ArchitectureDesignDigital RenderingReal-time RenderingRendering3D RenderingGlobal IlluminationImage-based LightingLighting CalculationsLighting ModelsPhysically Based RenderingArea SourcesLight ModelingLightingLighting RenderingReal-time ProcessingSpherical Harmonic AnalysisSpherical Harmonic Representation
Spherical Harmonic lighting (SH lighting) is a technique for calculating the lighting on 3D models from area light sources that allows us to capture, relight and display global illumination style images in real time. It was introduced in a paper at Siggraph 2002 by Sloan, Kautz and Snyder as a technique for ultra realistic lighting of models. Looking a little closer at it’s derivation we can show that it is in fact a toolbox of interrelated techniques that the games community can use to good effect.