OpenHDRI.org – A New Source of High-Quality CC0 HDRIs

OpenHDRI.org — a new free library of HDRI maps up to 29K for artists and studios

OpenHDRI.org is a new initiative by Grzegorz Wronkowski, creator of HDRMAPS.com, launched as an open platform for the 3D community. The site offers free, ultra-high-resolution HDRI maps (up to 29,000 px) licensed under the CC0 license—they can be used in any project without restrictions or attribution.

Content and Categories

The library is actively expanding—dozens of HDRIs shot in Eastern Europe are already available: countryside, architecture, industrial zones, studio lighting, and interiors.

Categories include:

• Outdoor — city streets, bridges, churches, airfields;
• Nature — fields, meadows, forest landscapes;
• Urban — industrial and residential areas;
• Indoor — studios, spaces with artificial light.

Each map includes a preview and descriptions of lighting conditions, from clear days to overcast or evening scenes.

Site Features

Completely registration- and tracker-free — the site does not use cookies or collect personal data.

It supports anonymous downloads and only records download statistics.

There's a "Bracketing Calculator" section, a tool for photographers that helps calculate exposure steps when shooting HDR.

The "Support & Thanks" page lists the names of artists and studios supporting the initiative.

The "About" section describes the project's mission: to make access to realistic lighting as open and high-quality as possible.

Quality and Approach

Grzegorz personally creates HDRIs using professional equipment and post-processing, preserving natural colors, accurate dynamic range, and a precise sky gradient—all of which makes the maps suitable for production renders and gaming environments.

Each HDRI also includes a Color Checker HDRI file, available in the HDRI data table under the download button. This allows artists to fine-tune color and exposure in post-processing for perfectly balanced results.

Why the Community Needs It

OpenHDRI.org is a logical evolution of HDRMAPS—a transition to a completely open format. In an era where high-quality CC0 resources are becoming the standard, the project fills an important niche: premium HDRIs with no fees or barriers.

Visit the library: openhdri.org