# Shadows only

**URL:** <https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/shadows-only/46571>\
**Category:** V-Ray\
**Created:** [August 12, 2017, 10:30am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/shadows-only/46571 "2017-08-12T10:30:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ERahjes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/erahjes/32/443192_2.png) [@ERahjes](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/ERahjes)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2017, 10:30am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/shadows-only/46571/1 "2017-08-12T10:30:25Z")

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Hey,

Is it possible to render only shadows like in Flamingo nxt?

Greets

Eike

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**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:** [August 12, 2017, 9:40pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/shadows-only/46571/2 "2017-08-12T21:40:10Z")

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Yes, by a trick: enable at the material “only in secondary”. So, the material is invisible for the camera only.

If you need to hide many objects except a ground plane or something, than you could use the option at a neutral override material (material named “Vrayoverridematerial”) and at the ground material you disable “can be overriden”. So, only the ground is visible with all shadow and light effects.

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**Author:** ![Stratosfear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/stratosfear/32/770399_2.png) [@Stratosfear](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Stratosfear)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2017, 10:09pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/shadows-only/46571/3 "2017-08-12T22:09:43Z")

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Just enable shadows under the channel options. It will only render the shadows to a separate layer.

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**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:** [August 13, 2017, 7:00am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/shadows-only/46571/4 "2017-08-13T07:00:47Z")

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> [@Stratosfear](#):
>
> Just enable shadows under the channel options. It will only render the shadows to a separate layer.

Sidenote: only works for shadows of lights and the shadow casting objects stay visible. Maybe this is wanted by Eike. I’m not sure. But GI shadows like from a HDRI environment can’t be find at the shadow output channel. This kind of shadow could be find at the GI channel.