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How do you hide an object reflection in Blender?

Published in Blender Graphics 3 mins read

There are several ways to hide an object's reflection in Blender, depending on the desired effect. One method involves manipulating the world settings.

Here's a general approach based on the provided reference, expanding upon it for clarity:

  1. Access World Settings: In Blender, switch to the "World" properties tab.

  2. Add a Node: In the Shader Editor, with "World" selected, press Shift + A to add a node. You can right-click and choose "Add to Quick Favorites" to quickly access this function by pressing "Q" later on.

  3. Use a Light Path Node: Add a "Light Path" node (Shift+A -> Input -> Light Path).

  4. Use an Is Camera Ray Node: Add an "Is Camera Ray" node (Shift+A -> Input -> Light Path).

  5. Use a Mix Shader: Add a "Mix Shader" node (Shift+A -> Shader -> Mix Shader).

  6. Connect the Nodes:

    • Connect the "Is Camera Ray" output of the Light Path node to the "Fac" input of the Mix Shader.
    • Connect the "Background" node to the top input of the Mix Shader.
    • Add a Transparent BSDF Node (Shift+A -> Shader -> Transparent BSDF). Connect it to the bottom input of the mix shader.
    • Connect the Mix Shader node to the "Surface" input of the World Output node.

This setup effectively makes the world (HDRI, color, etc.) visible to the camera but invisible to reflections.

Alternative Methods & Considerations:

  • Object Properties: Ray Visibility: Another method is to select the object causing the unwanted reflection. In the Object Properties tab (orange box icon), under the "Visibility" panel, you'll find "Ray Visibility." You can uncheck "Glossy" to prevent the object from appearing in glossy reflections. Other options include disabling it for "Camera", "Diffuse", "Transmission" or "Shadow" rays.

  • Material Adjustments: If the reflection is due to the object's material, adjust the material's roughness. Higher roughness values will create a more diffuse reflection, effectively blurring or hiding it. A perfectly rough surface won't produce noticeable reflections. Conversely, adjust the Metallic or Specular values.

  • Compositing: For more complex scenarios, you can use Blender's compositing nodes. Render the scene with and without the reflecting object, then use the compositor to selectively remove the reflection.

  • Cycles Render Engine: Ensure you're using the Cycles render engine for realistic reflections.

In summary, hiding object reflections in Blender can be achieved by manipulating world settings, object properties, material properties, or using compositing techniques.

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