How to use hdri for exteriors?

[zhopudey]

I'm trying to figure out the best way to use hdri for exteriors. Which is the best approach? Put the hdri in a vray dome light, and in the env reflections, or not use a light but just the vray environment, or else just the max environment? What do you guys use?

 

I've attached a few test renders. The dome light does show better details and shadows - notice in the blowups that the vray env renders cannot show the bump texture on the walls at all.

 

In addition to the dome light, is there any need to add a direct light/vray sun as well? I didn't try that out.

Edited December 4, 2009 by zhopudey

[Dave Buckley]

dome light provides a much smoother solution from your hdr than the other options.

 

whether there is any need to add the direct light purely depends on your scene. does the hdr provide the illumination that you want? or do you feel that a direct light would help your lighting solution?

 

personally i've found it tough to get good shadows from hdri's containing a strong sunlight (until i discovered importons and irradience particles) in which case i placed a light representing the sun in my scene too, just make sure you position that light so that it matches the direction of the light in your hdri

[Nic H]

that hdri you are using cant really be used for lighting or reflecting in that scene, its more suited to a car render.

 

you need a wide spherical map, a very high res hdri (as it wraps around 360) otherwise you will get blurry reflections on your glass which you dont want

 

definately use it in a dome light as well, lets you control quality with DMC sampler. like David said - add a light if you feel you need one.

[zhopudey]

personally i've found it tough to get good shadows from hdri's containing a strong sunlight (until i discovered importons and irradience particles)

 

Can you explain about this?

[Dave Buckley]

erm probably not in one post, i'm also using mental ray which may not help you but feel free to have a read here

 

http://www.mrmaterials.com/jeffs-blog/91-irradiance-particles-hdrs-and-you.html

[kippu]

he is talking about mental ray ...you need a higher quality hdri and lot higher values to get the results and a light where the sunlight is in the hdri will help you with the lighting

 

dave posted before me