@shakeninsane I can see your screenshots now, and they're lovely. I especially like the overhead of the tropical island. Lighting mods can make scenery really stand out.
I don't have any night sky ones right now—I just wanted a few easy comparisons. The biggest difference I can see is that the water has less diffuse white coloring, and what's there looks more like a bit of mist or fog blowing across the surface of the bay. The churn from the waves is also more detailed. Those screenshots were all taken between 8 and 9 am. The ones of the sim were from around 11 am, when I got a good look at the shadows. They don't show up as well when they fall across clothing, so that may be why you're having trouble seeing them. The angles also matter.
And yes, I maxed out the graphics settings for both before and after.
