This page gives some basic details about the Raw Total Lighting Render Element and explains how it is used in compositing.
Overview
The Raw Total Lighting Render Element is the sum of all raw lighting (both direct and indirect) in the scene, without any diffuse details. This render element is useful for changing the appearance of the scene's lighting in a compositing or image editing application.
Parameters
This render element is enabled through the Render Elements tab of the Render Setup window in 3ds Max and displays its parameters in a rollout at the bottom of the window:
VRayVFB – When enabled, the render element appears in the V-Ray Virtual Frame Buffer.
Deep output – Specifies whether to include this render element in deep images.
Color mapping – Applies the color mapping options specified in the Color mapping rollout (Render Setup window > V-Ray tab) to this render element. This option is enabled by default.
Multiplier – Sets the overall intensity of the render element, where 1.0 is the standard multiplier.
Denoise – Specifies whether to denoise this render element.
Common Uses
The Raw Total Lighting Render Element is useful for changing the appearance of the entire lighting of the scene, after rendering, using a compositing or image editing application. A Cryptomatte Render Element is used to isolate the floor, the windows along with the curtains and the stone fence, and the ceiling. Then the Raw Total Lighting Render Element is brightened and tinted differently for each element to show the range of editing possibilities. See the render before and after compositing.
Underlying Compositing Equation
VRayRawTotalLighting x VRayDiffuseFilter = VRayTotalLighting
VRayRawLighting + VRayRawGlobalIllumination = VRayRawTotalLighting