Rendering in SketchUp

Setting hDrI Values
The HDRI options do not use the same settings as Physical Sky (Fig. 28.10):
Fig. 28.8: 
Moofe Hilltop Dawn HDRI lighting used in the rendering

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Chapter 28: Shaderlight Exterior Lighting and Backdrops
Fig. 28.9: 
Moofe Cloudy Volcano HDRI lighting used in the rendering
The differences between using them include:
3
3
The HDRI images do not reference the SketchUp Shadow menu. The direction and posi-
tion need to be set in Shaderlight.
3
3
The exposure settings differ for each HDRI image.
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3
Draft renders must be run to assess the previous factors.
Image Type
Every HDRI image will have a different 
lighting output and appearance. The only 
way to assess the lighting is to try the 
various options. Make sure to spend some 
time experimenting with multiple HDRI 
types, be they preset, Moofe, or custom.
Fig. 28.10: 
In these typical HDRI settings, the exposure is 
set to +3, which set the correct lighting from the HDRI.

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Part 6: Shaderlight by ArtVPS
Exposure
Adjusting the exposure is the key to obtaining the results you want. Exposure values for 
HDRI images will have different ranges. Your initial values should start at around 3 and range 
as high as 5.5, and include all values in-between (ex. 3.6, 3.7, 3.8 etc...). At least for now, an 
exposure setting of +3 works well with the Moofe and presets available as part of Shaderlight. 
If +3 does not work, adjust the exposure values for the best result.
Rotating
The Position slider, which is part of the Shaderlight Render Settings menu under Lighting, 
is used to adjust the direction and source light from the HDRI. The slider ranges from 0 
to 360 degrees (Fig. 28.11). It functions the same way the SketchUp Solar North tool works 
(Chapter 17). The slider rotates the light source from the HDRI around the model.
Rotate the HDRI position to get good lighting. For many renders, the light will be flat or 
dark if you don’t adjust the initial rotation (Fig. 28.12). Adjust the rotation angle by 90-degree 
increments. Once you’ve achieved good exposure, further adjust the angle by smaller incre-
ments to fine-tune the light (Fig. 28.13).