# Usdrecord: lighting setup, dome lights, transparency

**URL:** <https://forum.aousd.org/t/usdrecord-lighting-setup-dome-lights-transparency/1439>\
**Category:** USD\
**Tags:** rendering, python\
**Created:** [April 12, 2024, 9:52am UTC](https://forum.aousd.org/t/usdrecord-lighting-setup-dome-lights-transparency/1439 "2024-04-12T09:52:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![herbst](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.aousd.org/herbst/32/905_2.png) [@herbst](https://forum.aousd.org/u/herbst)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 9:52am UTC](https://forum.aousd.org/t/usdrecord-lighting-setup-dome-lights-transparency/1439/1 "2024-04-12T09:52:27Z")

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Hi, got a question about [usdrecord](https://github.com/PixarAnimationStudios/OpenUSD/blob/release/pxr/usdImaging/bin/usdrecord/usdrecord.py). From looking at the [code](https://github.com/PixarAnimationStudios/OpenUSD/blob/release/pxr/usdImaging/bin/usdrecord/usdrecord.py), it’s not clear to me how it decides what lighting setup to use, and if the background renders transparent or not, and wonder how that could be better controlled.  
Currently,

- in a scene without any lights some default lights are used
- in a scene with a DomeLight the DomeLight _and_ the default lights are used, leading to unintended overexposure
- in a scene without DomeLight, the background is transparent
- in a scene with DomeLight, the background is opaque (the dome)

What I’d like to do:

- being able to provide a DomeLight and have the default lights not be used
- being able to provide a DomeLight and still get a transparent background

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**Author:** ![klucknav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@klucknav](https://forum.aousd.org/u/klucknav)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 11:24pm UTC](https://forum.aousd.org/t/usdrecord-lighting-setup-dome-lights-transparency/1439/2 "2024-04-17T23:24:18Z")

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Currently usdrecord will always add a default camera light, if you want to disable this then add the --disableCameraLight argument when running usdrecord.  
As for dome light background visibility, right now this is always on, however, there is [PR](https://github.com/PixarAnimationStudios/OpenUSD/pull/2352) to add the ability to toggle this off so that should be added in the near future.

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**Author:** ![andybeers](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.aousd.org/andybeers/32/479_2.png) [@andybeers](https://forum.aousd.org/u/andybeers)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2024, 9:58pm UTC](https://forum.aousd.org/t/usdrecord-lighting-setup-dome-lights-transparency/1439/3 "2024-04-23T21:58:21Z")

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Thanks @klucknav! Super helpful

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**Author:** ![herbst](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.aousd.org/herbst/32/905_2.png) [@herbst](https://forum.aousd.org/u/herbst)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2024, 7:08pm UTC](https://forum.aousd.org/t/usdrecord-lighting-setup-dome-lights-transparency/1439/4 "2024-04-25T19:08:17Z")

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Thank you, that helps! Hope the PR lands soon 🤞