Surfaces Questions - Cast or accept shadows or not?

VitalBodies

Is there a way to make 3D objects (iRay) not accept or cast shadows? Example might be a soft glowing transparent sphere - like and energy field.

One needs a fair amount of light (spot lights) for the figure/model to render clearly (not blurred or grainy) so those lights can cast shadows on something that might not normally have shadows.

Even if the sphere is an emmissive there seems to be shadows?

Not sure if the correct approch is in the settings for lights, surfaces or other...

Thanks.

Richard Haseltine

No, Iray is simulating reality and real items block light - even if theya re also emitting it. Using bigger lights (via the shape settings on a light, or by using things like emissive planes) can soften the shadows greatly, and emissive surfaces can be made nearly transparent so thatb they don't cast obvious shadows (but they also don't reflect, which makes thew light seem dull).

VitalBodies

Richard Haseltine said:

No, Iray is simulating reality and real items block light - even if theya re also emitting it. Using bigger lights (via the shape settings on a light, or by using things like emissive planes) can soften the shadows greatly, and emissive surfaces can be made nearly transparent so thatb they don't cast obvious shadows (but they also don't reflect, which makes thew light seem dull).

Ok, Thank you. 

What settings in iRay surfaces do you think are most resposible for transparancy and avoiding shadows?

Richard Haseltine

If you want the surface to be visible it will take shadows.