In this underwater artwork, a slender, nude woman plummets into cerulean waters. Her body traces an elegant, diagonal curve as she meanders to the lower left of the photograph.
Composition
Her cream-colored figure sweeps across the frame, guiding the viewer’s eye from the upper right to lower left of the composition. Her alabaster skin contrasts with the ominous, shadowy void on the far left.
As she drifts downward, a trail of tiny bubbles escape in her wake. There is a somber limpness to her figure, blurring the line between swimming or surrendering to the depths. Her lips remain pursed as she retains her breath.
Our vantage point is close. Tightly cropped, the shadows that define her muscles and curves are apparent. The water softens the shadows and smooths her lines into an ethereal and ghostly nude form. Her pale skin contributes to the phantom-like appearance.
Her face is partially hidden, revealing a hint of her emotional state. She makes no effort to portray vitality, choosing instead to descend.
Theme
Water has a myriad of emotions associated with it, depending on context. Where one experiences fear, another finds sanctuary. While her inverted posture may suggest an uneasiness, the woman has abandoned control, freeing herself from life’s daily burdens and strife. She floats freely, an air of tranquility conveyed through her sense of calm and the idyllic, clear waters.
This scene was produced using a waterproof camera and custom improvised lighting system consisting of a number of strobes and reflectors. The texture of this image is made up of dense, pronounced granules, visible on close inspection. Reminiscent of high-speed film grain, this effect contains tiny dots of varying darkness tightly distributed throughout the image.
Collections
This image was selected for the “Best of Photovogue” collection by the Photo Editor of Vogue Italia.
For additional artwork featuring confident and inspiring women below the surface, see underwater art nudes.
Considerations
This image is a departure from Knight’s primary style. Throughout this artwork is a soft grainy/gritty effect. This effect is most pronounced in the corners. These aspects can be examined prior to purchase by fully zooming in on each preview.
