To Match a Free Camera to the Background

  1. (Optional.) Create a Free Camera and make the viewport with the background into a Camera viewport..
    Tip: The Perspective Match controls also work in Perspective viewports. However, Perspective Match does not work with Target Cameras.
  2. Go to the Utilities panel. On the Utilities rollout, click Perspective Match.
  3. On the Perspective Match Controls rollout, click to turn on Show Vanishing Lines.

    In the viewport, 3ds Max displays six vanishing-line gizmos.

  4. Use the mouse to align the gizmos with the perspective of the bitmap.

    Drag a gizmo to move it, or drag the gizmo's endpoint to resize it. The goal is to align the gizmos so they indicate the vanishing point (or points) of the bitmap scene. Arrange the red (X) and green (Y) pairs of gizmos so they appear to be at right angles to each other. Arrange the blue (Z) gizmos to align with vertical lines.

    3ds Max adjusts the position of the camera so the scene perspective aligns with the background.

    Tip: Depending on the background art, you might not need to place all six gizmos. The radio buttons in the Vanishing Points group let you display the gizmos for only two axes.

    While adjusting the perspective gizmos, you can change the size of the viewport, or maximize or minimize it.

  5. Use the Camera Adjustments Horizontal and Vertical spinners to place the construction grid where you want it.
    Tip: 2D Pan Zoom mode can help you place the vanishing-line gizmos accurately.
  6. Click Hide Vanishing Lines when you are satisfied that you have matched the perspective of the background.

    Now when you place objects in the scene, the camera's point of view makes the objects match the background.

  7. Use the other Perspective Match controls to refine the camera's position.
Tip: When you place objects against a perspective-matched background, you can use the Matte/Shadow/Reflection material (or, with the Default Scanline Renderer, the Matte/Shadow material) to cast shadows against the background.

Bicycle geometry casts a shadow on an (invisible) object with the Matte/Shadow/Reflection material.