3D Lights settings (Photoshop Extended)



3D lights illuminate models from different angles, adding realistic depth and shadows. Photoshop Extended provides three types of lights, each with unique options:

  • Point lights shine in all directions, like light bulbs.

  • Spot lights shine in a cone shape, which you can adjust.

  • Infinite lights shine from one directional plane, like sunlight.

To position any of these lights, you use tools similar to those used for 3D models themselves.

For a video about adjusting 3D lights, see www.adobe.com/go/lrvid4004_ps. (Light-related discussion begins at the five-minute mark.)

Add or delete individual lights

 In the 3D panel, do either of the following:

  • To add a light, click the Create A New Light button , and choose the light type (point, spot, or infinite).

  • To delete a light, select it from the list at the top of the Lights section . Then click the Delete button  at the bottom of the panel.

Adjust light properties

  1. In the Lights section  of the 3D panel, select a light from the list.

  2. (Optional) To change the light type, select a different option from the first pop-up menu in the lower half of the panel.

  3. Set the following options:

    Intensity
    Adjusts brightness.

    Color
    Defines the color of the light. Click the box to access the Color Picker.

    Create Shadows
    Casts shadows from foreground surfaces onto background surfaces, from a single mesh onto itself or from one mesh onto another. Disabling this option improves performance slightly.

    Softness
    Blurs the edge of shadows, producing a gradual falloff.

  4. For point or spot lights, set the following options:

    Hotspot
    (Spot lights only) Sets the width of the bright center of the light.

    Falloff
    (Spot lights only) Sets the outer width of the light.

    Use Attenuation
    Inner and Outer options determine the cone of attenuation and how fast light intensity decreases as distance from objects increases. When an object is closer than Inner limit, light is full strength. When an object is further that Outer limit, light is at zero strength. At intermediate distances, light attenuates linearly from full strength to zero.

    Hover the pointer over the Hotspot, Falloff, and Inner and Outer attenuation options. Red outlines in the icon to the right indicate the affected light element.

Position lights

 In the Lights section  of the 3D panel, select any of the following:
Rotate tool 
(Spot and infinite lights only) Rotates light while maintaining its position in 3D space.

Drag tool 
(Spot and point lights only) Moves the light to a different position in the same 3D plane.

Slide tool 
(Spot and point lights only) Moves the light to a different 3D plane.

Point Light at Origin 
(Spot light only) Directs light at the center of the model.

Move to Current View 
Places light in the same position as the camera.

Add light guides

Light guides provide spatial reference points for your adjustments. These guides reflect the type, angle, and attenuation of each light. Point lights appear as a ball, spot lights as a cone, and infinite lights as a line.

 At the bottom of the 3D panel, click the Toggle Lights icon .

You can change the guide color in the Guides, Grids, and Slices section of the Preferences dialog box.
Light Guides:

A.
Point light

B.
Spot light

C.
Infinite light

Save, replace, or add groups of lights

To store groups of lights for later use, save them. To include the lights in other projects, either add to or replace the existing set.

 From the 3D panel menu , select any of the following:
Save Lights Preset
Saves the current group of lights as a preset that you can reload with the following commands.

Add Lights
To the existing lights, adds a lights preset that you select.

Replace Lights
Replaces the existing lights with a preset that you select.