Difficult Print

I wanted to print this neg of a mother walking with her 2 children as she holds a piglet for the coming exhibition but it's a tough go. This photograph requires lots of dodging and burning and a higher contrast filter. The neg has some flair on it from the bright background and back lit subject. This neg is made even harder still to print because I am pretty tired tonight. I spent the day traveling about, I ended up buying a bunch of groceries for mom and dad, By the time I got to the darkroom I was pretty much spent. It is 408am as I type this, I might try one more time at this negative tonight, it would be my third attempt. I took a few guesses when printing this. I did less testing. I ended up getting pretty close to the proper printing settings (dodges, burns, contrast) rather fast, I think that's a result of knowing this paper better than the others I have used. My guesses seem more accurate when I simplify my tools.

The three expressions are what makes this photo for me, the mother seems depressed and resigned to her fate, the daughter seems frightened and unsure, where as the little boy does not have a care in the world and is happily running along.

Here is the mother and 2 children walking photo:

2nd attempt at "Mother Walking with her Children" print, November 2013 Mae Sot dump Thailand

Note* I only made one more print of the "Traumatized child" image I was working on yesterday as their was a small hair on the neg and I had to rewash it.

Update* I pushed myself and managed to struggle through one more print. Sometimes even if your tired you can do good work, this last one my 3rd attempt is the best of the bunch. I will wash and dry the photos and see where I stand. I might have an acceptable print already made for the show and if not I am close to achieving it.