GDAL-RASTER-HILLSHADE(1) GDAL GDAL-RASTER-HILLSHADE(1)

gdal-raster-hillshade - Generate a shaded relief map

Added in version 3.11.

Usage: gdal raster hillshade [OPTIONS] <INPUT> <OUTPUT>
Generate a shaded relief map
Positional arguments:
  -i, --input <INPUT>                                  Input raster dataset [required]
  -o, --output <OUTPUT>                                Output raster dataset [required]
Common Options:
  -h, --help                                           Display help message and exit
  --json-usage                                         Display usage as JSON document and exit
  --config <KEY>=<VALUE>                               Configuration option [may be repeated]
  --progress                                           Display progress bar
Options:
  -f, --of, --format, --output-format <OUTPUT-FORMAT>  Output format ("GDALG" allowed)
  --co, --creation-option <KEY>=<VALUE>                Creation option [may be repeated]
  --overwrite                                          Whether overwriting existing output is allowed
  -b, --band <BAND>                                    Input band (1-based index) (default: 1)
  -z, --zfactor <ZFACTOR>                              Vertical exaggeration used to pre-multiply the elevations
  --xscale <XSCALE>                                    Ratio of vertical units to horizontal X axis units
  --yscale <YSCALE>                                    Ratio of vertical units to horizontal Y axis units
  --azimuth <AZIMUTH>                                  Azimuth of the light, in degrees (default: 315)
  --altitude <ALTITUDE>                                Altitude of the light, in degrees (default: 45)
  --gradient-alg <GRADIENT-ALG>                        Algorithm used to compute terrain gradient. GRADIENT-ALG=Horn|ZevenbergenThorne (default: Horn)
  --variant <VARIANT>                                  Variant of the hillshading algorithm. VARIANT=regular|combined|multidirectional|Igor (default: regular)
  --no-edges                                           Do not try to interpolate values at dataset edges or close to nodata values
Advanced Options:
  --if, --input-format <INPUT-FORMAT>                  Input formats [may be repeated]
  --oo, --open-option <KEY>=<VALUE>                    Open options [may be repeated]

gdal raster hillshade generates a shaded relief map, from any GDAL-supported elevation raster.

This subcommand is also available as a potential step of gdal raster pipeline

It generates an 8-bit raster with a nice shaded relief effect. It is very useful for visualizing the terrain. You can optionally specify the azimuth and altitude of the light source, a vertical exaggeration factor and scaling factors to account for differences between vertical and horizontal units.

The value 0 is used as the output nodata value. A nodata value in the target dataset will be emitted if at least one pixel set to the nodata value is found in the 3x3 window centered around each source pixel. By default, the algorithm will compute values at image edges or if a nodata value is found in the 3x3 window, by interpolating missing values, unless --no-edges is specified, in which case a 1-pixel border around the image will be set with the nodata value.

In general, it assumes that x, y and z units are identical. However, if none of --xscale and --yscale are specified, and the CRS is a geographic or projected CRS, it will automatically determine the appropriate ratio from the units of the CRS, as well as the potential value of the units of the raster band (as returned by GDALRasterBand::GetUnitsType(), if it is metre, foot international or US survey foot). Note that for geographic CRS, the result for source datasets at high latitudes may be incorrect, and prior reprojection to a polar projection might be needed using gdal raster reproject.

If x (east-west) and y (north-south) units are identical, but z (elevation) units are different, the --xscale and --yscale can be used to set the ratio of vertical units to horizontal. For geographic CRS near the equator, where units of latitude and units of longitude are similar, elevation (z) units can be converted to be compatible by using scale=370400 (if elevation is in feet) or scale=111120 (if elevation is in meters). For locations not near the equator, the --xscale value can be taken as the --yscale value multiplied by the cosine of the mean latitude of the raster.

Which output raster format to use. Allowed values may be given by gdal --formats | grep raster | grep rw | sort
Many formats have one or more optional creation options that can be used to control particulars about the file created. For instance, the GeoTIFF driver supports creation options to control compression, and whether the file should be tiled.

May be repeated.

The creation options available vary by format driver, and some simple formats have no creation options at all. A list of options supported for a format can be listed with the --formats command line option but the documentation for the format is the definitive source of information on driver creation options. See Raster drivers format specific documentation for legal creation options for each format.

Allow program to overwrite existing target file or dataset. Otherwise, by default, gdal errors out if the target file or dataset already exists.
Index (starting at 1) of the band to which the hillshade must be computed.
Vertical exaggeration used to pre-multiply the elevations
Added in version 3.11.

Ratio of vertical units to horizontal X axis units. If the horizontal unit of the source DEM is degrees (e.g Lat/Long WGS84 projection), you can use scale=111120 if the vertical units are meters (or scale=370400 if they are in feet).

If none of --xscale and --yscale are specified, and the CRS is a geographic or projected CRS, gdal raster hillshade will automatically determine the appropriate ratio from the units of the CRS, as well as the potential value of the units of the raster band (as returned by GDALRasterBand::GetUnitsType(), if it is metre, foot international or US survey foot). Note that for geographic CRS, the result for source datasets at high latitudes may be incorrect, and prior reprojection to a polar projection might be needed.

If --xscale is specified, --yscale must also be specified.

Added in version 3.11.

Ratio of vertical units to horizontal Y axis units. If the horizontal unit of the source DEM is degrees (e.g Lat/Long WGS84 projection), you can use scale=111120 if the vertical units are meters (or scale=370400 if they are in feet)

If none of --xscale and --yscale are specified, and the CRS is a geographic or projected CRS, gdal raster hillshade will automatically determine the appropriate ratio from the units of the CRS, as well as the potential value of the units of the raster band (as returned by GDALRasterBand::GetUnitsType(), if it is metre, foot international or US survey foot). Note that for geographic CRS, the result for source datasets at high latitudes may be incorrect, and prior reprojection to a polar projection might be needed.

If --yscale is specified, --xscale must also be specified.

Azimuth of the light, in degrees. 0 if it comes from the top of the raster, 90 from the east, ... The default value, 315, should rarely be changed as it is the value generally used to generate shaded maps.

This option is mutually exclusive with --variant=multidirectional.

Altitude of the light, in degrees. 90 if the light comes from above the DEM, 0 if it is raking light. The default value is 45 degree.

This option is mutually exclusive with --variant=Igor.

Algorithm used to compute terrain gradient. The default is Horn. The literature suggests Zevenbergen & Thorne to be more suited to smooth landscapes, whereas Horn's formula to perform better on rougher terrain.
Variant of the hillshading algorithm:
•
regular: the hillshade values combines the computed slope with the azimuth and altitude of the illumination according to:


{Hillshade} = 1 + 254.0 * ((\sin(altitude) * cos(slope)) + (cos(altitude) * sin(slope) * cos(azimuth - \frac{\pi}{2} - aspect)))



Do not try to interpolate values at dataset edges or close to nodata values

This program supports serializing the command line as a JSON file using the GDALG output format. The resulting file can then be opened as a raster dataset using the GDALG: GDAL Streamed Algorithm driver, and apply the specified pipeline in a on-the-fly / streamed way.

$ gdal raster hillshade --zfactor=30 n43.dt0 out.tif --overwrite

Even Rouault <even.rouault@spatialys.com>

1998-2025

May 6, 2025