Lighting problem
Dave
Posts: 207
I created a scene that i then used an HDR for the background so far so good looks like this
my HDR file came with an ibl file I dont know how to use that so i tried adding a single light from the direction i thought the sun was coming from but it leaves a jet black shadow there is no option to adjust the shadow intensity on this light that i can see.
The HDR on its own dosnt look right as i think the figure should cast a shadow the same direction as the trees
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Comments
Try using a spot light instead of a distant light, place it about 10 to 15 feet away from the character and scale it up real big, like 500 percent.
Why do you even need a supplemental light source for shadows?
She is casting shadows, at about the strength I'd expect for sitting in the shadow of the palm...in fact, I think her hand is a little too strong, for where she is sitting.
to my eye the shadows on the palms look long and projecting to the right of the picture and the one where i used the light though not ye quite placed right looks correct to me but obviously far too dark
A couple of things I've noticed:
First, as you've shown, the Iray 'Ground' shadow-catcher is not reacting to 'non-hdr' lights properly. With distant lights I get solid shadows and spotlights have no shadows.
It could be something that's not implemented yet, but worth reporting as a bug!
Second, sIBL is designed for biased renderers, when I load a set into another program I use both HDR files, and the hires jpg and the 'Sun' from the sIBL setup file.
With only one HDR, currently allowed in Iray you have much less light and its going to throw the relative intensities off.
It also appears that you have your light positioned a little too far forward. Based on the BG image, you want your light to be more of a rim type light. Look at the tree trunks and the shadows they cast. Your character's shadow is not at a matching angle to the palms' shadows.
Why not use a mesh light instead of the spotlight/distant -
I think i have a lot to learn about DAZ lighting seems a lot more involved than vues lighting im used to . Ive tried a mesh light dimension theory iradience light that cast its own shadow when placed some where near where i think the light is coming from not sure where Im going wrong with the spot light dosnt seem to be doing anything
this is what I get with the spot light
If you don't have Scene and Dome, then you will only get the Dome.
If you do have it set for both, then the spot is probably not 'strong' enough...what are your settings for it? The Luminance value will need to be pretty high to overcome the 'strength' of the light from the HDR image..
And seriously, do you not see the shadow from her hand/arm? It runs, accounting the angle of her arm and the angles of the trunks, in pretty much the same direction as the rest of the shadows and about the same strength. She is in an area where the light is being partially blocked...look at the softer shadows towards the lower left...those are from the palm fronds...and her shadows are slightly stronger to about the same as those.
When using a HDRIs and with the Ground ON you can increase or decrease shadow intensity. The character is casting a shadow under her right hand and left leg
And other leg, too...if you look closely enough.
yeah just a tad.
One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that HDRI's will only cast true directional shadows if there is a define sun and not a broad spread of white where the sun is.
Excellent tip, thank you.