This is another picture in my “nature” series that
I’m working on this summer.
/JoOngle
cool.
just some crits from my point of view:
-because you have too much spec, it look like plastic.
-maybe a subtle voroni bump on it to show some more life in the leaf.
The plants look good, but the ground/water doesn’t fit. Is it meant to be water or dirt? I suggest making it water, so add some reflections.
Also, to Gabio: A lot of plants DO actually look like plastic. 
I think this is not water, and that once some grass will be added, the result will be more eye-realistic…
Niche modelling, BTW 
I also feel the material correctly set like this. I agree with the voronoi bump, though… was it not for a close-up, it could stay as is…
OlivS
I like it, and I think spec is ok - some plants are furry, some aren’t What will your nature series become? A collection of models or will it be images showing nature scenes?
Thanks,
I think you guys are right about it, it already have voronoi
and musgrave shade-variations, but maybe it needs something else. I’ll look into it later today. The water-sand is a procedureal in Blender and is fairly faithful to what I’ve seen around here in Denmark so it stays
And lot’s of plants shine like that when you look at a particular angle (I know…because I take a LOT of nature-photos).
But some bump mapping will make it look more…different than that plant, but better in a scene-sense I guess so I’ll add it if it looks good. Thanks.
I like the lighting and the composition, but as others did, kinda was thrown by the amount of specularity. Now there are two ways you could handle this. Besides the obvious, you could also “suggest that it has recently been raining.” A few drops of water nearby; maybe a small puddle. Something simple and easy to do because all you really need to do is to suggest. Furthermore, you need that specularity to establish depth and also (very nice…) to illustrate the fine textural details on the bottom of a leaf.
I’d suggest that you slightly crop the picture on the top and the right; let the plant end on a rule-of-thirds point.
Your use of depth-of-field in the upper left area (after the suggested crop) is good; how about putting some similar small plant detail in the other background areas? Put them out-of-focus and a little dark. Maybe a small twig suggested?
You’ve done really well with the shadows. You’re using everything from Zone-6 to about Zone-8 {Ansel Adams’ “zone system”: zone-1 = pure white; 10=pure black; 5=midtone.} and not letting it go opaquely dark anywhere.
This is a very strong picture. I’m intrigued with the notion of nature/forest scenes done with CG and look forward to seeing more.