Blender - HDR makes objects too bright

Question

I started to use blender 3 weeks ago and I am currently trying to do an outdoor scene. I wanted to use an hdr image fot lighting, as blender guru does -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI_FMa-8w50&t=117s

But all of my objects keep over exposing, even if I a set the values of the math converter almost to zero

This is the scene with a sun lamp (strenght 1)

This is the same scene but using one of blender gurus free hdr and with the sun lamp hided

I believe I`m using filmic color correctly:

I also tried with simple objects (like blender gurus tutorial) and ended up with the same wrong result :(

Hope someone could help! Thanks (:

Answer 1

You can change the brightness of the environment texture in the world section by modifiying the Strength value for the HDR.

Read:

How can I create a silhouette using HDR in cycles?

and

Increase brightness of HDR to light the scene, but keeping the background at a lower exposure

and

How do I adjust for overexposure using physically based lighting?

and

How to scale properly HDRI image, to be used in ASC-CDL HDR render?

Answer 2

You can control HDR Background node in the Shader Editor too.

1. Open the Shader Editor and, in the header, check Use Nodes and change the Shader Type from "Object" to "World".
2. Search for 3 nodes: Image Texture, Background, World Output (if not already exist).
3. In Image Texture, open your HDR image. Connect the Color output (Img Texture node) to the Color input (BG node). Connect the Background output (BG node) to Surface input (World node). (check img below)
4. Control the exposure intensity of the HDR by changing the Strength values in the Background node.
5. View the changes in Rendered mode in the 3D viewport.

There is an explanation here of this process by the Blender Guru, if you are interested.