HDRI and backplates for car rendering

Why cars need different HDRIs than buildings

A building is lit by the sky and seen from far away. A car is a curved mirror seen from close. Paint, chrome and glass show the whole environment around the car, so the HDRI is visible in the image, not just in the shading. That changes what you look for.

• Road level matters. The panorama should be shot at about the height your camera and car will have, with the road surface in the lower half.
• The sun must not be clipped. A clipped sun gives dull highlights on the bonnet and weak shadows under the wheels.
• The background must match. A car is usually shown on a plate, so the HDRI and the plate must come from the same spot. The workflow is in How to match an HDRI and a backplate.

HDRI Hub sells HDRIs and backplates shot on location by photographer Andreas Reimer. The catalog has no product tagged automotive. This page collects the road, parking lot, garage and tunnel locations that work for car shots.

What is in the product grid below

The grid lists 116 published products: 76 outdoor HDRIs, 7 indoor HDRIs (garages and tunnels), 24 backplate sets and 9 HDRI domes. Most come from the road tag, which is broad: it also covers meadow, forest and field paths. Start with the table, then use the grid to browse the rest.

Pick by shot

HDRI plus backplate sets

A backplate is the photo the camera sees. The HDRI from the same spot supplies light and reflections. For cars this pairing is the whole point, because the road in the plate must also appear in the paint.

The Sets & Bundles category holds 41 backplate sets in total. 24 of them match the road, parking lot, garage or tunnel tags in this page's grid. Each set ships the HDRI of the location together with its plates. Examples:

• HDR 145 Rural Road with Clear Sky Plates, $49, unclipped sun.
• HDR 142 Rural Road Clear Sky Plates, $99.
• HDR 118 Parking Lot Plates, $199.
• HDR 103 Parking Space Plates, $129.
• HDR 039 Garage Plates, $49, for garage interiors.
• HDR 120 Tunnel Plates, $199.
• HDR 138 City Night Place Plates, $129, for night scenes.

If you only need the light, the single HDRIs start at $8. Buy a set when the car must sit in a photographed frame.

HDRI domes for ground projection

HDRI Hub has 33 HDRI domes, filed under Backplates. They are 360 degree panoramas taken at ground level. 9 of them are in this page's grid, mostly the parking-lot tag. Examples:

• HDR 045 Old Freight Yard and the four following yard locations (HDR 046 to HDR 049), 10240px, $19 each.
• HDRI Dome: loc00178, a night parking lot, 2048px at $5, 8192px at $19, 14000px at $79.
• HDRI Dome: loc00179, a night tunnel, 2048px at $5, 8192px at $19, 15000px at $79.

A dome carries the ground as well as the sky. Use it with a ground projection or shadow catcher so the tyres touch real asphalt, and the car needs no modelled floor. See HDRI domes for the full category.

Unclipped skies for paint highlights

Four rural road skies are tagged unclipped: HDR 142, 144, 145 and 147. Each also has a plates set. HDR 142, 144, 145 and 147 are also offered in a 20K variant; HDR 142 costs $8 at 8192 x 4096 and $20 at the 20K file. In total 34 outdoor skies carry the unclipped tag. In an unclipped file the sun disk keeps its full value, so a car body shows a small, hard highlight and the shadow edge stays crisp. Read more in Unclipped HDRIs for sun and shadows.

For sunny hero shots choose a clear-sky file. For product-style soft light choose a cloudy one: HDR 144 and HDR 147 give wide, smooth reflections along the car side.

Night, garage and tunnel

Night city files are the base for light streaks and reflected street lamps. HDR 171 City Road Night is tagged unclipped, so the lamps stay bright points instead of white blobs. HDR 169 Entrance Garage Night adds neon and a garage entrance and is also tagged unclipped. Both come as OpenEXR.

For interiors, the garage files HDR 038 and HDR 039 are tagged car and parking-deck. HDR 039 also has a 16k version at $20. Tunnel files such as HDR 126 Tunnel give long light lines that show well on a moving car.

Resolution for car reflections

A car reflects a small part of the panorama at high magnification, so a low-resolution file looks soft in chrome and paint. HDRI Hub offers 4096x2048 to 20000x10000. For still images close to the car, use 10240x5120 or higher: HDR 117 Parking Lot is 10240 x 5120, HDR 084 is 12288 x 6144 and HDR 140 Road in Park is 14336 x 7168, all $8. A 2048px or 4096px file is enough for a quick look or a configurator preview. The resolution guide explains the trade-off, and How to choose an HDRI covers the rest.

Try one first

Free files carry the same commercial licence and go up to 8192x4096. Browse the free HDRI downloads or test the free tunnel HDRI on your car model.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best HDRI for car rendering?

For a sunny exterior, an unclipped road sky such as HDR 142 or HDR 145 gives crisp highlights on paint. For soft studio-like light choose a cloudy road sky such as HDR 144 or HDR 147.

Do I need a backplate for a car render?

You need one if the background should be a photo. The HDRI lights the car, and the plate from the same spot is what the camera sees. HDRI Hub sells 41 backplate sets that include the matching HDRI.

What resolution is needed for car paint and chrome reflections?

For close shots use 10240 x 5120 or higher, because the car magnifies a small part of the panorama. Smaller files are fine for previews and configurators.

Why does the sun need to be unclipped?

A clipped sun is cut at the file's maximum value, so it lights the car with less energy than the real sun. Highlights turn flat and shadows soften. 34 outdoor skies at HDRI Hub are tagged unclipped.

Can I use an HDRI dome instead of a plate?

Yes, if the shot allows it. A dome is a ground-level 360 panorama, so it works for reflections, light and a projected ground. 33 domes are on sale, from $5 at 2048px.

Are there HDRIs for garages and tunnels?

Yes. HDR 038 and HDR 039 are parking garages, and HDR 110, 119, 120 and 126 are tunnels. HDR 120 also has a plates set, and HDR 110 is a free download.

May I use the files in commercial car ads?

Yes. The licence allows commercial use for one user on one workstation, and free files have the same licence.