HDRIs or Backgrounds: How to get above ground floor level?

badoidge

Hi all.  I'm doing some indoor scenes.  The environments are not meant to be at ground level.  Looking out the window(s) I want the view to be what you would see on the tenth floor, or the fifth floor, or whatever.  All of the HDR and HDRI stuff that I've found is 1st floor stuff, and I can't figure out how to go up without the HDRI taking the ground up with me.  And even when I load an HDRI with a sky-only image, there's this stupid reflection of the sky on the ground like the ground is one big mirror.  How do I get rid of that, and how do I go up?

Olo_Ordinaire

Since the camera used to make the HDRI is fixed, the only way is to create an image where the camera is elevated.  For modern, urban environments, Dreamlight has some excellent ones.  I use them all the time for views outside a high-rise apartment.  He has them for day, night, sunset, etc.:  50 HDRIs - Movie Maker Iray - Metropolis Day | Daz 3D

I have also found some HDRIs created on hillsides and mountain slopes that allow you to create rural views from an elevation.  Have a look at HDRI Haven.

Tammuz43

You can do this :

In Environment properties, set "Dome mode" to "Finite Sphere".

Then in Ground properties, you can play with "Ground Origin Y".

And don't forget to set "Draw Ground" to Off.