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LightingAngle

is an option for ReliefPlot and related functions that specifies the angle from which simulated illumination is taken to come.

Details
Details and Options Details and Options
Examples  
Basic Examples  
Scope  
Neat Examples  
See Also
History
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LightingAngle

LightingAngle

is an option for ReliefPlot and related functions that specifies the angle from which simulated illumination is taken to come.

Details

  • Angles are measured in radians, counterclockwise from the positive direction in the final image.
  • LightingAngle->{θ,ϕ} takes the effective illumination source to be oriented at angle ϕ out of the image plane.
  • LightingAngle->θ is equivalent to LightingAngle->{θ,Pi/4}.

Examples

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Basic Examples  (1)

By default, the simulated lighting is placed at , or the top left corner, with altitude :

Wolfram Language code: ReliefPlot[Table[Sin[i ^ 2 + j ^ 2], {i, -4, 4, .05}, {j, -4, 4, .05}], ColorFunction -> None]

Place the light source at , or the left of the map:

Wolfram Language code: ReliefPlot[Table[Sin[i ^ 2 + j ^ 2], {i, -4, 4, .05}, {j, -4, 4, .05}], LightingAngle -> 180°, ColorFunction -> None]

Place the light source at , or the right side of the map, with altitude:

Wolfram Language code: ReliefPlot[Table[Sin[i ^ 2 + j ^ 2], {i, -4, 4, .05}, {j, -4, 4, .05}], ColorFunction -> None, LightingAngle -> {0, Pi / 12}]

Scope  (2)

The result with no shading:

Wolfram Language code: ReliefPlot[Table[Sin[i] + Cos[j], {i, -10, 10, .2}, {j, -10, 10, .2}], LightingAngle -> None]

Use predefined symbolic directions:

Wolfram Language code: Table[ReliefPlot[ Table[Sin[i] + Cos[j], {i, -10, 10, .2}, {j, -10, 10, .2}], ImageSize -> 100, LightingAngle -> p], {p, {Right, Top, Left, Bottom}}]

Neat Examples  (1)

Change light source direction continuously:

Wolfram Language code: Animate[ReliefPlot[Table[Sin[i ^ 2 + j ^ 2], {i, -4, 4, .05}, {j, -4, 4, .05}], ColorFunction -> None, MaxPlotPoints -> Infinity, LightingAngle -> θ, BoxRatios -> {1, 1, .2}, ImageSize -> 150], {θ, 0, 2Pi}, AnimationRunning -> False]
Wolfram Research (2007), LightingAngle, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/LightingAngle.html.

Text

Wolfram Research (2007), LightingAngle, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/LightingAngle.html.

CMS

Wolfram Language. 2007. "LightingAngle." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/LightingAngle.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (2007). LightingAngle. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/LightingAngle.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2026_lightingangle, author="Wolfram Research", title="{LightingAngle}", year="2007", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/LightingAngle.html}", note=[Accessed: 13-June-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2026_lightingangle, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={LightingAngle}, year={2007}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/LightingAngle.html}, note=[Accessed: 13-June-2026]}