Maya Tutorial: Mental Ray Renders Unit 3 part 3

The Final part of the Unit 3 Maya tutorial is playing with the lighting of a rendered scene, the first is a HDR (High Dynamic Range) Render. A HDR is meant to give an image more colour variety which makes it more attractive. Here are some rendered out HDR images which uses an 'Image Based Lighting' to light up an area using an image.

HDR Normal Render

HDR Airbase Render

HDR Meadow Render

HDR Suburb Render

Next is to simulating a sun light with a sky to an island scene using a 'Pysiscal Sun Light' attribute. This part of the tutorial shows off the different controls in the attribute to manipulate the lighting of a sun and editing some extra its to it like increasing the contrast or playing with the red and blue colours. Also editing the quality of the shadow of a scene by giving it a hard or soft feel.

Physical Sun and Sky: Normal Render

Physical Sun and Sky: Adding Sun and Sky Render

Physical Sun and Sky: Moving Sun Render

Physical Sun and Sky: Increasing Sun Size Render

Physical Sun and Sky: Adding Haze Render

Physical Sun and Sky: Editing Red and Blue Colours Render

Physical Sun and Sky: Editing Saturation Render

Physical Sun and Sky: Normal Shadow Render

Physical Sun and Sky: Shadow Render

Physical Sun and Sky: Softening Shadow Render

In the final part in the lighting tutorial is to make a spot from where the light comes out from, this is call a portal light. I applyed a 'Pysical Sun and Light' attribute and added an area light. the render produce an nice calming atmosphere.

Portal Light Render

With this I am done with the Unit 3 Maya tutorial but I still have a couple left to do so please be patient. I believe the last tutorials are the car model and character tutorial.