You can composite images without any plugins, There are efficient tools out there (like that proexr plugin) but usually I would just render different passes out and composite them manually. You can use the render elements to create different passes then load them up in photoshop
then just copy and paste the various layers into one image. the compositing stuff depends on what you are trying to achieve. you can use an alpha channel or a different blending mode. it just depends on what compositing task you are trying to achieve.

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I already tried this mate but I dunno how to use the Alpha Channel...
The i was trying to achieve this situation.. I exported a JPEG file on Max then change the frame size same as the JPEG file.. Then I render it with VRAY render passes and I disabled the BG..
note: I did use Matte/Shadow on the floor.. I think it's not covered with AlphaChannel anymore... any suggestion mate?

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Started Max last September 2008

Jovanie_
[Link to www.facebook.com]!/album.php?aid=6649&id=1820454800

"To forgive a woman's lie is a man's duty!!"

well. that sounds a little cryptic but I'm guessing you are trying to composite a 3d object ontop of a background image.
when you render the object you need to save the image as a 32 bit .tga. that is with an alpha channel. then in photoshop under channels you will find
the alpha channel. copy the alpha channel> go to the rgb layer and create a layer mask> then paste in the alpha channel into the layer mask. you don't need vray render passes to create an alpha channel. they are for more specific stuff like rendering out just the reflection or just the GI. to get an alpha you just need to save it with the extra channel in .tga format (or tiff. openexr etc... not Jpeg)

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yes mate Im doing 3d object on top of a Background...

thx mate.. but I already tried this method.. I did use a vray plane then applied a Matte/Shadow texture on it so that i can have a shadow on the floor.. can't figure out how to work the shadows out having an Alpha Channel.. the VRay plane is blocking it..

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Started Max last September 2008

Jovanie_
[Link to www.facebook.com]!/album.php?aid=6649&id=1820454800

"To forgive a woman's lie is a man's duty!!"

just use a normal plane (the vray plane is an infinite plane) what you need to do is instead of using matte/shadow, right click the plane>go to vray properties>check the matte object check box> change alpha contribution to -1.0 > turn on shadows and affect alpha. now you should get just the shadows appearing on the plane. use matte/shadow material for the scanline renderer.

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ohh ok thx mate...

Just curious mate.. why do I need to change Alpha contribution to -1.0?

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Started Max last September 2008

Jovanie_
[Link to www.facebook.com]!/album.php?aid=6649&id=1820454800

"To forgive a woman's lie is a man's duty!!"

Alpha contribution - determines the appearance of the object in the alpha channel of the rendered image. A value of 1.0 means the alpha channel will be derived from the transparency of the base material. A value of 0.0 means the object will not appear in the alpha channel at all and will show the alpha of the objects behind it. A value of -1.0 means that the transparency of the base material will cut out from the alpha of the objects behind. Matte objects are typically given an alpha contribution of -1.0. Note that this option is independent of the Matte surface option (i.e. a surface can have an alpha contribution of -1.0 without being a matte surface).

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As tyson said, 32bit tga is the way to do this, then use the alpha channel to knock out the background of the layer.

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--Matt

Means.. if i hve about 5 diff. render passes I want to render then I need the Alpha channel of each? Coz when I tried doing render passes it only gives me one alpha channel for over-all...

then when I open it to PS it's pretty far from the Correct render.. I can't even manipulate each passes...

I'll uploaded the file I did use and rendered:
[Link to www.4shared.com]

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Started Max last September 2008

Jovanie_
[Link to www.facebook.com]!/album.php?aid=6649&id=1820454800

"To forgive a woman's lie is a man's duty!!"

*handball back to tyson

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Please support us and post a [Link to www.digitalartsfront.com] on your website.

--Matt

well it looks like you're doing ok, you have a render with alpha and shadows etc.. you just need to figure out what you are trying to achieve
why do you need all those render passes? and if you are having transparent objects you will need to be reflecting the background photo.
why not try a more realistic composite. like maybe the teapot on a table. I mean you will have some trouble trying to make some big old teapots look real next to you're girlfriend on the beach right?.

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I render those passes just to find out what does it do.. Coz I have really no idea what to do next when I'm in Photoshop I hve a lil knowledge on Blending Options but I'm a bit confused on the arrangement of passes.. it's just I can't get the same output as it where I wanted to put the objects(render in max) I made to the picture using PS.. I wanted to have the same output just like the file I included "itShudLukLykDis" ..

by the way mate.. I wanted to achieve the same output made from Max and as I've read that having render passes I can improve the image I made just by having the control of each passes.. About the transparent object, I just tried different materials and see what I would look like..

by the way mate, I can't get what you mean of "Teapot on a table".. anyway she's my boss not my girlfriend

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Started Max last September 2008

Jovanie_
[Link to www.facebook.com]!/album.php?aid=6649&id=1820454800

"To forgive a woman's lie is a man's duty!!"

Lol, well, she's a pretty cute boss, well, cuter than my boss thats for sure. what I mean by "teapot on a table" is that it would be better to try and composite an object that makes sense in its surroundings. to make it look like its really there it should be something that makes sense. like maybe a surf board on the beach. or a sand castle. then you can try matching materials up. Why don't you try doing what he does in the tutorial you have at the top, just as seperate images instead of with the plugin. that seems pretty cool.

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ohh okies.. thats my problem at the moment .. That's the only pic I found on my HDD ... My boss would be enough and pretty cute to take my bad renders lol

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Started Max last September 2008

Jovanie_
[Link to www.facebook.com]!/album.php?aid=6649&id=1820454800

"To forgive a woman's lie is a man's duty!!"

take note: render passes is use for some compositing works and for some adjustments.

example 1. depth of field - rendering depth of field in vray quite takes long time and if you not properly set the camera parameters for dof you might end up re-rendering again the whole scene. With render elements - vray z depth, you can easily adjust the depth of field on PS. You can even render the whole scene without DOF but compositing it with your render elements ( z depth) you can easily achieve this matters.

example 2. reflection - you can enhance the reflection of the materials by getting the reflection passes

the problem now here is how you will manage and composite it in photoshop

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