to do all the heavy lifting. I find I do that often and I think they do it all the time in movies and such. If it works, pleases the eye and draws the viewer in... it's a winner! So sez teh Mollz.

Molly

Thanks Miss Molly - the room was originally started as a setting for Vanessa but wasn't quite right. Lighting for me will always remain a challenge, particularly as I do a lot of dark period pieces. What I remember from the infamous 'Game of Thrones Starbucks on the banquet table scene' wasn't the white flash of the errant cup but the way the candlelight played off the actors' faces. I'm sure they used a lot of ambient light to make it look so natural and probably couldn't have pulled it off thirty or forty years ago...

Very well done. There is nothing "cheating" about controlling your lighting to get the effect you want. Anyone who says otherwise does not understand Art.

Thanks bob - I have no formal training in photography or art of any sort and no artistic skill beyond an ever decreasing penchant for miniature painting. The rest is an often errant eye for what I think is right. My scenes run too dark for some monitors - there's a pretty good comment on another artist's post about this - so I try to push it up a little.

Excellent

Thanks Anita!

A most excellent and superb image you have delivered here, my friend! The lighting and mood you have captured are perfect! I hope she doesn't shoot me in the night! I might want to live to see another day? LOL! Marvelous work! Many fine kudos from me!!

Thanks radar - I think you'd be smart enough to come by day :)

The hottest candles I've ever seen. Excellent lighting and atmosphere, great colour temperature for the candle lights, wonderful skin light scattering, gorgeous composition and render.
Magnificent Masterpiece of Finest Arts. I love it!

Thanks mif - was a lot more work than it might have been for less scatterbrained artists but I am pleased with the result as I am also a sucker for period night scenes and old Mary is a longtime friend...

Candles were a mix of LaureS's and ROG's with a bit of overlapping, sizing, et al. Smoke is from ROG's Fantasy Medieval Bedroom set and quite good, and while there are excellent other assets out there for smoke, I'm used to these in period pieces and apply them by default.

very lovely

Thanks jm - I was always be a sucker for period pieces with soft light...'Historical' young ladies with vintage gins sorta help :)

Love the lighting! Great job!

Thanks romangirl - candles and smoke can be captivating with some of the newer assets available. Hides some things too:)

Love the lighting on this a lot. Its so romantic yet deadly.

Thanks again Virtual - candles and fires make great dramatic lights :)

Beautiful and sensual atmosphere!

Thanks giareg - always fun to work wi8th good assets....

very desirable and so beautiful

Thanks Richard. She's a lot of un in a tiny package....:)