Long exposure nude
This image employs an overall graininess and impressionistic quality. Colors and forms blend seamlessly with one another. The composition owes as much to painting as it does to the tradition of photography. Delicate impressions of shapes and movement abandon the tradition of razor sharp details and documentation. Easily mistaken for a lack of focus (the focal point is near the hips) this effect is created over a series of instances. This figure photograph is, at its essence, an extended time exposure nude of a swimmer. The loose, painterly effect puts the emphasis on movement spanning time rather than a lucid illustration of one moment.
The subtle flow of motion imparts a fleeting feeling to the piece where many things are suggested but nothing is clearly defined. The effect can be endlessly fascinating as the eye pursues visual ambiguities blended into the composition.
The effect is dramatized when a viewer begins from a distance, with the image appearing somewhat “normal” and becomes enigmatic as they get up close. This is the opposite feeling of the typical photograph, which reveals more as you get closer. In essence, the more specifics you demand, the harder she is to define; a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.
There is a dramatic feeling of movement in the body, ripples, and reflections. The angle of her head and arms at her sides indicates her forward movement.
Compare this extended time exposure nude with a crisp fine art nude that shares same subject, similar colors and shapes, but results in a different visual effect.
Considerations
This image is a departure from Knight’s primary style. This artwork includes a pronounced grain effect. This is an extended time exposure image, resulting in a softly blended, painterly effect. The areas of focus are difficult to discern and there is an intentional lack of fine detail. These characteristics can be seen by zooming in fully on each image prior to purchase.
