Learning How to Create an HDRI Using HdrEye
In this blog, I want to talk about how I learned to create my own HDRI using HdrEye, and why this process felt important for my development in 3D and VFX. Until now, I mostly relied on pre-made HDRIs from online libraries, but creating one myself helped me understand how lighting information is actually captured and used in 3D scenes. It made the idea of “realistic lighting” feel much more practical and less abstract.
The first step in the process was capturing the images needed for the HDRI. Using my phone/camera, I took multiple photos of the environment from the same position, making sure to capture different exposure levels. This included darker images to preserve highlight detail and brighter images to retain shadow information. The key thing I learned here was consistency: the camera position must not change, and the full 360-degree environment needs to be covered for the HDRI to work properly.
After capturing the images, I imported them into HdrEye. The software guided me through aligning and merging the photos into a single high-dynamic-range image. This step showed me how different exposure values are combined to create a lighting map that contains far more information than a standard image. HdrEye made it easier to visualise how highlights, midtones, and shadows are preserved in one file.
Once the HDRI was generated, I exported it in a format suitable for 3D software. I then tested the HDRI by placing it into my 3D scene as an environment light. Seeing my model react to lighting that I personally captured was a really satisfying moment. The reflections, shadows, and overall mood felt much more natural compared to generic HDRIs. This step helped me understand how HDRIs directly influence realism, especially in materials like metal, glass, and skin.
Learning to create an HDRI using HdrEye helped me connect real-world observation with digital lighting workflows. It showed me that realism in 3D isn’t just about high-quality models or textures, but about accurate lighting and environment data. This process encouraged me to experiment more with capturing real locations and using them in my work, making my renders feel more grounded and intentional.
Bibliography:
Custom HDRI's for Photorealism: FULL WORKFLOW. https://youtu.be/MASbLjQ9S_Y?si=aTl95lmOTzNFo3xv
HDReye App: Creating HDRI with you phone https://youtu.be/TbtQaInGMh0?si=lbC2NYUDRY-cDL0N