volumetric light

An OpenGL exploration of how light behaves in a 3D space, from basic surface shading all the way to volumetric god rays.

• Surface Shading

  Blinn-Phong reflectance with normal mapping gives every surface believable highlights and depth, even on flat geometry.

• Mixed Light Sources

  Directional, point, and spotlights each contribute differently, ambient fill, localized warmth near the pool, and focused beams from side lamps,creating a layered atmosphere.

• Shadows

  A depth pass from the light's perspective produces shadow maps that ground objects in the scene and add contrast.

• Volumetric Rays

  Ray marching through an occlusion texture produces visible light shafts, turning the lighting from a surface property into something you can see in the air.

The scene evolved in stages, starting with a single directional light and flat shading, then layering in normal maps for surface detail, gamma correction and HDR to fix color accuracy, shadow mapping for spatial grounding, and finally volumetric rays as the visual payoff. Each step visibly improved the mood.

• HDR and Gamma Correction for accurate, rich color
• Film grain for texture and warmth
• Anti-aliasing and depth testing for clean geometry
• Skybox for environmental context