I created this scene as an intro to a YouTube channel I am creating and would like some advice or suggestions on how to improve things in post. As it is now, after the render things seem a bit bland and I'm having issues on how to blend it all in together better with the backdrop. A couple examples that could improve things would be highly appreciated as my experience with editing in post is non existent. Thanks very much!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FrdHwFfbsAM [m.youtube.com]

That looks nice.

Maybe consider making the plants move slightly. The water is so active but the rest of the scene is so still. Also consider adding an easter egg moment, like a previously hidden bird flys out of the trees and off screen. It might give you an “ooh” moment halfway through.

Thanks for the tips! Might give the moving foliage a go but this literally took about a month to render out on my Ryzen 1700. So I was hoping for something to add to the current render like fog effects etc using after effects or changing the background in some way. I like the bird idea, I could add that in the the current render I'm sure easily enough.

not related to Houdini: whenever you introduce aggressive DoF in your scene will give the impression of small to very small scale;
related to Houdini: the liquid simulation (I have no technical experience/info to contribute here) also seems to be on the “small scale” side. That's either due to the intensity of the internal liquid forces applied, # of particles, or both, it just seems “small” to me, which is hardly scientific, but I'm willing to bet a lot, that I'm describing accurately the fault with that liquid sim as well as the overall feel of the shot.

Hmm it's interesting you observe that as that is sort of the them of the channel anyway. What I am doing is building miniature terrain models of various kinds for different sorts of table top gaming as well as eventually getting into model train scenery. So in a sense that sort of fits for those who come with that understanding to the channel and perhaps makes the scene a little more “model like.”. But, never the less, an interesting observation and I might try playing around with the scale of the fluid some more.

I think some more control over the lighting and maybe even adding an environmental texture to the lighting or the atmosphere. Personally its way to bright like there is no things that would alter or slightly shift the quality of such pure light.

I'd personally think some more shading, shadows and mist heavy in the area would top this to be fine. Its impressive most of all. Because the lighting is do strong I cant even see much to any textures on the objects in this nature seen. All I see are different colors and no real depth of detailing, texture or gloss.

I'd personally add some wet glossiness to the rocks, maybe darker soil or plants being so closed to a strong moving body of water. But besides that in a basket everything else looks might fine and dandy.