Render Shadows only!

[antonio_frias]

I would like to know if it is possible to place 3d trees in a scene but only render the shadows projected by them.

I was hoping that if this was possible I would be able to place trees in post (Photoshop) but already have realistic shadows.

[Iain Denby]

yeah, just un tick 'visible to camera' in the objects properties. the shadows will still render.

[Ernest Burden III]

yeah, just un tick 'visible to camera' in the objects properties. the shadows will still render.

 

And reflections? In C4D you have 'visble to camera' and 'visible to ...' reflection, refraction and GI Is Max the same?

 

Because even if the trees aren't to render, it would be good if he still gets them to reflect.

[Iain Denby]

I think it renders reflections when not visible to camera.

[William Alexander]

You can create a 'shadow pass' by using the render elements in the render scene dialog box. Open that window, click on the render elements tab, and then the 'add' button, select shadows from the list. Choose a location and format for the image file, needs alpha channel. You can do a sperate render for this pass and just turn on what you need for those specfic shadows-trees & surfaces for the shadows and turn off the shadow casting for everything else-Then just set the trees to 'not cast shadows' in thier properties for the full render. Thinking your looking to reduce render times by elimininating the complex render intensive tree shadows

 

You can also dive into g-buffered rendering...would like to explain, but that's one for RTM (read the manual LOL), sorry

 

Hope that helps, some

 

WDA

[Tim Saunders]

Your all correct, there is a seperate check box for visible to relfection/refraction and visible to camera and cast shadows and recieve shadows and more in the object properties.