Quote - I hate to jump in, but I have simple question. Don't you need some sort of specific light source (like the sun or a spot light) to get correct shadows? Even if the source is a light emitter (or several)? Does just the environment sphere create shadows even though the light comes from everywhere? Does the HDRi create shadows from the light parts of the image?

Mike

There was an interesting discussion about this recently. Your question uses the word "need" as if there is no other way. Adding an infinite or a spot light may be a way to get sharp shadows. But if the HDRI is an >>accurate<< recording of the entire scene, including the sun at its proper relative intensity, then you can get sharp shadows anyway. You asked "even though the light comes from everywhere" - but that's just it - if the sun is properly recorded, the sun light doesn't come from "everywhere" - it comes from one tiny spot in the sky - an intense bright tiny spot. That is what makes a sharp shadow - having the majority of the light come from one tiny spot.

Doing that hot spot with a virtual sun or spot "light" is easy. Getting it properly recorded in a photo is not. Some people making HDRI know how to do it. Most don't.

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