Think about this, ice-boy.

Suppose you had a ball in front of your figure. According to your hand-made shadow map, that ball would not be lit because you captured an image of the figure behind it.

A shadow map is not an image. It is a 2-dimensional list of distances. It represents the distance to the first object the light see can along a vector. Anything on that vector that is farther than that distance is in shadow.

I think I understand your point though. You're not trying to make a typical shadow. You're trying to make a light that doesn't shine on a selected figure.

By rendering the figure as black against a white background, you should be able to prevent the light from shining on the figure, but shine everywhere else. Of course this would only work as long as the figure was the closest thing to the light.

So you're asking why it doesn't line up, right? I have no idea.

thanks guys.

its still a good way to make a texture map for walls.windows

sometimes we have an enviorment sphere connected to the reflect node or just in the shader.
now imagine we have like 6 material zones where we need this enviorment map connected.
what if we change this image? should we then change it for 6 or even 10 zones? 

i made an image called AM_panorama for apollo maximus. i connect this in the shaders. now its done.
now everytime i want to change it i just open an image editor and change it there. i save it as AM_panorama and it will be updated in the shader. this is very faster and you dont even need to go in the material room.for a car you can have a Car_panorama_viper.

That's a good idea.

I always wondered why Poser does not have an "Environment" materlal zone, similar to the Background and Atmosphere. It would be something an "Environment" node would pick up, as well as providing what my Environment sphere does, something to see and reflect in all directions.

BB you are right. would be great if they had this

no no this is  a fantastic idea. because the BG in the reflect node would be connected we would have faster render times. it would not be 100% physical correct but for brushed metal it would work.amazing idea.