Hi there
I''m having trouble using HDRI  images in my Atmosphere Editer.
Once I get the image into my scene, to view the complete HDRI image(photo ) I have to alter the Focal Length of the main camera. This distorts my image too much to use for a realistic effect.
Is there a way of adjusting the image instead of the camera???????
Thanx/Ralph

This look quite cool actually(; Where did this HDRI  come from ? I am something of a collector(;

Environment mapping uses spherical maps, so if your hdr is not spherical, Vue will ask you if you want to join the sides so it becomes spherical. The downside is it will be distorted. Just say no, and it won't alter the image. But your lighting will not be correct this way. Better keep a Vue sun in this case.

Yeah,I have found that lot of HDRI images also come with a black botom half.that bugs me to no end.laos I am not sure if it can properly utilise cross maps or point maps either. Points always give you a blue cast.and cross i dont know about.

In the Links below I used an HDRI Image to reveal the background so it looked like the characters are in the scene. I use a  Very Large 380 Degree pano Pano that is or about 768x 2200. I will add black on the bottom to the tune of an extra 800 pixels plus or minus to suit the image. The black throws no light. If you use any other colors, thats the color your light will be hued. You can Adjust the Blueish hue most HDRIs throw under your light tab/sky dome color. I always use a grayish color that way the models in the scene still look fairly normal. I would tell more, but I am at work can't open my Vue and tell precise facts. Also use the bottons to adjust the HDRI up or down---right or left and that will take care of the black bottom unless yout terrain and models do it for you.
LINK
LINK
LINK

Oh yes, and basically because I am using a High Res Photo and not an High Dynamic Photo it is considered an LDRI.

those look cool, I love the pigs(;

Hey there_Thelby
Thanx for the look at those images & the tips on the pano idea. Will play a bit more tomorrow. If I still have a head ache I might drop you a line if that's cool.

Yeah Ralph, that's Cool. I am off noon Renderosity time and will home shortly there of, but Panos for me are the way to go.

Thelby is right, the default mapping for Vue is Longitude/Latitude. It is also better to have a black ground section for the reasons Thelby mentions.

Interesting thread...

I can kind of get the environment lighting bit ok BUT I have to save the file with an alpha so that I can composite in CS2.

Does anyone know how .vim works?  I ask as that is the file format for the hdrs in vue and you can poistion models on the ground which then cast the right shadows etc.

See above, thats my back garden by the way...

If you are using Infinite or X-Stream you can insert your file as you have in this image and then save as an HDRI from your File/SaveAs menu. You can also do it in 360 Pano if your photo is stitched together. I personally only use Pano Photos as stated above and it is really in the LDRI class, but if the photo's Res. is high enough I don't have any problem with.
As far as shadows are concerned. When you setup and Photo or HDRI the slider is all the way to the left for Ambience in the lighting tab of the Atmo Editer by Default. I always slide it back to the right for about 30 or 40 percent Sunlight/// 70 to 60 percent Ambience and change the light dome color to a grey from what ever it may be, then take your sun and just drag it into the area you want and it will cast the shadows you want or need.

in vue can you ACTUALLY save your own environments as HDR ?

Yes, Under your File/Import/Export, Sorry I said it wrong above, but there is a choice in there to Eport your work as an HDRI LINK
Look under Import/Export-Exposure and contrast controls in HDRI images and **Export high dynamic range images (including skydomes)
**I know you need to create your sky, then Export it as an HDRI. I can't do it because I have Pro Studio, but I have seen the controls for it in Infinite and X-Stream.

Aah yes,very simple to find.No problems..now to see how long it will take to export(;

You all got me inspired to try HDRI, and the result is in my gallery. Learned that you have to have a fairly bright image to get good lights from it. As it is, I used a picture of a sunset, very dark and filled with red, and used volumetric light to make a reasonably good lighting environment.

did you make a true HDR out of the image? to have genuine IBL ?

That's when it's called LDRI for LOW Dynamic Range Image. Your image is nice and soft on the light and it should be for a Sunset. Remember to use about 30 percent Sunlight on the slider between Sunlight and Ambience. You also use that Sunlight to get your shadows correctly matched to the HDRI///LDRI. You can also increase your Ambience in the Artificial Ambience and Sky Dome Lighting Gain, but a LITTLE goes a Long Way with it. Also change that Overall Sky Light Color to a grey and the darker means the less light, lighter is more light.

I'm thinking about buying some handy 8megapixel cam and caping some HDRI for mixed rendering, that'd be fun!

Quote - That's when it's called LDRI for LOW Dynamic Range Image. Your image is nice and soft on the light and it should be for a Sunset. Remember to use about 30 percent Sunlight on the slider between Sunlight and Ambience. You also use that Sunlight to get your shadows correctly matched to the HDRI///LDRI. You can also increase your Ambience in the Artificial Ambience and Sky Dome Lighting Gain, but a LITTLE goes a Long Way with it. Also change that Overall Sky Light Color to a grey and the darker means the less light, lighter is more light.

Thanks! I'll render again with the settings you mentioned and see what happens!

Quote - did you make a true HDR out of the image? to have genuine IBL ?

If I understand the whole thing correctly: Yes.
I used the image (sunset) I had, doubled the canvas width, mirrored the sunset, then increased the height, filling the bottom 48% of the image with black. Overall size of the image used was about 6000X4000 pixels.
When it asked if I wanted to have lighting calculated automatically, I clicked yes.
Since this image, I've rendered a skydome without any objects present, then re-inserted it into the atmosphere environment and am rendering it again 

Quote - did you make a true HDR out of the image? to have genuine IBL ?

Attached Link: http://www.cgtechniques.com/lightbox/tutorials/makehdr/

Quote - If I understand the whole thing correctly: Yes.
I used the image (sunset) I had, doubled the canvas width, mirrored the sunset, then increased the height, filling the bottom 48% of the image with black. Overall size of the image used was about 6000X4000 pixels.
When it asked if I wanted to have lighting calculated automatically, I clicked yes.
Since this image, I've rendered a skydome without any objects present, then re-inserted it into the atmosphere environment and am rendering it again  

Technically you are using an LDRI and if it is a simple photo then it is really Low, but I would rather use a Really High Res-LDRI, I know that sounds like an oxymoron but it's not, rather than a Poorly Constructed HDRI. I use very large Panos, some 180s some 360s and get some very effective results. That Tut that Paul sent above is good one if you want to make HDRIs from your Photos. You can also use HDRI Shop LINK You can download version 1 for Free but V2 will cost you a little. I have V1 but have never used it cause I have almost 150 LDRIs and over 180 HDRIs of which I paid for only 30 of and the rest were free on the Internet.