I'm new to this HDRI stuff too, and have been trying to make HDRI images from my digital camera. I have found you need to make as many exposures as you can up and down by multiples of 3 stops on each exposure. Until the picture is blown out or black. Then combine them in HDRShop. You can even add a sun into one of the darker exposures to get harder lighting. You do need this range to light the 3D scene properly. Could the Terragen picture, altho it looks nice, not have the dynamic range of lighting to correctly light the scene and be a background as well. I have also found that HRRI images are useless as backgrounds, and should only be used as a light sources. I use another image in backdrop, usualy a digital photo taken in the opposite direction of the HDRI. I'll keep trying if you all will. PS Has nobody tried all the free HDRI images on the full Version 3 CD, or are you still waiting for it to arrive... He He