Analysis of the point‐spread function (PSF) yields the directional variations of scattered light with high resolution in the vicinity of the specular direction and now, finally, at reduced but sufficient resolution, also at off‐specular directions, thus providing a basis for the determination of a set of complete in‐plane BRD/BTD functions. This approach is applied to both identification and separation of mirror, haze and Lambertian reflection components which then can be classified into such components that are forwarding visual information to the observer (i. e. visual signal) and disturbing reflections (i.e. visual noise).