[page:LightShadow] →

# [name]

This is used internally by [page:DirectionalLight DirectionalLights] for calculating shadows.
Unlike the other shadow classes, this uses an [page:OrthographicCamera] to calculate the shadows, rather than a [page:PerspectiveCamera]. This is because light rays from a [page:DirectionalLight] are parallel.

## Code Example

`//Create a WebGLRenderer and turn on shadows in the renderer const renderer = new THREE.WebGLRenderer(); renderer.shadowMap.enabled = true; renderer.shadowMap.type = THREE.PCFSoftShadowMap; // default THREE.PCFShadowMap //Create a DirectionalLight and turn on shadows for the light const light = new THREE.DirectionalLight( 0xffffff, 1 ); light.position.set( 0, 1, 0 ); //default; light shining from top light.castShadow = true; // default false scene.add( light ); //Set up shadow properties for the light light.shadow.mapSize.width = 512; // default light.shadow.mapSize.height = 512; // default light.shadow.camera.near = 0.5; // default light.shadow.camera.far = 500; // default //Create a sphere that cast shadows (but does not receive them) const sphereGeometry = new THREE.SphereGeometry( 5, 32, 32 ); const sphereMaterial = new THREE.MeshStandardMaterial( { color: 0xff0000 } ); const sphere = new THREE.Mesh( sphereGeometry, sphereMaterial ); sphere.castShadow = true; //default is false sphere.receiveShadow = false; //default scene.add( sphere ); //Create a plane that receives shadows (but does not cast them) const planeGeometry = new THREE.PlaneGeometry( 20, 20, 32, 32 ); const planeMaterial = new THREE.MeshStandardMaterial( { color: 0x00ff00 } ) const plane = new THREE.Mesh( planeGeometry, planeMaterial ); plane.receiveShadow = true; scene.add( plane ); //Create a helper for the shadow camera (optional) const helper = new THREE.CameraHelper( light.shadow.camera ); scene.add( helper );`

## Constructor

### [name]( )

Creates a new [name]. This is not intended to be called directly - it is called internally by [page:DirectionalLight].

## Properties

See the base [page:LightShadow LightShadow] class for common properties.

### [property:Camera camera]

The light's view of the world. This is used to generate a depth map of the scene; objects behind other objects from the light's perspective will be in shadow.
The default is an [page:OrthographicCamera] with [page:OrthographicCamera.left left] and [page:OrthographicCamera.bottom bottom] set to `-5`, [page:OrthographicCamera.right right] and [page:OrthographicCamera.top top] set to `5`, the [page:OrthographicCamera.near near] clipping plane at `0.5` and the [page:OrthographicCamera.far far] clipping plane at `500`.

### [property:Boolean isDirectionalLightShadow]

Read-only flag to check if a given object is of type [name].

## Methods

See the base [page:LightShadow LightShadow] class for common methods.

## Source

[link:https://github.com/mrdoob/three.js/blob/master/src/lights/[name].js src/lights/[name].js]