Create Own HDRI Maps?

Does anyone know how I can create my own HDRI maps??

that side should help you:

http://www.debevec.org/Probes/

I managed to create a HDR image using Photoshop CS2. Basically I just took 16 pictures at increasing exposures. Photoshop can take these 16 images and create one HDR image from it where you can then change the exposure yourself or just it as a HDR background in blender.

You have to be very careful when taking the pictures. A tripod or some other way of ensuring the camera doesnt move between all the pictures is necessary. A static background would be best. i.e. no moving trees or objects in the background.

To create the same effects as seen in the light probes on that website you’d need a special 360 lense.

HDRshop is a free program
http://www.hdrshop.com/

hey !!

you can do it with Blender 2.41 version check the HDRI export option (F10)

i did a little test that worked fine using the HDRI generated by Blender and then rendered with Yafray for illumination

ah what did you say? you can create HDRi files inside blender export them and than use those as hdri maps for yafray?

In the Render/Anim panel file format is the Radiance HDR filetype. Make sure you also have the floatbuffer (FBuf) activated before you save the file.

My understanding is the output is not really meant for global illumination, but simply to give you a larger dynamic range to work with in postpro.

Edit: Whoa, if I start with a decent render, I can get passable lighting with this output in Yafray (see also aleks42’s post below). Now to figure out how to make them into reflective-sphere type light probes.

yes.

export option is radiance HDR (F10)
(actually answered by cd38)

more…
as i said i did a test and results are much better than using an LDR (low dinamic range)

apollux over at cgtalk made a tutorial on home made HDRI images:

http://apollux-designs.com/3dcgi/Tutorials/IBL/LightProbeMaking.php