External environment maps

[Blitterswitch]

I was wondering how everyone tends to show an external environment from an interior space. I am going to be rendering out an animation soon and I would like to see some clouds/trees or some street level image in the distance which will look 'correct' when the camera is moving about inside the building.

I have been searching all afternoon for a decent tutorial on how to setup this but I cannot see anything. So far to my understanding my options are either a skybox, using an hdri image or adding the background in after in ps (no good for walkthrough). I am unsure of how to set either of these up in my scene without blocking my direct 'sun' light and yet still illuminating the skybox/cylinder.

Sorry if this sounds like a really noob kind of question!

Thanks,
Marcus.

[RErender]

For sky boxes/backgrounds I'd recommend either a standard material with full self illumination or a vraylight material with a multiplier of +/-100 (works well if using the physcam and exposure). The box, cylinder etc. should be set to not cast shadows (max properties) and uncheck generate/recieve GI and visible to GI (in the vray properties).