ENDA Episode 92→ The time when ENDA shares why lighting matters (Part 5)

The time has finally come to talk about light itself, starting with 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁. This is the area of a surface that the source hits head-on, and together with the form shadow, it defines an object’s volume.

Direct light also carries its own signature: 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀. These bright reflections are those tiny, intense, almost-white flecks that dance across a surface in just the right places. Their size, shape, and falloff change with material: glossy metal shows pinpoints; brushed plastic spreads them; fabric barely hints at them.

Why does this matter in Comp? Because highlights sell the illusion faster than any other cue. A CG element can match color and shadow, but if its highlight is missing or lands in the wrong spot, the brain calls it fake instantly. Real-world materials are defined by how direct light interacts with them.

In the GIF below, both the hand and the lightsaber are made from metal base materials, but looking up close, you will see that the sunlight interacts differently with each of them: the lightsaber has stronger highlights and the material is cleaner for reflections, while the hand has more sutile highlights and the reflections are more opaque.

When integrating, study where practical highlights appear in the plate and how the direct light affects other objects, so you have an idea of how to relight your comp.

And I know, I said there were two types of lights, and so far, we just talked about one.

Well… that would be for another episode.