Highlight Node

Highlight isolates the pixels between a Low and a High luminance threshold, and casts star rays from each of them with a defined length and number of points. Widely used to simulate camera star filters (physical 4-point / 6-point filters, etc. used in studios and on film sets).

A signature effect of romance films, galas, wedding videos, mirror reflections and sparkling jewelry. With fine-tuned settings, the result is believable and cinematic.

• Effects Library: Tools > Effect > Highlight
• Quick add: right-click in the Node Editor → Add Tool > Effect > Highlight

Highlight

Star glints from every bright pixel (multiple stars in the image). A photo star filter simulation.

Rays

Rays coming from a single defined point (centered god rays). A modified zoom blur.

Hot Spot

A lens flare / spotlight at a fixed position - a single stylized light source.

Rule of thumb: several stars on every bright reflection → Highlight. A single light beam → Rays. A single lens flare → Hot Spot.

• Image Input (orange) - the 2D source image.
• Effect Mask (blue) - optional. Limits the highlights to an area (e.g. only on a necklace, on car headlights).
• Highlight Mask (white) - optional. Pre-filters the image before the highlights are generated. Prevents the star extensions from being cut off at the edges of the image.

Glamorous cinema look:
MediaIn → Highlight (Points 6, medium Length, high Curve) → MediaOut

Processing the glints separately:
MediaIn → Highlight (Merge Over OFF) → Color Corrector → Merge 2D Screen
                                                            ↑
original MediaIn ────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Low Range

Low luminance threshold. Pixels below it generate no highlight. Keep it high to target only the truly bright reflections.

High Range

High threshold. The zone between Low and High = the emission zone. An implicit soft edge between the two.

Curve

Controls the intensity falloff curve along the star. High = the intensity drops near the center (short but bright points). Low = a more spread-out, softer star.

Length

Length of the points. Short = discreet glints, long = huge stars that dominate the image.

Number of Points

Number of points of the star. Classic values: 4 (4-point star filter), 6 (like the photographic flares of a hexagonal aperture), 8 (high-end star filters).

Angle

Rotation of the star pattern. Animate it slightly for a "twinkle" effect.

Merge Over

On: the effect is merged over the original image (ready-to-use output). Off: outputs only the highlights (on alpha), so you can process them separately (color correct, blur) before merging them back.

Controls the color of the points based on the distance from the center of the star. Each RGBA channel has its own falloff.

Red / Green / Blue

Falloff of each channel. Setting each channel differently = chromatic dispersion (the tips of the points turn bluish or reddish, like a prism).

Alpha

Transparency falloff. Points that become transparent as they extend - a more natural look than a constant intensity.

• Cinema star filter (glamour) - Number of Points 6, medium Length, high Low Range = classic romantic glints, a Disney / red carpet look.
• Reflections on jewelry - a mask on a bracelet or necklace → Highlight with 4 Points = sparkles on the diamonds.
• Car headlights at night - a very high Low Range (only the headlights emit), 8 Points, long Length = the classic cross-star pattern of urban night photography.
• Welding highlights / sparks - a shot of a factory / construction site, highlight the spatter = more spectacular molten metal.
• Shop window / gala mood - every reflection of the set lights emits glints = an opulent cinema mood.
• Processing the glints separately - Merge Over OFF → Color Corrector to tint the stars gold/blue → merge back for full creative control.

• High Low Range = clean - start at 0.85-0.9 to affect only the real highlights. Too low = highlights everywhere, visual chaos.
• 4 or 6 Number of Points by default - 4 is the classic star filter. 6 looks like the hexagonal apertures of real lenses. 8+ becomes unrealistic.
• Animate the Angle very slightly (± 2-3° over a few frames) for a subtle twinkle. A fast rotation = an unrealistic spinning effect, avoid it.
• Highlight Mask to avoid cut-offs - if a star point is cut off by the edge of the image, feed a Highlight Mask that keeps the generation further from the edge.
• Color Scale for dispersion - offset the R/G/B channels so the tips of the points turn rainbow. A believable chromatic lens effect.
• Combine with a subtle Glow - Highlight gives sharp points; adding a light Glow/Bloom gives the diffuse halo that surrounds real bare lights.
• For a horizontal anamorphic look, use only horizontal points (Points 2, Angle 0°) + a long Length = the horizontal streaks typical of anamorphic lenses.