33 Free Studio Hdri Maps

by Leonid Altman in Surfacing



🌍 How to Use 360 HDRI Images in Blender and Other 3D Software

360 HDRI images provide realistic lighting and environment reflections for your 3D scenes. Follow this guide to learn how to integrate HDRI images into your workflow, whether you're using Blender or any other 3D software.

🔧 Using HDRI Images in Blender

Step 1: Load HDRI Image in Blender

1. Open Blender and go to the **World Properties** tab on the right sidebar.

2. In the **Surface** section, set the surface to **Background** and click the yellow dot next to the **Color** field.

3. Choose **Environment Texture** from the menu that appears.

4. Click **Open** and select the 360 HDRI image you want to use.

Step 2: Adjust the HDRI Settings

1. Once the HDRI is loaded, you can adjust its **Strength** to control the brightness of the environment.

2. You may also rotate the HDRI by going into the **Shading** workspace, selecting the **World** tab, and using the **Mapping** node to adjust the rotation angle for optimal lighting.

Step 3: Preview in Render View

1. To see how the HDRI affects your scene, switch to **Render Preview Mode** in the viewport.

2. The environment should now be visible, providing realistic reflections and lighting on your 3D objects.

🔧 Using HDRI Images in Other 3D Software

The process for using 360 HDRI images in other 3D software like Maya, 3ds Max, or Cinema 4D is similar. Here are general steps you can follow:

Step 1: Load HDRI Image in Environment Settings

1. Open your 3D software and navigate to the **Environment Settings** or equivalent tab.

2. Look for an option to add an **Environment Map** or **Background Texture**.

3. Select the 360 HDRI image file and load it into the environment settings.

Step 2: Adjust Lighting and Visibility

1. Once the HDRI is loaded, adjust the brightness or intensity settings for the environment lighting as needed.

2. You can also control the visibility of the HDRI in your renders, depending on whether you want it to appear as a background or simply provide lighting and reflections.

Step 3: Rotate and Position the HDRI

1. Use the available tools in your 3D software to rotate the HDRI and position it to match the desired lighting effect in your scene.

2. Preview your scene in render mode to ensure the lighting and reflections are as expected.

💡 Pro Tip: Use Light Wrangler for Easy HDRI Management

With Light Wrangler, managing HDRI lighting in Blender is even easier. You can apply HDRIs to area lights, fine-tune them in real-time, and even create custom HDRI environments directly within Blender.

Learn More About Light Wrangler