Jeff Patton
3D Studio Max Expert
- Sector:
- CG Artist
- Location: USA
About Jeff Patton
I am a freelance artist and I mainly use HDR Light Studio 2.0 on automotive renders but I have also used it on a few product visualization projects.
HDR Light Studio 2.0 pipeline
In a typical scenario I will export my object as a .mi file. Load that object into HDR Light Studio 2.0 and then begin creating a unique lighting design that highlights the curves and important features of the object. Once that is complete then I create the HDR/EXR file from HDR Light Studio 2.0 and load it into 3ds Max and render my final images.
One of the most challenging projects I've had recently was to match a black painted vehicle in a night scene. Unfortunately there aren't many night HDR/EXR environments available. With HDR Light Studio 2.0 I was able to create a custom night time HDR environment by adding lighting and effects to an existing night time HDR environment and complete the project.
Will HDR Light Studio 2.0 save you time and money?
Time is money so without question HDR Light Studio 2.0 will save both. As a 3ds Max artist being able to quickly place reflections on my own geometry in real-time is something I've been wanting for some time now. HDR Light Studio 2.0 gives me that ability. Even though it provides this feature outside of 3ds Max I have found that it still allows me to work much faster.
Favorite features in HDR Light Studio 2.0?
Without question two of the best features for me in HDR Light Studio 2.0 are the ability to import my geometry via an .mi file and the ability to use a HDRI background image. I say this because with HDR Light Studio 2.0 I'm able to quickly build custom environments that work with my back plate images whilst highlighting specific features and contours of meshes.
Version two adds some great features to an already excellent program. HDR Light Studio 2.0 has quickly become an important part of my daily work flow.
