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Any Poser users help with Poser lighting issues..

shanemofojacksonshanemofojackson Posts: 43
edited December 1969 in Technical Help (nuts n bolts)

Hi, I know this is Daz, but I figured there's probably a lot of Poser users here.

I'm using Poser, and my issue is this, as it has now happened to me several times:

I'll have a picture ready to render, camera in view, models in place, and my "lighting" as I move the lights around, show up just fine on the "preview" screen where I do most work and adjust everything.

But when I go to render it, it comes out very dark, as if the lights are being obstructed by something. I'll move them around again, and watch my characters and objects get dark or light up again, depending on where I move the lights around, leading me to believe they, "now have adequate light".

I render again, same thing, dark, and not getting enough light! It's very frustrating because it looks fine every time in the preview window where we work.

I've looked on forums and have tried key word searches, but there's too much stuff there to even read through it all and find out if it's addressing this issue.

I'm guessing there is objects in the way, but then how do we get something like "infinite light" on something if it's so easily blocked by objects in the scene?

I've had this happen to me twice now, in the middle of projects, and it stops me from going further, so any help is again appreciated!

Comments

  • frank0314frank0314 Posts: 14,056
    edited December 1969

    Are you using a dome that could be blocking out the light. If so just adjust the Y axis until the lights are inside the dome. What else do you have in the scene?

  • shanemofojacksonshanemofojackson Posts: 43
    edited December 1969

    Hello my friend..

    I do have a skydome type thing I purchased at renderosity that provides clouds etc.

    In many pictures the renders come out just fine. But I do have a lot of buildings (the movie props series also at renderosity) in them.

    At certain angles, usually with some infinite lights coming from the more open area, the renders are fine. But if I move the camera around so it's facing out, it's like all lights are blocked by the building or prop on the other side, even if I move them around and they appear to "light up" my props and characters in the preview screen.

    Also one time I had a scene that was in an alley way between two buildings, and the light was obstructed, no matter where I moved them. It seems most logical that the light was blocked by the buildings.

    But then how can we use infinite lights if they are so easily obstructed? Is there some kind of option for the light so that it shines through objects and buildings etc, so our scenes do not appear so darkened and there seems to be natural light?

    I can stand under my porch, and although there's a bit of shade, I don't get all dark lol. There's still plenty of natural light bouncing around and illuminating me and everything else.

    It just seems like I can't be the only one who's dealt with this, and there has to be some simplified solution and work around that is way more convenient than trying to rig new lights around scene all the time.

    I'm all ears, (eyes) for what you might suggest :)

  • frank0314frank0314 Posts: 14,056
    edited December 1969

    You can tell the light to point at an object and then go the camera and pick the shadow camera for that light. It allows you to look through the light as it was a camera and you can see if there are any obstructions. Infinite and diffuse lights shouldn't be effected by the environment. They should be constant.

  • shanemofojacksonshanemofojackson Posts: 43
    edited December 1969

    Frank0314 said:
    You can tell the light to point at an object and then go the camera and pick the shadow camera for that light. It allows you to look through the light as it was a camera and you can see if there are any obstructions. Infinite and diffuse lights shouldn't be effected by the environment. They should be constant.

    Frank I finally, FINALLY, figured it out, and you're going to laugh lol.

    I'm going to post the answer here though, so that anyone who's stuck on this noob issue as this noob was for so long, as something to try.

    So I've got 4 infinite lights up there in my scenes, for good illumination, BUT..

    I had the "shadows" checkbox marked. lol.

    That's it! I tested it several times turning them on and off, or checking and un-checking rather. Without realizing it, I was telling the lights to do what was frustrating me, and casting shadows or "not penetrating" through objects.

    So if anyone out there is stuck on this problem like I was, select your light, drop down or click on it in the lights panel, then click on properties, and make sure the "shadows" box is NOT CHECKED

    But, can you tell me how to use the "point at" option, again it seems so simple but I can't find it lol. Even looked it up and still didn't have luck.

    And also my friend, where do I or how do I get to the "shadow camera" for a light? What's the path of clicking and navigation?

  • frank0314frank0314 Posts: 14,056
    edited December 1969

    Click on the light you want then go up to object menu and select point at. You then select an object or figure you want it pointed at. After that no matter where you move the light it will always point at that object.

  • shanemofojacksonshanemofojackson Posts: 43
    edited December 1969

    Awesome Franks, thanks for all the help :)

  • frank0314frank0314 Posts: 14,056
    edited December 1969

    Not a problem. Glad you got it figured out

  • ChoholeChohole Posts: 33,604
    edited December 1969

    BTW Frank forgot to mention that we do have a Poser Forum here http://www.daz3d.com/forums/categories/300/

  • shanemofojacksonshanemofojackson Posts: 43
    edited December 1969

    Right on, I'll save this and go there next time! Thanks!

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