light on river

[alpacinou]

Hello.

I want to say the surface of the river was dark. Then a car arrived and the light from the headlight lit up the surface of the river. How can I describe this idea?

Here's my sentence:

It was pitch black. He was staring at the river flowing in complete darkness until he heard the crunch of tires, the car's headlights...

How can I complete this sentence to suggest the light from the headlights lit up the surface of the river?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hello.

I want to say the surface of the river was dark. Then a car arrived and the light from the headlight lit up the surface of the river. How can I describe this idea?

Here's my sentence:

It was pitch black. He was staring at the river flowing in complete darkness until he heard the crunch of tires, the car's headlights...

How can I complete this sentence to suggest the light from the headlights lit up the surface of the river?

Light doesn't light up water's surface. It bounces off. If it's night, the water remains black. Go look.

 

[probus]

I am mystified by your reply, Charlie. Can you clarify?

https://images.app.goo.gl/isZDZAEDhyv9xJhf6

 

[emsr2d2]

Regardless of the science of it, the surface of the water certainly (to human eyes) appears illuminated.

 

[Tortuga]

I am not a teacher.

"The car's headlights reflected off the surface of the water."
I can only think of how you can see the reflection of an animal's eyes from a flashlight.

 

[Tdol]

How about glint?

 

[alpacinou]

What do you think about these sentences?

1. It was pitch black. He was staring at the river flowing in complete darkness until he heard the crunch of tires, the car's headlights illuminating the black flow of the water.

2. It was pitch black. He was staring at the river flowing in complete darkness until he heard the crunch of tires, the car's headlights glinting off the surface of the water.

3. It was pitch black. He was staring at the river flowing in complete darkness until he heard the crunch of tires, the dark surface of the water glinting under the headlight's harsh light.

Is there a better way of expressing it?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

You see reflections of light. Moonlight, for instance. Things floating on the water, like boats or debris, are illuminated. But the water itself doesn't light up the way, say, a wall or a field or a parking lot does. At night, it's still black as ink, no matter how much light you shine on it.

Never mind.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

What do you think about these sentences?

1. It was pitch black. He was staring at the river flowing in complete darkness until he heard the crunch of tires, the car's headlights illuminating the black flow of the water.

2. It was pitch black. He was staring at the river flowing in complete darkness until he heard the crunch of tires, the car's headlights glinting off the surface of the water.

3. It was pitch black. He was staring at the river flowing in complete darkness until he heard the crunch of tires, the dark surface of the water glinting under the headlight's harsh light.

Is there a better way of expressing it?

I like those a lot.

 

[GoesStation]

Headlights', unless one of them was burned out.

 

[alpacinou]

I like those a lot.

Are you serious? You like all three of them?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Are you serious? You like all three of them?

As we like to say in the US, I'm as serious as a heart attack!

 

[alpacinou]

As we like to say in the US, I'm as serious as a heart attack!

And I learned something new! I can't learn enough!