It’s been almost a decade since I last ventured into the world of 3D software like Maya, 3DS Max, etc. but suddenly I seem to have been bitten by the bug again.

It all started a few weeks ago when I was asked to give another talk at Lancaster Photographic Society on lighting portraits.

My plan was to sift through the images I already have in my library, and shoot a few more to explain specific lighting principles, and the differences that can happen when you add or take away a light here, or a reflector there.

Then, I stumbled across a post in the Strobist group on Facebook by Pat David, linking to a fantastic Blender 3D file he put together on his website, created specifically for the purposes of rendering out lighting tests – you can see one of mine in the header photo on this post.

Blender has come a LONG way since I last played with it about ten years ago.  It’s matured into an extremely well made application capable of producing some mind blowing photorealistic results.

It has, however, left me wanting more;  To fully get back into the 3D world of modelling and animation again.  I did so much used to enjoy it.

I suppose it was inevitable.