# HDRI backdrop reflect lower black hemisphere in UE5.5

**URL:** <https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/hdri-backdrop-reflect-lower-black-hemisphere-in-ue5-5/2133117>\
**Category:** Rendering\
**Tags:** unreal-engine, Rendering, question\
**Created:** [November 18, 2024, 4:00pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/hdri-backdrop-reflect-lower-black-hemisphere-in-ue5-5/2133117 "2024-11-18T16:00:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 5

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**Author:** ![ValkTuna](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@ValkTuna](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/ValkTuna)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2026, 1:29pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/hdri-backdrop-reflect-lower-black-hemisphere-in-ue5-5/2133117/5 "2026-07-22T13:29:21Z")

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![image](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/1/d/4/1d4a2b6010164eaa36f5e991f02c5500b3a60c9e.jpeg)

I’m on UE5.8 with the same settings, and it seems that the black lower hemisphere still persists.

EDIT: Had to swap to Hit Lighting for Reflections. But now it seems that the lower half has a clear cutoff line in which it shades differently from the top.

 ![image](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/9/0/2905dce8ada9ec1ef8e3ac6998379c8fbfc484a0.jpeg)

EDIT2: Back on Surface Cache. Had to uncheck Visible in Ray Tracing for the HDRI geometry.

Thanks to this post here: [HDRI doesn't light up environment - #19 by CoolSmek](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/hdri-doesnt-light-up-environment/692075/19)

 ![image](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/e/9/b/e9b57dad5aab6db82ecfddaf1fa6ccf36ef889d9.jpeg)

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