Geometry

Heightfield

Brightness becomes height: a real surface with real light and cast shadows.

Heightfield: a geometry effect on the built-in sample photograph. Computed on your machine right now.
Open Heightfield in the studio

Controls

relief
How high the relief stands. At zero it is flat, and you only see the picture at an angle; higher, the light parts rise
mesh
How many nodes across. The only knob here that costs anything — it sets the number of triangles
tilt
How high the camera stands above the plane. Ninety is straight down, low is a view along the surface
turn
A number from -180 to 180, 0 by default.
light
A number from -180 to 180, -55 by default.
paint
Photo keeps the picture on the relief; slope drops the colour and paints the steepness, so the frame reads as a map
wire
Drops the fill and leaves the mesh — the same relief as a wireframe
haze
Sinks the distance into darkness. At zero the far side is as sharp as the near, which happens on maps but never on landscapes

Nearby in Geometry