"Similarily, would some dodging at the top where you can start to see the wood detail coming through hurt or help the image?"

That's the first thing I noticed about this, and I didn't like it. I'd like to see the dodging personally, to even it out with the bottom.

simplistic beauty~ very art deco-ish to me

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<You're like a rocket through me>

"I'd like to know if the sound hole should get a longer burn time or
would that make the piece seem too abstract?"---I think abstract would be good. The whole look is already sort of surreal with the contrast. I personally wouldn't have noticed the detail on the top of the sound hole if you didn't mention it, though it may be the darkness of my monitor. If you were to touch up the entire thing, though, exposing it further couldn't hurt.

"Similarily, would some dodging at the top where you can start to see
the wood detail coming through hurt or help the image?"---I DID notice this though. If you're going for pure black and white, I'd go with exposing the paper and dodging it. It's not distracting, it's just something I noticed and would bicker over if I were a judge.

"Is the light detail on the pick guard distracting or seem to grainy?"--Not distracting, but it does look a bit grainy. Almost looks like a smudge on the neg at first glance. Again, if you're looking to get this piece in competition, then I'd think a judge would take that into account.

"Although 400 was all i had available, do you think i should re-shoot
the image with a slower, finer grained ISO?"---I think the effect may have been helped by the faster burn of light on the white spots due to the 400, but I couldn't be sure, given what you may have done in the dark room. You've got wonderful contrast and definite lines. A slower speed may even bring out the details inside the soundhole which I personally think should be avoided. IMHO, it's wonderful as a stark contrast of black and white. 200, 100, or whatever ISO, could possibly bring out the light detail on the pick guard, the wood grain at the top of the body, and in the sound hole, which I would avoid.

Overall, though, if your goal isn't to win a largeish contest, I don't think it's too shabby at all. A wonderful effect on a great topic. Fantastic composition and choice of shapes to bring out contrast in.
I personally like the abstract aesthetic of only black and white in this...but if you're trying to avoid that, keep that in mind given my "advice."


Hope you find perfect satisfaction in the picture soon, as it is or in a later devation. Great job.

I agree that if he was going for a strict abstract image burning in the sound hole to eliminate those details couldnt hurt, adding another contrast filter on top of his #5 during printing would also eliminate that. I didnt get what you ment by the second suggestion, if he were to expose the paper, that would make the wood grain on the top of the guitar more grey and flatten it out, also eliminating the whites, he wouldnt need to expose the paper there, just dodge it. Anywho, thats a good comment you left, I just wanted to get into a conversation with someone who does traditional photography.

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If you are not free to choose wrongly and irresponsibly, you are not free at all.

Ah. Mea culpa. I don't know what I was thinking. Probably suggesting covering the paper and NOT exposing it. But I'm flighty. Anywho, I'm a bit of a newb, really, but glad I could be engaged by someone of such experience. Glad you think it was a decent comment, though.

Happy deviating.

wow, great! i really like the soundhole and pick guard, although i think maybe a little dodging on the top would do it some good. this comment is probably useless, but thats my opinion. thats an incredible picture though, great job!!

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This comment has been brought to you by the letter R and the number 6.

I'm going to reshoot using TMax 100. I've never tried Plus-X, how does it compare to the TMax?

thank you

thank you

thank you, when you do fav it, the original is at my account.