Sky Browser: Search for HDR Sky Maps

Abstract

In a visual effects studio for movie production, sky maps play an important role for acting as a sky backdrop to a scene. The backdrop to a scene is often represented using a high-resolution sky map. This motivates the need for a large collection of sky maps to match various moods and lighting conditions. A comprehensive collection of images is not useful however, without a method of searching for desired images within that database. In this paper we define a feature space that supports an interactive search function for HDR sky maps, allowing users to find ideal images based on its appearance. The set of features are automatically extracted from the sky maps in an offline pre-processing step, and are queried in real time for progressive browsing. The system uses unsupervised learning techniques, discarding the need for labelling a large set of existing sky maps.