Light Wrangler Blender Addon: Masterful Lighting Made Easy

Revolutionary Blender Lighting Workflow

Intuitive Setup and Extensive Customization Realistic Effects and Automated Processes From HDRI to Gobo to IES, Light Wrangler is the Ultimate Lighting Tool for Blender

Discover Why Artists Consider It Revolutionary

Precise Lighting Exactly Where You Need It

Targeted lighting with cursor control. Light Wrangler transforms scene lighting by enabling you to place and adjust lights effortlessly with a simple right-click, aligning them with your cursor for the best placement and angles. Effortlessly craft ideal lighting setups, drastically cutting down setup times and enhancing your productivity in any 3D endeavor.

Interactive and Unobtrusive Controls

Convenient on-the-fly adjustments. Customize every aspect of lighting right from your viewport—control intensity, size, and distance with easy scroll and keyboard shortcuts. Light Wrangler refines your workflow, providing swift and accurate adjustments to realize your creative vision.

Automated Accuracy with Versatile Manipulation

Opt between Reflect and Direct modes for automated light placement that ensures perfect specular highlights or diffuse lighting just where needed. Looking for a precise angle or effect? The Orbit positioning mode allows for detailed adjustments around a pivot to secure the perfect lighting angle.

Authentic Reflections and Vibrant Colors

Scrim mode for nuanced lighting. Embrace the finesse of studio-quality lighting with the Light Wrangler’s Scrim mode, which offers a natural fall-off and gradient, ideal for achieving depth and detail similar to professional photography lighting.

Transformative HDRI Textures

Sophisticated HDRI enhancements. Improve scene authenticity with Light Wrangler’s HDRI Maps, which you can apply to instantly enrich your scenes with elements like softboxes for light shaping or unique patterns for distinctive reflections, enhancing visual appeal.

Shape Shadows, Tell Stories

Gobo mode for engaging shadow play. Utilize gobos to forge intriguing shadow effects that add layers and emotion to your renders. Light Wrangler lets you choose from various patterns, allowing for precise adjustments of shadow sharpness and focus, transforming basic lighting into compelling storytelling tools.

True-to-Life Lights for Realistic Imagery

Genuine light emulation. Incorporate IES textures to replicate exact lighting conditions with exceptional precision. Ideal for architectural visualizations and interior projects, these textures impart authentic atmospheric effects to your scenes, elevating each render with true-to-life quality.

One-Click HDRI Baking, Effortless Workflow.

Effortless HDRI creation. With the One-Click HDRI Baking feature, you can instantly bake your lighting setups into HDRI maps. Transform your lighting setups into versatile assets, opening up a world of creative possibilities and streamlining your production pipeline.

Bright Reviews

"I am so delighted to find this addon. I am a 20 year veteran of another 3D program... Made the jump to Blender and am loving it. But one thing I missed was... the HDR Light Studio extension. ... [They] have jacked the price way too high ... At first I spent some time with the LeoMoon addon, but the system is overly complicated. Your Light Wrangler is just the thing I've been looking for! ... Perfect lighting for product shots is now a cakewalk again! Well done, sir!"
 Mark G

"It's the Best & Most Intuitive Lighting System for Blender Out There!!! Period!!! Thank You Leonid for this Addon & for All the Super Workflow Enhancing Features that You're Continuing to Add to it!!! ;)"
 Marko

"FANTASTIC addon! I absolutely hated placing lights before, this add-on completely flipped that around!! It's now a breeze and super easy to get beautiful results!"
 lolpoly

"This is an excellent addon! I had used another program called HDR Light Studio in the past to simplify the lighting process for product modeling, but this is way simpler and gets the job done at a fraction of the price. Just what I needed."
 Adam Frangione

"Thank you Leonid. This finally makes setting up lights fun. It is a very intuitive approach to lighting. Now I can't go back to pushing my glowing rectangles through space manually. The Gobos, HDRIs and IES add great value to the package."
 Fabian Grundmann

"Game changer. I was using a similar tool that also makes lighting fun and easy...but this one takes it even further with great interactions and constant development."
 Malcolm Overend

"Fantastic! Worth every penny. It allows you to adjust your lights in real time, so you can see the results as you go. You can quickly explore all the possibilities for your scene in seconds."
 Marcos Taquechel

See all reviews

Don't wait to revolutionize your lighting process.
Try Light Wrangler today and experience the next
level of efficiency and control in 3D lighting.

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System Requirements & Support

Compatible with Blender 2.9x or newer.
Cross-platform support for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Access the comprehensive documentation or contact me via email for support.

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Light Wrangler Changelog

v2.3.0 - 12/02/2024

• Partial Compatibility with Blender 4.4.0 Alpha: Light placement functionality issues are now fully resolved. Note: Extension updates or remote installs are currently unsupported.
• Optimized Light Placement Algorithms: Improved performance for scenes with extremely high polygon counts to reduce memory usage and prevent crashes reported by some users.

v2.2.9 - 11/30/2024

• Partial Compatibility with Lens Sim Add-On: Support implemented with some limitations.
• Known Issue: Light positioning is not functional when Lens Sim camera uses auto-focusing.

v2.2.8 - 11/21/2024

• Bug Fix: Resolved an issue in Blender 4.3 (Eevee) causing a runtime error with the use_contact_shadow attribute for area lights. This fix addresses the traceback error and ensures proper functionality in affected scenes.

v2.2.7 - 11/07/2024

• Alt + Right Mouse Drag: Simplified rotation of world HDRIs and dome objects directly in the viewport.
• Light Visibility System: Improved manual visibility handling. Lights toggled manually remain in manual mode, while others sync with the selection state.
• ColorTemp Slider: Enhanced usability with integer mode for smoother drag adjustments, avoiding overly precise float values.

v2.2.5 - 11/05/2024

• Light Visibility System: Introduced intelligent detection for manual visibility changes. Manually toggled lights remain in manual mode, while other lights automatically sync with selection state.
• Color Temperature Slider Adjustment: Slider now operates in integer mode for smoother adjustments during drag operations, eliminating overly precise float values.

v2.2.4 - 10/17/2024

• Bug Fix: Resolved an issue where canceling adjustments (with Escape or right-click) would delete light/shadow linking collections from other lights using the same collection as the current light.
• Partial Fix: Partially resolved errors when working with collection instances scattered using geometry nodes.

v2.2.3 - 10/12/2024

• HDRI Conversion Bug Fix: Resolved issue with the convert to HDRI feature.
• Shift+Tab Fallback: If the TAB key is unavailable, the addon now uses Shift+Tab.

v2.2.2 - 10/11/2024

• Fixed bug in Light Isolation feature where emissive geometry states were not reverted properly.

v2.2.1 - 10/08/2024

• Major Bug Fix: Resolved issue where objects positioned between the viewer and target object, but clipped due to camera clipping, would obstruct light placement. Targeting objects now works correctly even with camera clipping, which is common in archviz scenes.

v2.2.0 - 10/01/2024

• Orbit Mode Snap: Hold CTRL to snap the light to the left, right, top, bottom, behind, or in front of the object while positioning in orbit mode.
• Clear Tracking: Easily remove light tracking to adjust positions in interactive mode.
• Bug Fixes and Stability Improvements: Minor fixes and performance enhancements for smoother workflow.

v2.1.9 - 09/15/2024

• Urgent Bug Fix: Addressed a critical failure in custom HDRI texture handling that could cause crashes or unpredictable behavior.

v2.1.8 - 09/15/2024

• Light Gizmo Positioning: Partial fix for unpredictable movements.

v2.1.7 - 09/14/2024

• Smart Light Adjustments: Now turned off by default.
• Text Hints Improvements:
  • Value metrics now align with user settings, and brackets are removed.
  • Values are rounded to take up less space and improve readability at a glance.
  • Text color adjusted and shadow added for better legibility on bright backgrounds.

v2.1.6 - 09/13/2024

• Viewport Hints Layout Improvement: Enhanced layout for better clarity.
• Trackpad Control Sensitivity: Calibrated to more reasonable values for smoother control.

v2.1.5 - 09/09/2024

• Fixed issue with loading user-defined image previews.
• Light/Shadow linking in Direct Mode: Fixed issue with L/Shift+L shortcut.

v2.1.4 - 08/31/2024

• Fixed an issue related to switching, entering, or exiting modes in certain scenarios.

v2.1.3 - 08/24/2024

• Stability Improvements: Fixed issues that could cause errors during light positioning cancellation.

v2.1.2 - 08/23/2024

• Critical Bug Fix: Resolved a major issue with the new hiding/isolation logic in active mode that affected functionality.

v2.1.1 - 08/22/2024

• Updated Viewport Text Hints: Selected mode is now highlighted, and power, size, distance, and spread text shortcut hints display their values. Hints are dynamically shown based on available space in the viewport.
• Toggle Light Visibility: In active mode, the 'H' key to hide light and 'Shift+H' to isolate light now function as toggles, no longer requiring the keys to be held down.
• Enhanced Light Isolation: In non-active mode, when a light is isolated using the Star button, you can now switch between isolating different lights by clicking them in the outliner.
• Bug Fix: Corrected an issue where the interactive scrim preview displayed the wrong color temperature.

v2.1.0 - 08/20/2024

• Light Linking Control: Introduced a new feature for managing light linking in scenes. In active mode, press 'L' to add the object under the mouse to the current light's linking collection. Press 'L' again to exclude it, and press 'L' a third time to remove it from the collection entirely. Use 'Shift+L' to manage shadow linking with the same sequence of actions.

v2.0.9 - 08/13/2024

• Fixed issue where the addon failed with objects having non-mesh outputs from Geometry Nodes.

v2.0.8 - 08/09/2024

• Fixed issue where changing the texture of one duplicated light would change it for all, affecting Gobo, IES, and HDRI textures. Duplicated lights now operate independently without any unintended synchronization.

v2.0.7 - 08/08/2024

• ColorTemp Setting: Set ColorTemp to 0 to enable plain RGB emission.
• Initial Light Temperature: Option to set Initial Light Temperature to 0 in addon settings for consistent RGB emission.

v2.0.6 - 07/30/2024

• Custom IES Profiles: Added option to set custom folders for IES profiles.

v2.0.5 - 07/25/2024

• Trackpad Scroll Support: Added functionality for trackpad scrolling.

v2.0.4 - 07/22/2024

• Isolate Light Function: Fixed attribute error.

v2.0.3 - 07/17/2024

• Bug Fix: Resolved error when placing light with 'Curve' object.

v2.0.2 - 07/17/2024

• Bug Fix: Resolved issue with light hiding/isolation not reverting after exiting light positioning mode.

v2.0.1 - 07/16/2024

• Orbit Mode Gizmo: Partial fix for unpredictable behaviors.

v2.0 - 07/15/2024

• Compatibility with Blender 4.2: Fully supports the latest Blender version.
• Improved Light Positioning Algorithm: Rewritten from scratch for better accuracy and predictability.
• Stability Enhancements: Numerous improvements for increased stability.
• Custom GOBO Textures: Option to add your own folders with custom GOBO textures in the settings.

v1.9.11 - 06/26/2024

• Orbit Mode Fix: Resolved issue where scrolling without moving the mouse would change the light angle unexpectedly.

v1.9.9.2 - 05/25/2024

• Shortcut Customization: Added option to customize shortcuts via addon preferences.

v1.9.9.1 - 05/20/2024

• Critical Bug Fix: Resolved major issue with Point Light IES customization mode from versions 1.9.9 and 1.9.8.

v1.9.8 - 05/07/2024

• Convert to Plane Button: Added in Gobo Customization Mode for converting gobo area lights into planes with stencil textures, enhancing integration with main world lights.
• Enhanced Gobo Controls: New 'Invert Gobo' toggle and rotation slider improve flexibility in gobo effect management.
• New Gobo Textures: Introduction of additional gobo textures, expanding creative lighting options.
• Convert to HDR: Replaces 'Render Scrim to EXR', automatically integrating HDR images into node emission setups.
• HDRI Scene Rendering: New option in the World tab to render a 360° HDRI image of the current scene with a single click.

v1.9.6 - 04/04/2024

• Organize Light Feature Update: Reverted to beta status and disabled by default.

v1.9.3 - 03/20/2024

• Critical 'Organize Lights' Bug Fix: Addressed a major usability issue from v1.9.2. Updating is mandatory for all v1.9.2 users.

v1.9.2 - 03/19/2024

• Custom HDRI Textures: Introducing the ability to add personal HDRI texture folders for enhanced lighting customization.
• Auto Light Visibility: Improved feature reintroduction - toggles light visibility with selection for streamlined workflow.
• Organize Lights: Automates new light arrangement into a 'Lights' collection and renames based on light mode for project neatness.
• Orbit Mode Enhancement: Mouse cursor now seamlessly teleports across the screen edges in Orbit mode, ensuring uninterrupted navigation.
• Interactive Scrim Lights Preview: A new interactive preview in the customization panel for Scrim lights, enhancing user experience.
• Bug Fixes: Addressed orthographic mode light positioning issues, fixed Orbit mode navigation problems, and eliminated multiple minor bugs for increased stability.

v1.8.5 - 02/25/2024

• Logical HDRI Image Sorting: HDRI images now arranged in a more intuitive order.

v1.8.4 - 02/24/2024

• Gobo Texture Application Fix: Corrected issue with Gobo texture application in older Blender 3 versions.
• Orbit Positioning Mode Enhancement: Improved behavior for retrieving orbit positioning mode.
• New HDRI Light Textures: Addition of several new HDRI light textures.

v1.8.3 - 02/24/2024

• Fixed a bug that prevented light gizmos from being retained across Blender sessions.

v1.8.2 - 02/23/2024

• Bug Fix: Issue with incorrect last adjustment mode retrieval corrected.

v1.8.1 - 02/22/2024

• Fixed a critical bug causing unexpected resets in light-to-object proximity.

v1.8.0-Beta - 02/22/2024

• New Visual Representations for Positioning Modes: Redesigned gizmos for Reflect, Orbit, and Direct modes for intuitive use and better aesthetics.
• Enhanced User Experience: Press 1, 2, or 3 for instant activation of Reflect, Orbit, and Direct modes.
• Quick Adjust Feature: Allows temporary Light Adjusting mode with a simple left mouse click (and drag) on any gizmo for swift light manipulation.

v1.7.8 - 02/18/2024

• Hide Viewport Overlays: Automatically hides overlays in light adjusting mode for a clearer view, toggleable in settings.
• Minor Improvements: Enhanced light auto-positioning algorithm for improved performance.

v1.7.6 - 02/15/2024

• Orthographic Mode Fix: Temporary solution for issues in orthographic mode.
• Viewport Text Hints: Option to disable viewport text hints added.

v1.7.5 - 02/13/2024

• Improved Positioning Mode Switching: Instant updates when switching modes.
• Renamed Positioning Modes: Reflect Mode and Direct Mode for clarity.
• Default Initial Positioning Mode: Option to set default mode in settings.
• Adjust Light Shortcut: Changed to TAB key from F10.

v1.6.9 - 12/03/2023 (Testing Release)

• Positioning Modes: Buttons 1, 2, 3 for mode change.
• Spacebar Functionality: Switch modes with the Spacebar.
• Adjust Light (F10) Enhancement: Remembers last used mode.

v1.6.1 - 11/30/2023

• New Positioning Mode - Normal: Perpendicular light positioning.
• Spacebar to switch positioning modes.

v1.5.9 - 11/29/2023

• Bug Fixes: General improvements for smoother experience.
• New Animated Vegetation Gobos: Introduction of 14 beta gobos.

v1.5.6 - 11/28/2023

• Bug Fixes: Several issues addressed.
• Performance Improvements: Enhancements for smoother performance.

v1.5.4 - 11/26/2023

• Gobo Functionality Improvements: Bug fixes and enhancements.
• Increased Stability: Under-the-hood improvements.

v1.5.1 - 11/24/2023

• Critical Performance Bug Fix: Important update for optimal performance.

v1.5.0 - 11/23/2023 (Early Access)

• Light Customizations: New feature in developmental stages.
• Animated GoBos: Introduction of a basic form of animated gobos.

v1.4.4 - 11/19/2023

• Auto Light Visibility Toggle: Enhanced control over visibility.
• Manual Ground Level Setting: Flexibility in ground-level adjustments.
• Duplicate Light Option: Quick light copying and adjustment.
• Improved Preferences Access: Direct access for easier customization.

v1.3

• Custom Emission Node Improvement: Enhanced control and feathering.
• Early Access to New Light Types: Parabolic and octabox lights.
• UI Enhancements: Smoother light mode switching and texture use.

v1.1.0

• Quick Light Constraining: Simplified light target setup.

v1.0.8 - 11/19/2023

• Temporary Light Hide Feature: 'H' key to temporarily hide lights.