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specular highlight

English translation: small, localized highlight

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:specular highlight
Selected answer:small, localized highlight
Entered by: Tony M

19:20 May 23, 2010
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Photography/Imaging (& Graphic Arts)
English term or phrase: specular highlight
Could you help me with this term. It's related to photography. Thank you!
patymelo
Local time: 21:30
small, localized highlight / bright pinpoint / glint / sparkle
Explanation:
As Janed has said, the idea of 'specular' is of a localized 'spot' of light — the sort of 'sparkly' reflections you might get from a crystal chandelier, a sequinned dress, sunlight glinting on water, etc.

However, in this specific collocation of 'specular highlight', the additional meaning of 'highlight' is important for a proper understanding of the term as a whole.

Take the example of a photograph taken on a bright day, with a deep blue sky and fluffy, bright, white clouds — when taking this photograph, the exposure may well have to be a compromise between adequate exposure of a foreground subject (a person, for example) and not over-exposing the highlight areas, i.e. the white clouds, white clothing, etc., etc. These are examples of 'large-area highlights', whose correct exposure is usually crucial for acceptable image quality.

On the other hand, small localized highlights (glints from water, small areas of chrome on a bike, the polished wings of a pair of sunglasses, ...), which are referred to a 'specular highlights' add interest and sparkle to an image, but can often be allowed to seriously over-expose without detracting from the image quality.
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 02:30
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +2small, localized highlight / bright pinpoint / glint / sparkle
Tony M
5 +1spot of light
JaneD


  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
spot of light


Explanation:
"A specular highlight is the bright spot of light that appears on shiny objects when illuminated" - see wikipedia, for example.


    Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specular_highlight
JaneD
Sweden
Local time: 02:30
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks a lot!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Egil Presttun
50 mins
  -> thanks, Egil
neutral  Tony M: Not wrong, but to some extent a technical over-simplification
11 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
small, localized highlight / bright pinpoint / glint / sparkle


Explanation:
As Janed has said, the idea of 'specular' is of a localized 'spot' of light — the sort of 'sparkly' reflections you might get from a crystal chandelier, a sequinned dress, sunlight glinting on water, etc.

However, in this specific collocation of 'specular highlight', the additional meaning of 'highlight' is important for a proper understanding of the term as a whole.

Take the example of a photograph taken on a bright day, with a deep blue sky and fluffy, bright, white clouds — when taking this photograph, the exposure may well have to be a compromise between adequate exposure of a foreground subject (a person, for example) and not over-exposing the highlight areas, i.e. the white clouds, white clothing, etc., etc. These are examples of 'large-area highlights', whose correct exposure is usually crucial for acceptable image quality.

On the other hand, small localized highlights (glints from water, small areas of chrome on a bike, the polished wings of a pair of sunglasses, ...), which are referred to a 'specular highlights' add interest and sparkle to an image, but can often be allowed to seriously over-expose without detracting from the image quality.

Tony M
France
Local time: 02:30
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 15
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Rolf Keiser: "localized" sounds good
24 mins
  -> Thanks, G/C!
agree  Jenni Lukac (X): a very detailed answer, Tony!
7 hrs
  -> Thanks, Jenni! (sorry, only just spotted your comment)
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