overexposure

n. PhotographyA condition in which too much light reaches the light-sensitive material during image formation.

Notes

With negative film, overexposure results in highlights being forced onto the shoulder of the characteristic curve, compressing the tones (blocking up). With print materials, highlights are not light and detail in the shadows is lost in black. In color transparencies, colors are washed out (desaturated) and highlights are a blank white.