Target Area Light (Photometric)

Create panel > Lights > Photometric Lights > Target Area button

Create menu > Photometric Lights > Target Area Light

A Target Area light emits light from a rectangular area, like a skylight. You can set the light distribution; this light has two types of distribution, with corresponding icons. A target area light uses a target object to aim the light.

Note: When you add a Target Area light, the software automatically assigns a Look At controller to it, with the light's target object assigned as the Look At target. You can use the controller settings on the Motion panel to assign any other object in the scene as the Look At target.

Note: When you rename a Target Area light, the target is automatically renamed to match. For example, renaming Area01 to Klieg causes Area01.Target to become Klieg.Target. The target's name must have the extension .Target. Renaming the target object does not rename the light object.

Icons for Target Area light with diffuse and web distribution

Procedures

To create a Target Area light:

On the Create panel, click Lights.
Choose Photometric from the drop-down list. (The default is Standard.)
In the Object Type rollout, click Target Area.
Drag in a viewport. The initial point of the drag is the location of the light, and the point where you release the mouse is the location of the target.

The light is now part of the scene.
Set the creation parameters.

You can use the Move transform to adjust the light.

To select the target:

The target, displayed as a small square, is often in the same area as objects that you want to illuminate. It can be difficult to select it by clicking.

First select the light itself.
Right-click the light to open the quad menu. In the Tools quadrant, choose Select Target from the pop-up menu.

You can also choose Lights from the Selection Filters list on the toolbar, and then click the target. Clicking the line that connects the light and its target selects both objects.

To adjust the light and target:

Select the light or target or both.
On the Main toolbar, click Move. Drag the selection to adjust the light.

Because the light is always aimed at its target, you can't rotate it about its local X or Y axes. However, you can select and move the target object as well as the light itself. When you move either the light or the target, the light's orientation changes so it always points at the target.

You can use the Place Highlight command to change a light's position.

Target Area Light (Photometric)

See also

Procedures