VrayLIghtSelect element issue

[leslie_vanberkel]

Hi all,

I just found out when using the VrayLightSelect Render Element you can adjust your shadows in post using the composite feature. That works great with a solid plane, but when using a shadow catcher these shadows (on the floor) are not editable anymore.
What is the correct workflow when using this VrayLightSelect together with a shadow catcher?

[hermit.crab]

Presuming your VRayLightSelect's are set to Full mode, what's essentially happening is that you're increasing the exposure of their GI part too, which in turn lightens the shadows. This indeed won't work with mattes, since that GI is not in the VRayLightSelect anymore. The way to control the matte's shadows is through the Alpha.

[leslie_vanberkel]

Hi Aleksandar,

Thanks for your reply! But how do you control the matte's shadows using the alpha? Do you mean a separate alpha channel using the render elements. Or the alpha channel inside the Vray properties? Can you make an example using a simple cube on a ground plane?

[hermit.crab]

Hi Aleksandar,

Thanks for your reply! But how do you control the matte's shadows using the alpha? Do you mean a separate alpha channel using the render elements. Or the alpha channel inside the Vray properties? Can you make an example using a simple cube on a ground plane?

I meant that all the shadow information is there. If you wish to make the shadows lighter, you could lower the Brightness parameter of the matte (through the VRayProperties or VRayMtlWrapper). Alternatively, you could do it in post, however, you may need to have a sepearate alpha for the object (so that adjustments won't affect it).

[leslie_vanberkel]

Thank you Aleksandar!