Here's the problem... I want to make an office scene.  I am using Richabri's executive office.  But the problem is that one of the characters casts a shadow that covers the BG.  How do I make the BG not catch shadows?  Or alternatively, how do I easily darken the rest of the window scene.

I used a small portion because it's for a contest on another site and there's some nekkidness involved.

Is your background a prop?

Well I'd save the main image as a png with Alpha map, take it into Photoshop or equivalent and put the backgtround in there!

The other way would be have a strong light coming through the window like you would have anyway and I'd just turn off shadows on the front light causing your problem.
For this scene a point light above the character would work better and if needed some fill lights without shadoe casting!!

No no no.

What you want is that the background image is not illuminated at all. Do not plug it into Diffuse-Color or any lighting node. It is self-illuminating.

Instead - plug the background texture image directly into Alternate_Diffuse. To darken it, change the channel color to gray instead of white. The darker the gray, the darker the image will render.

Huh! I didn't say to illuminate the background image!!

I never use a background image for this sort of thing anyway, if it's a window it's easier to put the sky or city background in using photoshop!!

Here's a demonstration. I put a photo on a square, behind this wall and window.

Attach the image to the Alternate_Diffuse to render it. Also I attached it to the Diffuse_Color so I could see the image in the preview. But the Diffuse_Value is 0, and also the Specular_Value. We don't want the photo interacting with scenery lighting at all.

James and the wall are lit with IBL and an infinite light. The Infinite light is casting a shadow onto the wall. But the shadow has no effect on the city photo because it isn't paying any attention to the amount of light reaching it.

The fixer - I meant that the OP asked how to disable catching a shadow on the picture and that is NOT the right question. The right question is how to disable the picture from receiving light!

The shadow is because he LIT the photo with the scenery lights. The photo should not be lit. It is self illuminating.

But I disagree with the last thing you said. It is NOT easier to put it in with photoshop. I was able to put it in, position it, change the brightness and so on without resorting to postwork. Doing it in Poser and immediately seeing the results is easier, IMO. And this technique works for animation too. As the camera moves around the room, the perspective changes correctly.

Bagginsbill: Now I can see your solution visually I am impressed with that way of doing it, many thanx also from me for that, Shall be saving this thread into my Poser tutes folder!!
I have always used PS for this in the past!
Thanx!

Cool.

Another demo  - this time an animation. I had to shrink the crap out of it to get it under Rendo's 200K upload image limit.

thx fr the info, bill. I daresay that bill should get at least 25% of the prize monies, in the event jim wins the contest.

One other reason this is important to do in Poser - if you have reflective objects in the room, they should show the outside scenery. You can't do that in postwork.

Thanks for your very informative replies.  In this case, I used a background image (a .jpg which I have used before).