Painting with Light

Explore state-of-the-art 3D rendering techniques in this GopherCon 2018 talk by Hunter Loftis. Dive into the world of path tracing, a simple yet powerful algorithm for capturing color and texture in computer graphics. Learn how to render stunning images by simulating billions of photons using Go on affordable cloud infrastructure. Gain insights into the subtle visual differences between materials like glass, plastic, and water, and understand how they interact with light. Examine various concurrency schemes for simulating light behavior in Go, along with potential pitfalls in graphics programming. Discover the historical context of computer graphics, from the Manhattan Project to modern blockbuster films. Investigate the rendering equation, image-based lighting, and complex geometry. By the end of this talk, gain a new perspective on how simple rules create rich visual information and be inspired to push Go into new frontiers of computer graphics.