In this lesson I’ll talk about Shot and Light Balance
LESSON #35 – TOPICS
- HD VIDEO / Narrated / 20′
- MAX FILES to download with all V-Ray Settings
- MAX FILES to practise / exercises
- The lights hierarchy;
- How to use an HDRI?
- An easy approach for “Magic Hour” renders;
- Vraylight Dome with Vraysky and HDRI;
- How to save time with “VRaylights Substitutesâ€;
- Use a V-Ray camera for chromatic contrast;
- Exercise: produce the final render
- Exercise: create the right night balance
Shot and Light Balance / Step 1-2
An image becomes interesting with the correct application of all elements. To create pleasing compositions using correctly the lights, is necessary to have a solid theoretical knowledge, we note as the 5SRW method have a logical, rules and it allows us to achieve the desired result by applying the same logic in every scene. In this case I’ll show how to use a VRayLight Dome with a VRaysky and HDRI (High Dinamic Range Image).
The Following images are the end result of this lesson, I will show how balance the lights, getting both lighting.
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In the video below I show you how to do a “Magic Hour” render. According to the 5SRW, every render at this steps is created by using the draft settings:
- Antialiasing: Adaptive Subdivision
- Irradiance Map: LOW
- Light Cache: 500
Let’s start working and enjoy this lesson:
 Concepts
- Always create in your image a clear hierarchy between the lights;
- Use a 30mm angle to create a 3D effect in this cases;
- Shutter speed = 10, Color mapping = Exponential is the 5SRW standard approach for magic hour renders;
- Use “directional†option to create effects like IES;
- Use VRaylight substitutes to simplify the calculation;
- Create cold images using values less that 5000 for V-Ray Physical Camera white balance;
- Enhance the chromatic contrast using different warm values less than 3500 for V-Ray Light.
HOW TO USE A HDRI
Exist a lot of information about how to apply an HDRI, different point of view and ways to apply, the only important thing it is to know how to balance our light in the scene having an idea in your mind. In this way we can play with our HDRI until achieve the desired lighting. We will also use VRaylight dome as a way for applying the HDRI
WHAT IS A “V-RAY LIGHT SUBSTITUTE”?
This is a simple definition we use in our live workshops. V-Ray Light “Substitute” means that we separate source and light. For the source we use a VRay Light Material and as light we use an invisible V-Ray Light (with “affect specular/reflections” Â disabled). The only purpose is simplify the calculation. For more info study the Lesson#31Â (video @1’40”)
 Exercise
Download START file and launch a render: you’ll see almost nothing.
As shown in the video in this scene you’ll find different groups of lights: Top, Floor2, Floor1, Bottom, Exterior and Fire. Just work with lights and “shape” your render using the light, creating the classical hierarchy: Primay/Secondary/Fill lights.
This is an advanced lighting exercise because you have to hanlde more lights. I suggest to carry out this exercise only if you’re already confident with hiearchy light concept.
Download the max file below to verify your exercise:
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Ciro,
Nice lesson with the use of different lights and temps. I appreciate you discussing some of the finer details of the use of the lights (like the angle adjustment settings).
Thanks again for the lessons!
Stuart
Great, Great, GREAT !!!
nice lesson!!!
But I think – obj format & final scene links are same
Thanks Jay! Yes, OBJ format is for non 3ds max users.
Great Lesson.
Nice Lesson. Very well done. 🙂
My Max Crashes when I try to open these scenes, only happening for this lesson. Thoughts?
Really? Very strange.. did you tried on another workstation?
I cant find HDRI….!
Right,there’s no HDRI. The lesson is based on “not using HDRI”, this here is just to give you an idea.
As always Ciro! really great tutorials…
Hi ciro! first excelent video. about vray camera for chromatic contrast (white balance) you know something like a study for differents result? thanks.
Sorry Diaz, I can’t get your point. Me puedes escribir en espanol si quieres.. 😉