February 2026 - DAZ 3D New User Challenge - Lighting and Light Effects

Linwelly · February 2

Beginner Challenge:

"Lighting"

This month's focus will be on how you light your image. Lighting is what defines and enhances the viewer's experience when looking at an image. Lighting helps a viewer to "see" the story. The presence of light, or the lack thereof, provides us with the ability to believe the world we are looking at. It can tell us if an object is round, whether it is close or far away, what colors were used and even if the surface is reflective. As an artist, it will be your ability to master the use of light, that will set you apart from the others. Below is a source list of lighting tutorials, articles and videos that will help you understand how to use your software, the different techniques used to light a scene, and the theory behind why lighting is needed. This list is not comprehensive; it is just a starting point.

Also, keep in mind the topics we've covered during previous challenges. Build upon what you have learned to create a compelling image to light this month.

This year of New User challenges is just getting started. So far this year we have covered :

Composition

Other Helpful Links:

When following tutorials, be cognizant of the different applications (Bryce, Daz Studio, Poser, Carrara Blender, etc.) and different render engines (3Delight, Iray, Reality, etc). Techniques for one may not apply directly to another.

How to Use Your Software:

DAZ Studio
VII - Lights
Daz 101: Lighting (video)
Point Lights, the Basics

DAZ Studio Lights Tutorial - Presets - 3D Software (this contains undressed characters that's why it has a warning at the start, just so you know)

Iray
Creating and Lighting a Scene with Iray in DAZ Studio by SickleYield
Lighting and Tone Mapping in Iray by SickleYield

Regarding ghostlights which had some changes since DAZ studio updated: https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/551301/ghost-lights-what-s-happening-and-what-s-next/p1

Poser
Poser Pro 11 Tutorial: Lighting, Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjCkDHWX6VM
Poser Pro 11 Tutorial: Lighting, Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_paY90kz40
POSER Tutorial Lesson 3: Lights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3m4Xy5lPrE

Bryce
Artist’s guide page 125
Thoughts on Lighting in Bryce 7.1 by Rashad
Bryce: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C772CuZ6RgI
Bryce: http://www.bryce-tutorials.info/bryce-tutorials/lighting-and-skies.html#
Bryce: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-Pe-IVp_dY

Theory:
Mastering Lighting in Blender the first 25 minutes of the video is relevant for everyone not just blender users.

Lighting Basics:

http://www.3drender.com/light/3point.html
http://bensimonds.com/2010/06/03/lighting-tips-from-the-masters/

I will be showing you examples of how to use lights during the month, without any purchase required

For a list of the current contest rules, please see this thread: Challenge Rules

Closing Date: February 29, 2026

Linwelly · February 2

Intermediate Challenge:

"Light Effects"

This is a general render challenge with the focus on using varous Light Effects, such as Gels and Gobos. We are providing you with some links on the topics from a variety of sources.

Gobos can be used to make interesting shadows and patterns, such as leaves, window blinds, geometric shapes, etc. Your imagination is the only limitation.

Gobos and Gels can be used in both 3Delight and Iray. There are many products in the DAZ Store or, if you are really adventurous, you can try to make your own.

This is as well where you can play around with bloom and all the fancy sliders in the tone mapping and environment settings

Gobo and Color Gel Lights Definition, Explanations and Examples

Gobo / Gel Light Definition

Color Gel

Gobo Light Portrait Examples

Gel Light Portrait images Examples

Gobo vs Light Gel

Gel Light Tutorials:

DAZ Studio Tutorial – Light Gels and “no poke through”

Daz Studio Lighting Tutorial - Gel Lights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-BUXBjeQ9w

Daz Studio Iray Tutorial: How to Make Your Own Gel Light - text tutorial

Tone mapping and environment:

Tone Mapping DAZ Documentation

DazStudio Iray Render Settings - Tone Mapping - Guide With Examples (DAZ Forum Discussion)

Daz3d Tutorial | How To Use Tone Mapping (youtube by Steven Davis)

[Tutorial] Lighting and Tone Mapping In Iray (DeviantArt tutorial by SickleYield)

Environment (DAZ Documentation)

Closing Date: February 29, 2026

I will be showing you examples for this during the month, without any purchase required

Nightfly · February 4

My intermediate Challenge:

This is a rework from a older project.
Some lighting effects have been added here.

Elor · February 4

I don't see your picture.

If you're hosting it on Daz Gallery, they changed the way pictures are displayed and after, at best, 15 minutes, they will not be visible anymore on the forum.

Now, you need to attach the picture to your message before including it in your message.

Nightfly · February 4

Elor said:

Now, you need to attach the picture to your message before including it in your message.

Thank you, I hope it works now.

Linwelly · February 4

Elor said:

I don't see your picture.

If you're hosting it on Daz Gallery, they changed the way pictures are displayed and after, at best, 15 minutes, they will not be visible anymore on the forum.

Now, you need to attach the picture to your message before including it in your message.

good point, thanks for mentioning this

Linwelly · February 4

Nightfly said:

Elor said:

Now, you need to attach the picture to your message before including it in your message.

Thank you, I hope it works now.

yes it works well when the image gets attached. great start, are you using a gel light for the blue? maybe add one with a fancy pattern for the club feeling?

Shinji Ikari 9th · February 4

Got something started here. Trying to use a FPS type of look without the main lights being the main light source. Need to work on converting textures over to IRay and the like.

Nightfly · February 5

Linwelly said:

are you using a gel light for the blue? maybe add one with a fancy pattern for the club feeling?

No, that's just a spotlight.
I'm going to try a few more things because something's still missing.

sueya · February 6

My entry for the Intermediate challenge -used Film Noir Portrait lighting

Linwelly · February 7

very nice work sueya!, now zoom in, so we get to see only the area with the stipe shadow

Nightfly · February 8

2nd attempt:
I expanded the lighting with 2 gel lights and made the fog in the background a bit denser.

Linwelly · February 8

I like where this is going!

sueya · February 24

Here's the latest version of my Intermediate challenge entry.

I have zoomed in on the tango dancers and extended the Gobo light to cover more of the floor. I didn't expand it further because I wasn't keen on the way the shadow distorted when it hit the pillars. I think the close up shot gives us a better view of the dancers.

lina.catfish · February 25

Hello!

With this image 'ascenting/ the mansion' I enter the Beginners Challenge.
This image was rendered in Daz Studio and includes an HDRI (not much, with 0.15 ambient intensity), emissive layers and spheres, and spotlights as light sources.

The title alludes to a level in a PC game from about 200 years ago, which is visited by Nursoda's quirky Jelodas (many thanks).

Image inline:

ascenting/ the mansion

Linwelly · February 27

sueya said:

Here's the latest version of my Intermediate challenge entry.

I have zoomed in on the tango dancers and extended the Gobo light to cover more of the floor. I didn't expand it further because I wasn't keen on the way the shadow distorted when it hit the pillars. I think the close up shot gives us a better view of the dancers.

Yes that looks very good!

Linwelly · February 27

lina.catfish said:

Hello!

With this image 'ascenting/ the mansion' I enter the Beginners Challenge.
This image was rendered in Daz Studio and includes an HDRI (not much, with 0.15 ambient intensity), emissive layers and spheres, and spotlights as light sources.

The title alludes to a level in a PC game from about 200 years ago, which is visited by Nursoda's quirky Jelodas (many thanks).

Image inline:

welcome to the challenge, this is a very interesting image, why did you decide to cut off the upper part of the character in front

yuyu.atem · February 28

Title: A Flower in its Garden

Challenge: Biginner

I often use point lights in my renders, but this time, I wanted to try spot lights. I especially tried to enlight the landy and here kimono, because I found she was too much backlit. However, maybe I didn't use them correctly becase spot lights were not sufficient to enlight the scene how I wanted... Finally, I still used some point lights and the headlamp of the camera...
I also used the Spotlight Rays from the Expanded Godrays Iray behing the woman.

lina.catfish · February 28

Linwelly said:
[...]
welcome to the challenge, this is a very interesting image, why did you decide to cut off the upper part of the character in fron

Thank you for the nice welcome.

Mh, the headless figure... I wanted to capture the movement in the picture and noticed that this works better with a "headless" figure, because it attracts less attention than a face. In my opinion! The others are heavily lit to "blur" the details (is that what they say? :)). But with the third figure, there would have been too much light in the wrong place. (I hope I was able to express roughly what I wanted to say. Feel free to say: No! :))

@yuyu.atem

I like how the Godrays overlap with the light of the background. On the left side, a little more.

Elor · February 28

A bit late, but I have two questions related to lights, one per challenge

Here a render I did recently:

Most of the lighting is provided by an HDRI and I added one spotlight (1) to soften the shadow on the character and her clothes, and one to act as a rim light (2):

The question is about the rimlight which feels more related to the beginner challenge: so far, most videos I watched on the subject have been about renders done in a studio settings (so a figure, some clothes and lights sources all under the full control of the photographer).

When I'm doing an outdoor render, when the sun or an existing light source are not acting as a rimlight, I'm not always sure if it's something that should be added.

Is it okay do have one and what are the general advices if it's the case? Are they the same advices as the ones given about using them in a studio settings?

The question about the intermediate challenge (I'm thinking about adding something to cast shadows as if a forest was surrounding the area): when the main light source is an HDRI, to get a gel light effect, do I simply put a big primitive plane between that light source and the subject or is it better done by using a spotlight with a primitive plane like shown on many videos on the subject?

yuyu.atem said:

I often use point lights in my renders, but this time, I wanted to try spot lights. I especially tried to enlight the landy and here kimono, because I found she was too much backlit. However, maybe I didn't use them correctly becase spot lights were not sufficient to enlight the scene how I wanted... Finally, I still used some point lights and the headlamp of the camera...

About spotlights, Jay Versluis made a video about them for the Daz3D Masterclass:

I rarely use pointlights, usually only when I want to place a source of light somewhere I feel is not spacious enough to accomodate a spotlight (Jay Versluis also has a video on the subject in the Daz3D Masterclass).

Regarding spotlights, did you try to change the light geometry (by default, they act as a point of light, casting very strongly delimited shadows) ? Did you try to push the Luminous Flux (Lumen) value?

When I'm setting a spotlight, once I have placed one where I think it should be, I will set a very high Luminous Flux value (like 1 million lumens), to really see what part of the figures that spotlight is lighting, and then will reduce it until I'm in the vicinity of what feels right. Once I'm happy, I'll usually play a bit with the temperature of the spotlight or with the colour of the spotlight.

Regarding the headlamp, if you want more control about where the light is coming, you can disable it and replace it with a spotlight in the vicinity of the camera.

Richard Haseltine · February 28

A spotlights would easly be swamped by the HDRI, you could either make it brighter to show its effect or you could take a leaf out of physical photography and use some kind of reflector outn of shot 9and placed so it didn't cast visible shadows into the shot).

In order for a "gobo" to work as with a spotlight you would need a very directional HDRI (much stronger light coming from a limited area than from other parts of the image). You could use a very strong spot light, but it would then be fighting the natural lighting of the scene.

yuyu.atem · March 1

lina.catfish said:

@yuyu.atem

I like how the Godrays overlap with the light of the background. On the left side, a little more.

Thank you very much!

Elor said:

yuyu.atem said:

I often use point lights in my renders, but this time, I wanted to try spot lights. I especially tried to enlight the landy and here kimono, because I found she was too much backlit. However, maybe I didn't use them correctly becase spot lights were not sufficient to enlight the scene how I wanted... Finally, I still used some point lights and the headlamp of the camera...

About spotlights, Jay Versluis made a video about them for the Daz3D Masterclass:

I rarely use pointlights, usually only when I want to place a source of light somewhere I feel is not spacious enough to accomodate a spotlight (Jay Versluis also has a video on the subject in the Daz3D Masterclass).

Regarding spotlights, did you try to change the light geometry (by default, they act as a point of light, casting very strongly delimited shadows) ? Did you try to push the Luminous Flux (Lumen) value?

When I'm setting a spotlight, once I have placed one where I think it should be, I will set a very high Luminous Flux value (like 1 million lumens), to really see what part of the figures that spotlight is lighting, and then will reduce it until I'm in the vicinity of what feels right. Once I'm happy, I'll usually play a bit with the temperature of the spotlight or with the colour of the spotlight.

Regarding the headlamp, if you want more control about where the light is coming, you can disable it and replace it with a spotlight in the vicinity of the camera.

Yes, I tried to change the Lumen value, but not until 1 million... For the light geometry, no, I didn't change it; I will try, thank you very much!

DAZ_ann0314 · March 2

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