Chapter 13

Theoretical Foundations

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Image courtesy of Peter Georges

Objectives

By the end of this chapter you should:

  • understand how radiometric quantities are defined;
  • understand how bidirectional reflectance distribution functions (BRDFs) are defined;
  • understand how a perfect diffuse BRDF is implemented;
  • know what the rendering equation is;
  • have seen a solution of the rendering equation;
  • have been exposed to basic Monte Carlo concepts and processes.

I’ll discuss here the radiometric theory that underpins ray tracing. This will establish a firm theoretical foundation for the shading material in the following chapters. Please note that this ...

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