diff --git a/main/Scene.cc b/main/Scene.cc
index 08d84c8..ec2ae0c 100644
--- a/main/Scene.cc
+++ b/main/Scene.cc
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ Scene::Scene(map<string, const char *> options,
             m_verbose = true;
         }
     }
+
+    /* view plane distance is calculated based on the field of view */
+    m_view_plane_dist = (m_height / 2.0) / atan(m_vfov / 2.0);
 }
 
 Scene::~Scene()
@@ -69,8 +72,8 @@ Scene::~Scene()
 void Scene::load(const char * filename)
 {
     /* TODO: parse file somehow */
-    Shape * shape = new Sphere(2.0);
-    m_transform.translate(2.0, 6.0, 1.0);
+    Shape * shape = new Sphere(1.0);
+    m_transform.translate(2.0, 2.0, 0.0);
     shape->setTransform(m_transform);
     m_shapes.push_back(shape);
 }
@@ -110,12 +113,10 @@ void Scene::render()
 void Scene::renderPixel(int x, int y, unsigned char * pixel)
 {
     /* calculate the ray going from the camera through this pixel */
-    double rx = (x + 0.5) - (m_width >> 1);
-    double rz = (m_height >> 1) - (y + 0.5);
-    /* ry is calculated based on the field of view */
-    double ry = (m_height / 2.0) / atan(m_vfov / 2.0);
+    double rx = (x + 0.5) - (m_width / 2.0);
+    double rz = (m_height / 2.0) - (y + 0.5);
 
-    Ray ray(Vector(0, 0, 0), Vector(rx, ry, rz));
+    Ray ray(Vector(0, 0, 0), Vector(rx, m_view_plane_dist, rz));
 
     /* loop through all shapes in the scene */
     for (vector<Shape *>::iterator it = m_shapes.begin();
@@ -128,5 +129,18 @@ void Scene::renderPixel(int x, int y, unsigned char * pixel)
 
         /* then intersect this inversely transformed ray with the shape */
         Solver::Result intersections = (*it)->intersect(transformed_ray);
+
+        if (intersections.numResults > 0)
+        {
+            pixel[BMP_RED] = 0xFF;
+            pixel[BMP_GREEN] = 0xFF;
+            pixel[BMP_BLUE] = 0xFF;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            pixel[BMP_RED] = 0x0;
+            pixel[BMP_GREEN] = 0x0;
+            pixel[BMP_BLUE] = 0x0;
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/main/Scene.h b/main/Scene.h
index 8003c8d..c60caa2 100755
--- a/main/Scene.h
+++ b/main/Scene.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ class Scene
         /* private data */
         std::vector<Shape *> m_shapes;
         Transform m_transform;
+        double m_view_plane_dist;
 
         /* framebuffer */
         unsigned char * m_data;
diff --git a/shapes/Sphere.cc b/shapes/Sphere.cc
index 1569792..f23e1f6 100644
--- a/shapes/Sphere.cc
+++ b/shapes/Sphere.cc
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 
 #include "Sphere.h"
 #include "util/Solver.h"
+#include <iostream>
+using namespace std;
 
 Sphere::Sphere(double radius)
 {
     m_radius = radius;
+    m_radius2 = radius * radius;
 }
 
 Solver::Result Sphere::intersect(const Ray & ray)
@@ -16,7 +19,8 @@ Solver::Result Sphere::intersect(const Ray & ray)
                                + ray.getOrigin()[2] * ray.getDirection()[2] ),
                              ray.getOrigin()[0] * ray.getOrigin()[0]
                            + ray.getOrigin()[1] * ray.getOrigin()[1]
-                           + ray.getOrigin()[2] * ray.getOrigin()[2] );
+                           + ray.getOrigin()[2] * ray.getOrigin()[2]
+                           - m_radius2);
     Solver::Result quadSolutions = solver.solve();
     int resIdx = 0;
     for (int i = 0; i < quadSolutions.numResults; i++)
diff --git a/shapes/Sphere.h b/shapes/Sphere.h
index d577b72..9268b3f 100644
--- a/shapes/Sphere.h
+++ b/shapes/Sphere.h
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ class Sphere : public Shape
 
     private:
         double m_radius;
+        double m_radius2;
 };
 
 #endif