# Custom environment map

**URL:** <https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/custom-environment-map/138330>\
**Category:** Rendering\
**Tags:** windows\
**Created:** [February 21, 2022, 7:41pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/custom-environment-map/138330 "2022-02-21T19:41:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![darbyvet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/darbyvet/32/642307_2.png) [@darbyvet](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/darbyvet)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 7:41pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/custom-environment-map/138330/1 "2022-02-21T19:41:36Z")

</div>

Hi there,  
I am modelling a spaceship and I want to render it in a space environment.I do astrophotography as a hobby so I have some photographs of nebulas and planets.How do I turn these photos into an envrionment map.I want to do a flyby and turntable of my spaceship to make it look like it is in space. if I cant make an envirnment map could I use my photos as a backrop and then use a studio environment with one light source to mimic a sun. If this is the way I have to do it do I just use the picture function to make a backdrop?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nathanletwory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/nathanletwory/32/482880_2.png) [@nathanletwory](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/nathanletwory)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 10:08pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/custom-environment-map/138330/2 "2022-02-21T22:08:52Z")

</div>

Assuming you have regular shots and not panorama shots then the picture command would indeed be a good pick, since you want your stars to emit light - no shading on the plane containing your image.

You can use a directional light to mimic the sun - it is what is used when you enable the document sun in Rhino anyway.

You can of course also still use a skylight, but I would not necessarily use the studio environment. Maybe even your shots as an environment for the reflections could be an interesting test.

The larger and higher-resolution your photographs are the more room you have to play with them to create the environment you like.

I’m sure @BrianJ can give good tips on how to use photographs for environments.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Micha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/micha/32/770226_2.png) [@Micha](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Micha)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 7:44am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/custom-environment-map/138330/3 "2022-02-22T07:44:17Z")

</div>

I would try to create a 360° panorama like this one:

 ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/6/e/d/6ed5c0e5019b4f2f65ab15e436d5f139bc35b775.jpeg)  
Affinity Photo is a nice image editor which has a great panorama edit mode where I would add the photos of nebulas and other space effects.

For example here the panorama editing by Affinity Photo can be seen:

[![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/f/f/7/ff788b42feb83be0bee400986a690ada45906f47.jpeg "Affinity 2020 3D, 360° Panorama editing, fix the zenith") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-uFJjC9Ox0)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![darbyvet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/darbyvet/32/642307_2.png) [@darbyvet](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/darbyvet)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 6:05pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/custom-environment-map/138330/4 "2022-02-22T18:05:17Z")

</div>

Thanks ,  
once I have made the 360 degree panorama photo how do I make it an environment map in Rhino?  
Carl

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tom\_P](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/tom_p/32/766520_2.png) [@Tom\_P](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Tom_P)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 9:31pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/custom-environment-map/138330/5 "2022-02-22T21:31:41Z")

</div>

check out this topic

> [@Making your own environment maps](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/making-your-own-environment-maps/31144):
>
> I notice that all of the environment maps appear as spheres. Has anyone made their own? If so, how did you do it? This is not important, I’m just curious. Thanks, Dan

and this

> [@Custom emaps - how to?](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/custom-emaps-how-to/137636):
>
> (topic is solved and the question is a duplicate of sorry) is there any tutorial, (affinity photo prefered, photoshop also ok) or rendering-approach to do a custom emap ? i am talking about those files: [brushed\_silver] [polished\_gold] [sunset 2] how do i convert a photo of my livingroom (of course a 250 sqm loft) into a emap. or maybe a photo of my last mountainhike / skitour ? what do need to consider for the photo. thanks - kind regards - tom