Radiance - Works in Progress

Ever since I upgraded to Mac's OS X, I can play with the big boys now.
I've been using Radiance, a UNIX -based raytracer/global illumination render. Quite different from the GUI 3D apps I'm used to, this one runs from a command line in a UNIX shell. Though it has a steep learning curve, (especially for people like me who don't read manuals!), Radiance is a very powerful program.

Like other 3D apps, it raytraces a scene to render the image. But most raytracers only go so far. Radiance calculates diffused secondary light as it bounces around the scene. Ever notice when the sun shines on a colored (say red) wall - the entire room has a red tint. That's because the reflected red light bouces off of the wall and propagates through the room.
Radiance has many capabilities for predicting real lighting situations - but I like it cuz it makes cool pictures. I've been using it to try and replicate the quality of light we get in our house. I'm also am working on a new version of my Ephesians 3:20 rendering (originally done in Infini-D circa 1995) I'll post progress here.

Check out the QTVR and updated progress of my house renders.

Here's lighting simulation floor plan of a and more QTVRs of friends house.

Here's where my cathedral project stands... just test so far Cathedral 6 Cathedral 6a Cathedral 2 Cath 2A