Jason Runnells.

3D Historical Shaded Relief Map of Utah (1992)

A custom 3D rendering of a historical USGS shaded relief map, utilizing SRTM elevation data and built with QGIS, Blender, Lightroom, and Photoshop.

Jason Runnells | August, 2025

Overview

This project began with sourcing 1 arc-second SRTM elevation data, which was processed and clipped in QGIS to define the area of interest (Utah). A historical 1992 USGS shaded relief map was obtained from the Library of Congress and georeferenced in QGIS to accurately align with the elevation data. This ensured the map’s features matched the real-world terrain.

The aligned imagery and elevation data were then imported into Blender, where a high-resolution mesh was created using the SRTM data as a displacement modifier to generate realistic topographic relief. HDRI lighting was applied to simulate natural outdoor illumination and enhance the map’s existing shaded relief. Final adjustments to contrast, texture, and color balance were made in Lightroom and Photoshop to bring out terrain detail while preserving the look and feel of the original historical map.