Lighting controls for synthetic images

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Abstract
The traditional point source light used for synthetic image generation provides no adjustments other than position, and this severely limits the effects that can be achieved. It can be difficult to highlight particular features of an object. This paper describes new lighting controls and techniques which can be used to optimize the lighting for synthetic images. These controls are based in part on observations of the lights used in the studio of a professional photographer. Controls include a light direction to aim a light at a particular area of an object, light concentration to simulate spotlights or floodlights, and flaps or cones to restrict the path of a light. Another control relates to the color of the light source and its effect on the perceived color of specular highlights. An object color can be blended with a color for the highlights to simulate different materials, paints, or lighting conditions. This can be accomplished dynamically while the image is displayed, using the video lookup table to approximate the specular color shift