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An interface of a graphic design software displaying a circular light gradient in the center. Surrounding it are various editing tools and sliders on the left side, set against a dark background, creating a contrast that emphasizes the glowing effect of the circle.

Open Light: Procedural HDR Lighting Without the Texture Archaeology

07.04.2026
Open Light is a new tool that generates procedural HDR light textures. It builds softboxes, gobos, Kino Flo style sources and other modifiers as 32-bit EXR or HDR files, with support for ACEScg and resolutions up to 4K.

For those who do not know the tool: There is not much legacy history to unpack here, because Open Light is new. The more relevant context is the developer: Borja Rama is a lighting artist with feature and episodic credits including Spellbound, The Mandalorian, Game of Thrones and Carnival Row. That background suggests the tool was built from actual production irritation, which is usually a better starting point than “we disrupted light.”

A digital interface showcasing a square pattern of glowing yellow hexagons, with a dark gradient background enhancing the luminous effect at the center. On the left, various editing sliders and tools are visible, suggesting functionality for visual adjustments.

Open Light is a small release with suspiciously practical ambitions. Instead of digging through old folders full of “final_light_v7_realfinal_02”, the standalone app generates HDR light textures procedurally, including softboxes, beauty dishes, gobos, Kino Flos and similar source patterns for lighting setups. According to Borja Rama, the tool came out of a very familiar problem: needing custom light textures and getting tired of hunting for them.

A digital interface showcasing a blurred, circular pattern resembling a bokeh effect. Bright, scattered light spots create a whimsical atmosphere against a dark background. To the left, various editing sliders and settings are visible, hinting at customization options for visual effects.

The useful part is that Open Light is not just a freebie texture pack with good intentions. It exposes controls for shape, falloff, surface imperfections, gels and grids, then exports the result as production-ready maps. Supported output formats include 32-bit EXR and HDR, with exports up to 4096 by 4096 pixels. Color space options include sRGB Linear and ACEScg.

A blurred digital interface filled with small, colorful squares arranged in a grid pattern. The colors are soft and varied, creating an abstract mosaic effect. Below the grid, there are control panels displaying sliders and settings, set against a dark background.

Rama also lists 87 simulated Lee and Rosco gels, along with controls designed to mimic various real-world source characteristics. That makes Open Light potentially useful beyond straight lookdev. It could fit into compositing, product viz, motion design, virtual production tests, or any scene where a generic white rectangle is technically correct but spiritually depressing.

Open Light is currently available as a free standalone beta for Windows 10 and 11. The download is listed on Gumroad, and Rama’s tools page notes EXR and HDR export for use in “any DCC application”. A macOS build is in progress, but no release date is given.


Open Light on Gumroad: https://2583407267451.gumroad.com/l/openlight
Borja Rama tools: https://www.borjarama.com/tools

Bela Beier Author