Brightness and Scene Settings
Scene settings control the overall look of your canvas — the brightness of the house photo and any active AI scene. These are global settings that affect the entire design, not individual elements.
What you'll learn
- How to adjust photo brightness
- When to use brightness vs. AI scenes
- How brightness interacts with AI scenes
Adjust brightness
- Make sure no element is selected — click on empty space or press Escape to deselect.
- The sidebar Lights tab shows "Scene Settings" with a brightness slider.
- Drag the slider to dim or brighten the house photo.
| Value | Effect | |-------|--------| | 100% (right) | Original photo brightness — no change | | 85% (default) | Slight dim — lights stand out more, house still clearly visible | | 50% | Significant dim — dramatic nighttime feel | | 0% (left) | Maximum dim — very dark, lights are the primary visual |
Tip: For client presentations, try 70-80% brightness. The house structure should be clearly visible, but the lights should be the star. Too dark and the client can't see architectural details; too bright and the lights get lost.
Brightness vs. AI Scene Changer
Both brightness and AI scenes change the feel of your design, but they work differently:
| Feature | Brightness slider | AI Scene Changer | |---------|------------------|-----------------| | What it does | Dims the existing photo | Replaces the sky and atmosphere | | Cost | Free, always | Free (Dusk) or 1 AI credit per scene | | Speed | Instant | 15-20 seconds for AI scenes | | Effect | Just darker/lighter | Atmospheric transformation (snow, moonlight, etc.) | | Best for | Quick mockups, adjusting contrast | Polished presentations, wow-factor |
You can combine both — apply an AI scene and then adjust brightness on top of it.
When the sidebar shows Scene Settings
The Lights tab is context-sensitive. It shows different content depending on your selection:
| State | Sidebar shows | |-------|---------------| | Nothing selected | Scene Settings — brightness slider | | Element selected | Editing Strand/Shrub — color, bulb type, spacing, layers |
To get back to Scene Settings, deselect everything (click empty space or press Escape).
Related: