Using HDRi images that are low rez and blurred, speed up your renders. 

Introducing Smart IBL

Image based lighting has never been this clever!

http://www.hdrlabs.com/sibl/index.html

They have a nice plugin for lightwave and standalone editor. 

The idea is to grab your image, and it creates the blurred low rez, and also a derivitave for Specular, and reflections.

This is to get rid of pops and noise.

I'll be testing this on the last challenge, the xmas one.  SInce that was a great plate shot by GMD. 

IF anyone else wants to try it.  I would be interested in render times, before and after using this trick.

Download the free sets.   Nice.

Think of the xmas challenge.  Swap out the hdri image with the ones in the free sets.  New sets. 

I've uploaded the 2 files, and provided a link for the free hdr images. 

If you see something on the net related to Lightwave, don't keep it to yourself.  SHare with the group.

Post a link Please.

Antonio