After spending extra time with the hand-tool-hand image I switched off to a new negative. This is a photograph of the older young boy, from the father and 2 sons image. I have multiple versions of the boy as he stood for the camera, he was quite intrigued by all the photographing. This was also a very difficult neg to print, probably the most difficult so far. 2 basic exposures with 2 different filter grades one for he boy one for the background. I used a cut out mask (boy cut out) to expose the boy at grade 4 1/2 and a dodge tool (shape of the boy) to expose the background at grade 3 1/2 (thanks Rob M for the tip). I also did some edge burning, some dodging of one of the dogs and used 2 burning masks for the garbage the second mask at grade -1. I am going to let the print dry and see where I am at, I might have to adjust the exposure of various areas and also work on reducing the burn lines (around the jacket hat). Anyway it was fun to go all out, I think its an important negative so bringing it to life is worth the many hour effort, printed on Oriental Seagull warm tone fibre.
