askvity

How do you change the HDRI position in Blender?

Published in Blender Lighting 3 mins read

You can change the HDRI position in Blender primarily by rotating it using the Shader Editor. This involves setting up nodes that control the HDRI's mapping and rotation. Here's how:

Steps to Rotate your HDRI in Blender:

  1. Open the Shading Tab: Navigate to the Shading tab at the top of the Blender interface.

  2. Switch to World Shading: In the Shader Editor, ensure you're editing the World shader. You can select "World" from the dropdown menu near the top of the editor.

  3. Add an Environment Texture: If you don't already have one, add an Environment Texture node (Shift+A -> Texture -> Environment Texture). Connect its Color output to the Background node's Color input (if there's no background node, add one: Shift+A -> Shader -> Background).

  4. Load your HDRI: In the Environment Texture node, click "Open" and select your desired HDRI file.

  5. Enable Node Wrangler: If you haven't already, enable the Node Wrangler add-on. Go to Edit -> Preferences -> Add-ons, and search for "Node Wrangler". Check the box to enable it.

  6. Add Texture Coordinate and Mapping Nodes: With the Environment Texture node selected, press Ctrl+T. This will automatically add a Texture Coordinate node and a Mapping node, connected to the Environment Texture node. (Node Wrangler needs to be enabled for this shortcut to work).

  7. Rotate the HDRI: In the Mapping node, adjust the "Rotation" values (X, Y, and Z) to rotate the HDRI. The Z-axis rotation is typically the most useful for changing the apparent position of the sun or key lighting elements in the HDRI.

Explanation of the Nodes:

  • Texture Coordinate: This node provides different coordinate systems for your textures. When using the "Generated" or "Object" output with a Mapping node, it allows you to manipulate the texture's placement in 3D space.

  • Mapping: This node allows you to translate, rotate, and scale textures. It's crucial for controlling the orientation and size of the HDRI.

  • Environment Texture: This node loads the HDRI image and maps it onto the inside of an infinitely large sphere, which serves as the environment lighting for your scene.

  • Background: This node defines the color and strength of the background seen in the render.

Example:

Let's say you want to move the sun's position in your scene to the left. You would adjust the Z rotation value in the Mapping node connected to your HDRI texture. Increasing or decreasing this value will rotate the HDRI, effectively changing the direction of the light.

Troubleshooting:

  • Nodes Not Connecting: Make sure Node Wrangler is enabled.
  • No Change in Scene: Ensure the Environment Texture node is connected to the Background node, and that the Background node is connected to the World Output node. Also double check that you are editing the World shader and not the object shader.
  • HDRI Appears Distorted: Check the "Projection" setting in the Texture Coordinate node. "Equirectangular" is usually the correct setting for HDRIs.

Related Articles