diff --git a/main/Scene.cc b/main/Scene.cc
index f050f73..44dcb27 100644
--- a/main/Scene.cc
+++ b/main/Scene.cc
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
-#include <utility>
+#include <utility>              /* pair */
 #include <map>
+#include <algorithm>            /* sort() */
+#include <functional>           /* binary_function */
 #include <math.h>
 #include "BMP.h"
 #include "shapes/Shape.h"
@@ -158,7 +160,7 @@ Vector Scene::traceRay(const Ray & ray)
 {
     Vector color;
 
-    vector< pair<Shape *, double> > hits = getRayHits(ray, 0.0);
+    vector<ShapeDistance> hits = getRayHits(ray);
     if (hits.size() > 0)
     {
         color[0] = color[1] = color[2] = 1.0;
@@ -167,10 +169,9 @@ Vector Scene::traceRay(const Ray & ray)
     return color;
 }
 
-vector< pair<Shape *, double> >
-Scene::getRayHits(const Ray & ray, double minDist)
+vector<Scene::ShapeDistance> Scene::getRayHits(const Ray & ray)
 {
-    vector< pair<Shape *, double> > hits;
+    vector<ShapeDistance> hits;
 
     /* loop through all shapes in the scene */
     for (vector<Shape *>::iterator it = m_shapes.begin();
@@ -179,17 +180,26 @@ Scene::getRayHits(const Ray & ray, double minDist)
     {
         Solver::Result intersections = (*it)->intersect(ray);
 
-        if (intersections.numResults > 0)
+        for (int i = 0; i < intersections.numResults; i++)
         {
-            for (int i = 0; i < intersections.numResults; i++)
+            Vector normal =
+                (*it)->getNormalAt(ray[intersections.results[i]]);
+            double dot = normal % ray.getDirection();
+            if (dot < 0.0) /* cull back faces */
             {
-                if (intersections.results[i] > minDist)
-                {
-                    hits.push_back(pair<Shape *, double>(*it, intersections.results[i]));
-                }
+                hits.push_back(ShapeDistance(*it, intersections.results[i]));
             }
         }
     }
 
+    /* now that we have ALL the hits, sort them by distance */
+    sort(hits.begin(), hits.end());
+
     return hits;
 }
+
+bool operator<(const Scene::ShapeDistance & sd1,
+               const Scene::ShapeDistance & sd2)
+{
+    return sd1.second < sd2.second;
+}
diff --git a/main/Scene.h b/main/Scene.h
index 221566e..4e1a0ae 100755
--- a/main/Scene.h
+++ b/main/Scene.h
@@ -16,6 +16,15 @@
 class Scene
 {
     public:
+        /* types */
+        class ShapeDistance : public std::pair<Shape *, double>
+        {
+            public:
+                ShapeDistance(Shape *, double) : std::pair<Shape *, double>()
+                {
+                };
+        };
+
         Scene(std::map<std::string, const char *> options,
               const char * filename);
         ~Scene();
@@ -26,8 +35,7 @@ class Scene
         void load(const char * filename);
         void renderPixel(int x, int y, unsigned char * pixel);
         Vector traceRay(const Ray & ray);
-        std::vector< std::pair<Shape *, double> >
-            getRayHits(const Ray & ray, double minDist);
+        std::vector<ShapeDistance> getRayHits(const Ray & ray);
 
         /* rendering parameters */
         int m_width;
@@ -50,5 +58,8 @@ class Scene
         unsigned char * m_data;
 };
 
+bool operator<(const Scene::ShapeDistance & sd1,
+               const Scene::ShapeDistance & sd2);
+
 #endif