Realistic Image Synthesis Using Photon Mapping

by Henrik Wann Jensen

Photon mapping, an extension of ray tracing, makes it possible to efficiently simulate global illumination in complex scenes. Photon mapping can simulate caustics (focused light, like shimmering waves at the bottom of a swimming pool), diffuse inter-reflections (e.g., the "bleeding" of colored light from a red wall onto a white floor, giving the floor a reddish tint), and participating media (such as clouds or smoke). This book is a practical guide to photon mapping; it provides the theory and practical insight necessary to implement photon mapping and simulate all types of direct and indirect illumination efficiently.

208 pages, Hardcover

First published July 15, 2001

Reviews

[Mario · Rating 5 out of 5]

The UCSD Prof. sheds a lot of light into the absolute basics. A very good "first" book for anyone interested in Realistic Image Synthesis using Global Illumination. It's not just about photon mapping; Rather the initial chapters give a very good overview (and drawbacks) of other approaches of solving GI.

I was very much interested in learning the nitty-gritty details, particularly for rendering (realistic) caustic effects, and enjoyed the whole book and the umpteen number of high dimensional integrals and derivations of the same giving a good intuition for the Monte Carlo Integration.

All in all, I highly recommend this book!

[Peb · Rating 5 out of 5]

after long journey learning about realistic image synthesis which stucked on lame ol' raytracing. :P

this book really is an enlightenment.
it gives the big picture of all i've read in other books about realistic image synthesis (Radiosity (Cohen), Focus on Photon Mapping, etc.)

the main differences is this book taught me practical implementations of photon map data structure.

the journey's path :
whitted RT -> monte carlo RT -> Path Tracing -> Photon Mapping
which described in this book is quite tightly connected which is quite easy to comprehend.

wish i had my own hardcopy.