2009

Natural Light
Outdoor scene with natural sunlight
At ground level, for practical purposes, sunlight has parallel rays coming from
a single direction. The direction and angle vary depending on the time of day,
the latitude, and the season.
In clear weather, the color of sunlight is a pale yellow: for example, RGB values
of 250, 255, 175 (HSV 45, 80, 255). Cloudy weather can tint sunlight blue,
shading into dark gray for stormy weather. Particles in the air can give sunlight
an orange or brownish tint. At sunrise and sunset, the color can be more
orange or red than yellow.
3ds Max provides several daylight systems to simulate the sun. See
Sunlight and
Daylight Systems
on page 5139. A single daylight system is appropriate as the
main light source for sunlit scenes.
When rendering with mental ray, you can gather skylight from a daylight
system efficiently into an interior with the
mr Sky Portal on page 5186.
Shadows are more distinct the clearer the day is, and can be essential for
bringing out the three-dimensionality of a naturally lit scene.
A directional light can also simulate moonlight, which is white but dim
compared to the sun.
Using Lights | 4987