VRayRawShadow

This page gives some basic details about the Raw Shadow render element and explains how it is used.

Overview

The Raw Shadow Render Element stores information about cast shadows calculated from the lighting in the scene. It is a "reverse" image in the sense that white areas indicate shadows while black areas indicate no shadow.



UI Path: ||Render Setup window|| > Render Elements tab > Add button > VRayRawShadow

images/download/attachments/60100287/Max2020_VRay5_RenderElements_UIpath.png

images/download/attachments/60100287/Norsouth.VRayRawShadow.png

Parameters

This render element is enabled through the Render Elements tab of the Render Setup window in 3ds Max and displays its parameters in a rollout at the bottom of the window:

VRayVFB – When enabled, the render element appears in the V-Ray Virtual Frame Buffer.

Deep output – Specifies whether to include this render element in deep images.

Color mapping – Applies the color mapping options specified in the color mapping rollout (Render Setup window > V-Ray tab) to this render element. This option is enabled by default.

Multiplier – Sets the overall intensity of the render element, where 1.0 is the standard multiplier.

Denoise – Specifies whether to denoise this render element.

images/download/attachments/60100287/Max2020_VRay5_VRayRawShadow_parameters.png

Common Uses

The Raw Shadows Render Element is useful for changing the appearance of shadowed areas after rending in a compositing or image editing application. Below is an example of its use. In the example below, the Raw Shadows were added (plus) with the VRayRawLighting Render Element.


images/download/thumbnails/60100287/Norsouth.VRayRawShadow.png
Raw Shadow Render Element

images/download/attachments/60100287/BueatyRenderOUT.png
Original Beauty Composite

images/download/attachments/60100287/RawLighting_ShadowsLighter.png
Shadows lightened by adding the Raw Shadow Render Element

Underlying Compositing Equation

VRayRawShadow x VRayDiffuseFilter = VRayShadows


images/download/attachments/60100287/VRayShadows_Graph_00000.png



Notes

  • Shadows can be both added and subtracted at a composite level without rerendering using the Shadow Render Elements.

  • Shadows can be color corrected using the Shadow Render Elements.