When set in default setting, notice the sunlight is enabled. In V-Ray default setting, V-Ray Sun and V-Ray Sky are special features which are provided by the V-Ray Renderer.

For V-Ray Environment with HDRI texture, the test render will highlight the possible output when render in optimized setting using HDRI as the light source and V-Ray sun as an additional light source. For V-Ray dome light with HDRI texture, a comparison test render was made using default setting and optimized setting. I also added a Sphere model inside the scene with silver polished material in order to see the reflection of the sky.ДЇor V-Ray Sun and Sky System, I set up a basic scene in default setting and lit it a couple of different ways, (enabling and disabling) V-Ray sun, background, and GI (Skylight). In order to fully understand the possible render output in V-Ray using various environment settings such as V-Ray Sun and Sky, Domelight+ HDRI and V-Ray Environment + HDRI, I made a simple rendering experimentation that highlights different parameters or settings which generally affect the tonality and atmosphere of the rendered image output.Дuring the test render experimentation, I enabled the material override and set the water pool to вЂњCan be OverriddenвЂќ. Foam is a must and was planning this.Exterior Render Settings (V-Ray 3.4 for SketchUp)Д®xterior Render Settings V-Ray and SketchUp From that far away in real life you wouldnвЂ™t really see much displacement.Д¤ - I might client doesnвЂ™t tend to like humans in renders. You just cant see if from that far away, I will try and get some different views & closer to show that. As for the materials how do I tweak that as they are pre-made.ДЈ - The sand does have displacement and bump maps. Also this is suppose to be in St Lucia and only one type of palm tree grows so close to the coast line (made the mistake of putting in the wrong treeвЂ™s before) so that is why it looks repetitive. Again will look at the link you have given and see if I can make that work (still new to V-ray and self taught)Дў - TreeвЂ™s are a difficult one, I have an image the client wants it to look like, which has all of the same trees in the background & foreground. I will watched your tutorials though thank youДЎ- I know the sea looks pants here, I was planning to do that more in photoshop. Hi thought as much but the dome light itself isnвЂ™t giving me the effect of what I wantвЂ¦ if keeping the sunlight on works for some reason then i will keep it on. And note that displacement & bump maps increase render times a lot.Д¤- Add some humans in Photoshop? and maybe a bit foam where sea meets the shore.ДҐ- Also you can try some shots with different angles, make use of depth of field in camera settings.

Also looks like their materials are not best (green parts), try tweaking them as well.ДЈ- Sand could be better with some blend materials, displacement or bump map (similar to water but without refraction or reflection). (DonвЂ™t forget the sand underneath sea when you make sea slightly transparent)Дў- Trees look repetitive on the background, try to blend them in the scene and use more tree variations (scale, rotate etc. Try to use preset Vray water materials and observe/adjust their parameters. ДЄlso i think you should improve your water, vegetation and sand in this render.ДЎ- Water must be refractive and reflective at the same time (or just transparent to lower render times). Because if you donвЂ™t, you get 2 different вЂsun sourceвЂ™ which causes -depending on your scene- 2 different angled shadows (see below image).Д¬heck this official V-ray tutorial demonstrating dome light (after 4:50). Sunlight must be turned off when youвЂ™re using V-ray Dome Light. I am sure the tutorials say it should be turned off

Vray 3 for sketchup 2017