Which characteristic represents an image that is over-exposed?

An image that is over-exposed is characterized by a loss of detail in the bright areas. When a photograph is taken with too much light reaching the sensor or film, bright areas can become washed out, resulting in the loss of texture and tonal variation. This often appears as pure white or a very pale area with no discernible detail, making it difficult to recover any information from those regions in post-processing.

The other options do not accurately describe over-exposure. Increased sharpness refers to the clarity and definition of details within the image, which is unrelated to over-exposure. Soft focus pertains to an intentional blurriness that can be employed in certain artistic styles but does not signify any exposure issues. Finally, no light interference suggests a situation where external light sources do not affect the photograph, which is contrary to the conditions that lead to over-exposure.