I have a scene that PREVIEWS as I like it (proper lighting, etc.) I add a WALL prop, and render the scene, --my character is suddenly in shadow. By adding a prop Wall, I'm guessing that it is obstructing a few of the Lights. But, in the preview mode, you can't tell that this is happening. Is there a way to "refresh" the preview scene to reflet the lighting one will actually get? I went to the WALL parameters and clicked "cast no shadows" but that makes no diffenence when rendered, my characteris still in darkness. SO, how can one rely on the Preview pane? I'm sure I'm overlooking something... (POSER6-MAC )

Why not just use your shadow cameras for your various lights and then see which lights need adjusting? Then select the light(s) that is giving you problems and move and rotate it around until you get it the way you want it. The advantage of using the shadow camera for a particular light is it lets you see where that light is "looking". Then if something is blocking the "view" of that light it becomes obvious.

Be sure reuse shadow maps is unchecked, on the render pulldown.

I haven't discovered what a Shadow camera can do-- but I will look into it and see how it works. I lit my scene/character and added the wall as an afterthought. However, since I posted this Q-- I went back, hit the RESTORE LIGHTS command and re-lit the scene as it was before with the wall already in place. This time the problem was gone. I didn't move any lights to new positions in 3-d space, simply re-aimed the lightrs as they were before. SO, perhaps one must/should light a scene only after all elements are in place to be sure there is nothing conflicting with a previous preview situation? I will look at these shadow cameras you speak of...

yes-- reuse shadow maps was unchecked. I was very sure about to make sure about that. I did let remember TEXTURES MAPS to be allowed... (this test takes about 6 hrs to render out, but it looks mint...) I'm very pleased with the video/animation possibilitles of Poser6. And the alpha channel drops into Final Cut Pro and After effects timelines with no problem at all... very clean...