HDR Probe Creation - 3DS Max / photoshop / picturenaut Video Tutorial

Get my probes here: http://www.aarondabelow.com/v1/pages/...

This is a video tutorial discussing the process of creating a HDR Light probe for use as a reflection environment in 3D, particularly 3DS Max, but the same techniques apply to other packages as well.

This tutorial works through how to photograph for the best results, and then 2 methods of creating these probes, one through photoshop and the other using picturenaut (http://www.hdrlabs.com/picturenaut/). And finally it goes over bringing the probe into your scene for use as a reflection environment.

Take note, this is a 180º mirrored ball probe, and not a 360º panoramic.

Find more at aarondabelow.com

You can also get some probes that I made here:
http://www.aarondabelow.com/v1/pages/...

• Category

  Howto & Style

[Abstract Matter]

Why wouldn't you just use the circular selection > select > inverse > delete?

[Aaron Dabelow]

That's totally cool if you want to do it that way, I just as a force of habit keep a backup layer of whatever source image I start with. You could just as easily use your method. :)

[nights312312]

this is great, thanks! any benefits using 360 panoramic tho? also, if you are using a mirror ball output anyway, why not just use photoshop merge to hdr pro all the way? thanks again

[Aaron Dabelow]

Yep, I covered the Photoshop method as well. I prefer the Picturenaut way myself, because you can manually enter the exposure levels, instead of having photoshop guess. Also that is nice if you don't have the meta-data embedded. But either way works fine!

[Flaze Chan]

Good job man,thanks! I have a question: can i make a 360° hdr environment map for 3dmax use with a mirrored ball as i dont have a fisheye lens? cuz in this tutorial your hdr reflection map is only shot from one angle. If yes in what angle should i shoot at the ball and how can i unwrap the photos and merge them into one hdr file?

[Omer Rivlin]

?what if you need the hdr photo to be a Square