Shadow mattes and my slow brain?

[jeremybirn]

If you were using an image plane, you could use a "use background" shader to catch the shadow but otherwise show through to what's on the image plane.

Since you're not using an image plane, you could also render a shadow pass with a shadow being received onto a regular lambert or whatever, and composite that onto the photo in a compositing program.

-jeremy

[Anm8]

Thanks Jeremy, I tried using image plane and use background but no luck. I even thought my prefs we bad so I trashed them and created new ones....but no luck. I could have sworn there was a shadow matte material unless I am confusing myself with Max from back in the days. I will keep working at it and see what happens!

Thanks again,
Joe

[slipknot66]

Is this what you want?
If yes, just create a plane, assign a UseBackground shader to the plane, then adjust the settings,if you dont need Reflections, just use 0, and black specular color.It even works with MR and FG.

http://img275.imageshack.us/img275/2589/teste7ll.jpg (http://imageshack.us/)

[Anm8]

Not exactly....I am trying to use a photo as a background of a counter top. In the photo I want a character to walk out from behind a pepper shaker. I have modeled the shaker but now I need it not to render, just show shadows and hide my character. Image plane, use background have not worked........

Update! Just got it to work....dunno if it was bad prefs or bad user. Either way thanks everyone for your help...I will post a pic of what I am doing for those of you who helped!

Thanks

[thatoneguy]

Matte/Shadow is a MAX material type.

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