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Description
I have got a lot of positive feedback on one of my newest works >> Launching sky lantern , so...
now finally decided to reveal some tech details about 'how it was made'
*There will be no explanations of artistic-related points, like composing, choosing PoV, colors and so on.
So, here is short explanation of the several key features:

1. Environment was made using HDR image of medium resolution, properly rotated (x=0.863). Its power was lowered (power=0.500) to make appear as evening environment.
2. Imager uses increased exposure value for proper image brightness, vignetting (0.75) was used for creating soft dark corners, white point was adjusted (from pure white) for compensating yellow light from lantern.
3. Post-effects were used to give some look similar to real-life photography, these are bloom/glare along with spectral shift (note the red/green spots below and left to lantern).
4. A lot of samples per pixel (64000) was set to eliminate noise from compact mesh light, filter size was set to 1.25 to get some smooth along with 'fireflies' elimination. Coherent ratio was set to 1.000 to get maximum rendering performance, available in Path Tracing mode (see also >> fav.me/d8logki ).
5. Material node for 'flame' object, the key is 'Black body' emission mode. The power value was choosen according to its final brightness, the temperature - to desired light color (Note: the 800..1000K values will be more realistic for flame, but make the color balancing harder, like in >> fav.me/d9fpaig ) .
6. Material node for lantern shade, created as mix of translucent diffuse material (using transmission node) and specular material to give some glass look.
7. Sky lantern is simple 3D model, with separate material zones for shade and flame, made using Blender.
8. Railings are also simple 3D model, made using Blender.

Description
I have got a lot of positive feedback on one of my newest works >> Launching sky lantern , so...
now finally decided to reveal some tech details about 'how it was made'
*There will be no explanations of artistic-related points, like composing, choosing PoV, colors and so on.
So, here is short explanation of the several key features:

1. Environment was made using HDR image of medium resolution, properly rotated (x=0.863). Its power was lowered (power=0.500) to make appear as evening environment.
2. Imager uses increased exposure value for proper image brightness, vignetting (0.75) was used for creating soft dark corners, white point was adjusted (from pure white) for compensating yellow light from lantern.
3. Post-effects were used to give some look similar to real-life photography, these are bloom/glare along with spectral shift (note the red/green spots below and left to lantern).
4. A lot of samples per pixel (64000) was set to eliminate noise from compact mesh light, filter size was set to 1.25 to get some smooth along with 'fireflies' elimination. Coherent ratio was set to 1.000 to get maximum rendering performance, available in Path Tracing mode (see also >> fav.me/d8logki ).
5. Material node for 'flame' object, the key is 'Black body' emission mode. The power value was choosen according to its final brightness, the temperature - to desired light color (Note: the 800..1000K values will be more realistic for flame, but make the color balancing harder, like in >> fav.me/d9fpaig ) .
6. Material node for lantern shade, created as mix of translucent diffuse material (using transmission node) and specular material to give some glass look.
7. Sky lantern is simple 3D model, with separate material zones for shade and flame, made using Blender.
8. Railings are also simple 3D model, made using Blender.