HDRI/Bitmap in background

[dreamshapers]

Can somebody help in understanding how to control the scale & position of HDRI/Bitmap as background in the render itself & not as a PS afterwork .

[thomthom]

Re: HDRI/Bitmap in background

You need a 360 degree environment image - not a regular photo for starters.
And then you must remember to set the UV mapping to environment - matching the type of environment map you have.

[dreamshapers]

Re: HDRI/Bitmap in background

Thanks,ThomThom.
My problem is I wish to integrate site photographs as backdrops which are normally jpgs. As indicated by you,I have been setting the UV to Environment. But it so happens, even by trial & error scaling, I am not able to position it right.
Could you throw some light on it.

[thomthom]

Re: HDRI/Bitmap in background

To integrate regular photos I do that in post. I make an scene in SU where I place the photo and match the model to it - some times with PhotoMatch if possible. I then render the image along with an alpha channel and composite it in Photoshop.

Alternatively you can place a plane behind your model with the photo textures on it. But it can cause unwanted shadows etc. I feel I have more control by doing it in post.

[dreamshapers]

Re: HDRI/Bitmap in background

Thanks! It is good to know that I was pretty much on the same track.

[SAF]

Re: HDRI/Bitmap in background

it would help if we are able to see the HDRI (or any other environment/spherical/etc backround) in the SU viewport itself (while it is activated, and turn it off/on- before we even start rendering) ..it will save a lot of trial & error and speed things up.. (also combined with a 'safe frame' of some sorts..)

[thomthom]

Re: HDRI/Bitmap in background

Being able to see an HDRI in SU's viewport is not that easy. The API doesn't allow for that control and SU doesn't support HDRI files.

As for Safe frames - that is possible. SU has this feature, but it's not exposed in the UI. However, I added that to one of my plugins: http://forums.sketchucation.com/view...?f=323&t=15491

[SAF]

Re: HDRI/Bitmap in background

thanks for the reply...and for the link of ur plugin on 'safe frames'..
as a suggestion (adding to the wishlist)- if we can have a 'background preview' in VFB- which may exclude all rendering calculations- and JUST display the background only with the 3dmodel- as a quick render preview... it will help do the background adjustments without waiting for parsing..
is it worth a try? (or worth a plugin..?)