Apparatus and Method for Environment Probe Guided Light Sampling

Apparatus and method for environmental probe guided light sampling. For example, one embodiment of a method comprises: generating a plurality of environment probes for a graphics scene, each environment probe having a direction originally associated therewith for capturing light from one or more light sources associated with the graphics scene; and altering one or more directions associated with a corresponding one or more environment probes to allow the one or more environment probes to receive a higher radiance of light from the one or more light sources compared to light received with the one or more directions originally associated with the one or more environment probes.