Render image then pull out object

[ChandlerL]

Essentially what I'm looking to do is render an image using some characteristics such as hdr, reflections, etc. This way the object interacts with its environment.

After that is done, is there a way to pull out or seperate the object into layers. This way when I bring it into Photoshop, I don't have to manually matte it out.

Could have sworn there was. I'll check the plugins library-- I may have missed something.

I guess another way to explain it is say I have a environment ball object (for my hdr), then object1, object 2, and object 3. All of these interact with each other in the case of light, shadow, reflections, etc. I want to have these output as separate layers so I can then simply work on object1. This make sense?

[Hiraghm]

I believe you can save the various channels in Lightwave, and import those as separate layers in Photoshop. But I don't know of a way to separate objects in a scene in one render pass. I suppose you could render 3 or 4 frames, set the dissolve on each objects you don't want seen to 100% for each frame, and import each frame into Photoshop as a layer. Or set each to "unseen by camera" if you want their affect on the other objects to be seen.

[ChandlerL]

Yah that's kind of what I figured. Your idea works, though, not when a backdrop is used that interacts with any object (since backdrops can't be set to "unseen my cam"

Hmmm... I'll keep thinking about it.

Thanks for the advice tho. :)

[John Fornasar]

Chandler,

Your idea works, though, not when a backdrop is used that interacts with any object (since backdrops can't be set to "unseen my cam"

Put your backdrop image on a flat poly instead and use that to light the scene. You'll be able to use the "Unseen by Camera" check-off.

The Photoshop .psd plugin saves separate channels (color, luminosity, specularity, etc) so you can work the layers in Photoshop.

Also check out "Matte Object" and "Unseen by Alpha" in the LW 7.5 update docs.