I have a scene that I have been working on and I was planning to render it
four times from the center of the scene, once in each direction (NSEW). A
key element of the pictures are ancient columns and stones with heavy normal
effects like bumps to make them look weather worn. With a primary light
source as the sun up in the distant eastern sky the scene looks great
looking west (with the light). However, when I render a scene looking east
(with the shadows facing toward me) I cannot get it to look right. I have
tried several lighting methods to allow me to see details in the picture (by
details I mean bumps and other normal effects)  in the shadows of the sun
(light at the camera location, shadowless lights, and ambient) without
adding any additional shadows (for realism, when looking from picture to
picture there should be no additional shadows on the road and the shadow
angles should remain consistant).

Problem, no matter how I try to do this on objects with normal bumps or
other normal textures the effect seems to be nulled out (smooth). I can make
it look great by moving the primary light source but then the shadows move.
So I guess that my question is how can I look onto the shadow portion of an
object and see all of the normal components without creating additional
shadows onto the scene?

Any ideas?

Kirk

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Kirk Hubbell wrote:

> So I guess that my question is how can I look onto the shadow portion of an
> object and see all of the normal components without creating additional
> shadows onto the scene?

Have you tried radiosity?

-- 
Ken Tyler

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Not yet, I'll give it a shot :-)

"Ken" <tyl### [at] pacbellnet> wrote in message
news:3BA374FC.4600D6FB@pacbell.net...
>
>
> Kirk Hubbell wrote:
>
> > So I guess that my question is how can I look onto the shadow portion of
an
> > object and see all of the normal components without creating additional
> > shadows onto the scene?
>
> Have you tried radiosity?
>
> --
> Ken Tyler

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Radiosity seemed to change the coloring a little ( I guess from nearby
objects) but it didn't help to bring out the normal features. Next I'll try
a large area light, perhaps the shadows won't be visible.

"Kirk Hubbell" <kir### [at] yahoocom> wrote in message
news:3ba37a91@news.povray.org...
> Not yet, I'll give it a shot :-)
>
> "Ken" <tyl### [at] pacbellnet> wrote in message
> news:3BA374FC.4600D6FB@pacbell.net...
> >
> >
> > Kirk Hubbell wrote:
> >
> > > So I guess that my question is how can I look onto the shadow portion
of
> an
> > > object and see all of the normal components without creating
additional
> > > shadows onto the scene?
> >
> > Have you tried radiosity?
> >
> > --
> > Ken Tyler
>
>

Post a reply to this message

> Radiosity seemed to change the coloring a little ( I guess from nearby
> objects) but it didn't help to bring out the normal features. Next I'll
try
> a large area light, perhaps the shadows won't be visible.
>
Did you use normal on in your radiosity statement?
If you dont want to get shadows from a light you could
use shadowless.

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I'm not sure what normal on the radiosity statement means, sorry.

Kirk

"Simon" <sim### [at] surfeude> wrote in message
news:3ba43952@news.povray.org...
>
> > Radiosity seemed to change the coloring a little ( I guess from nearby
> > objects) but it didn't help to bring out the normal features. Next I'll
> try
> > a large area light, perhaps the shadows won't be visible.
> >
> Did you use normal on in your radiosity statement?
> If you dont want to get shadows from a light you could
> use shadowless.
>
>
>

Post a reply to this message

"Kirk Hubbell" <kir### [at] yahoocom> wrote in message
news:3ba553b9@news.povray.org...
> I'm not sure what normal on the radiosity statement means, sorry.

global_settings
{
 radiosity
 {
  [all your other radiosity stuff here]
  normal on
 }
}

That way it will also factor in normals of your textures.

Bob H.

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"Kirk Hubbell" <kir### [at] yahoocom> wrote in message
news:3ba372f9@news.povray.org...
> I have a scene that I have been working on and I was planning to render it
> four times from the center of the scene, once in each direction (NSEW). A
> key element of the pictures are ancient columns and stones with heavy
normal
> effects like bumps to make them look weather worn. With a primary light
> source as the sun up in the distant eastern sky the scene looks great
> looking west (with the light). However, when I render a scene looking east
> (with the shadows facing toward me) I cannot get it to look right. I have
> tried several lighting methods to allow me to see details in the picture
(by
> details I mean bumps and other normal effects)  in the shadows of the sun
> (light at the camera location, shadowless lights, and ambient) without
> adding any additional shadows (for realism, when looking from picture to
> picture there should be no additional shadows on the road and the shadow
> angles should remain consistant).
>
> Problem, no matter how I try to do this on objects with normal bumps or
> other normal textures the effect seems to be nulled out (smooth). I can
make
> it look great by moving the primary light source but then the shadows
move.
> So I guess that my question is how can I look onto the shadow portion of
an
> object and see all of the normal components without creating additional
> shadows onto the scene?
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Kirk

New in 3.5 (or Megapov, hehe) try using a lightgroup to light up only those
portions of your scene which would otherwise be in shadow.
Or place the sun at its apogee (or zenith? don't remember) so its directly
above the center of the scene... all pillars should be in the light, then.

...Chambers

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