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The lines between the artistic disciplines have become increasingly blurred in the world of visual effects and 3D animation. Photography is 150 years old, but its importance to the world of virtual production has never been greater, and the techniques have dramatically transcended that of a mere picture plane. Photography was incorporated into some of the earliest applications for 3D, and since then, their fusion has been a vital part of film, games, and the explosion of other media that uses 3D assets. At the simplest level, a photograph can serve as a blueprint for creating a model by hand in 3D, as a source for material textures, and as a source of reference. In recent years, incorporation of more sophisticated photography techniques has served as a vital tool for bringing realism to 3D. HDR panos can transcend a mere background plate for 3D animation, as shown in their other moniker: Image Based Lighting (IBL). The purpose of this production spotlight is to demonstrate a scaffolded approach to one of photography’s best tools for 3D: High Dynamic Range Panoramas. Over this document, we will first examine simpler processes for HDR and panoramas separately, establishing the basic skills behind IBLs, which can produce exciting environmental photography as their own medium. These skills will then be combined to produce fully realized HDRIs, with examples of using them in 3D. Lastly, we’ll take a look at some cool tricks you can do with your finished photos, such as Little Planets and Paper Planets.

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