HDRI and sun shadow

[Mats_Knutsson]

Probably a stupid question... how do I get the sun shadow when using HDRI?

[Erwin Edel]

If it has a luminance value or how to call it, you can turn on Sky Luminance in the advanced settings under Environment. Pick HDRI Sky.

Can't say I've had amazing results with it when experimenting back in ArchiCAD18. I was using free downloads and what came shipped with ArchiCAD though, so this may not be the best you can achieve.

[Erwin Edel]

I also find it incredibly tricky to setup where the sun is coming from as it is a fixed position in HDRI and you need to fiddle with the rotation to match it up to whatever position it ought to be for your model.

I suspect HDRI is a lot better for interior rendering as a light source and for object rendering (jewelry and such).

[Mats_Knutsson]

Erwin wrote:
I also find it incredibly tricky to setup where the sun is coming from as it is a fixed position in HDRI and you need to fiddle with the rotation to match it up to whatever position it ought to be for your model.

I suspect HDRI is a lot better for interior rendering as a light source and for object rendering (jewelry and such).

+1! I'll try using the HDRI only as background and add a sun and sky object just like in the old days before cinerender.

[Erwin Edel]

For a nice cloudy background of sky, I actually find one of the weather/sky presets that are generated by cinerender to work nicely. Granted, you don't have trees and such in the background, but for the sky I find it good enough. And no problem with having the sun in the background image not matching up with the sun in my model.