Efficient Importance Sampling Techniques for the Photon Map

In global illumination computations the photon map is a powerful tool for approximating the irradiance, which is stored independent from scene geometry. By presenting a new algorithm, which uses novel importance sampling techniques, we improve the memory footprint of the photon map, simplify the caustic generation, and allow for a much faster sampling of direct illumination in complicated models as they arise in a production environment.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2000
• Where: VMV
• Authors: Alexander Keller, Ingo Wald
• Keywords: Global Illumination Computations, Importance Sampling Techniques, Photon Map, VMV 2000, VMV 2008