I think I'd be looking at increasing contrast. The background could be darkened slightly and the face brought up, but I'm not sure how much you can achieve in Lightroom. In Photoshop, I'd be adjusting Levels, pulling in the right slider to meet the histogram, the left slider upwards to increase the blacks and then the centre slider to make a final brightness adjustment.

https://www.pentaxuser.com/article/photoshop-brightness---contrast-255

The second one has been improved significantly I think, the first one is looking a bit flat in terms of contrast, it's lost its sparkle?

August is the stand out image for me, but a great set as well.

This is proving to be a great idea, and here's another fascinating and varied set. December is amazing....

Spot on. That's the bit that matters most, they are your images.

I've put in a report to IT for you, so they will be in touch soon.

I used to be pretty good at black and white printing. My friend Len, who used to print over 300 pictures every day as his job, was better. I've seen a masterful printer who was even better again. Attention to the density, contrast, selective burning and dodging, all the tricks of the trade so to speak could turn your images into something at a different level. It's a shame the web doesn't enable us to see the best possible, because it's truly staggering.

For these images, the skin tones are a bit light, just a simple thing to modify. The top left of the first one needs burning in, and the focus point would be better on the eyes rather than the beard.

The second one has lots of bright areas that could be burned in, even the wrists, but it's IMHO the best of the three. I'd take down the area of background on the right in particular. Selective modification of brightness and contrast is what I'm suggesting.

The third one is the tilt on purpose? If so, perhaps increase it to clinch it. The cloth I a bit obtrusive in the foreground, so maybe a slight crop. The face is also slightly too light, so more selective contrast control.

I'd love to have a go at the second one, but I'd need the original file to make it worthwhile, and then it would be my interpretation rather than yours. So in the absence of a darkroom, Photoshop is your friend and just a few ideas to think about in relation to these images.

Hope it helps!

Nice and crisp and crying out for some more detailed work in the darkroom. You could make a lot more out of these yet, so if you haven't already I'd recommend some serious books on black and white photography. I'm convinced that you're showing an affinity for the genre and it would be helpful if you could actually go into the darkroom with someone who's experienced and see what's possible.

It's coming along nicely and hope you're not offended by what I've said above!

Thanks, it may well be so. I thought we'd gone offline again for a minute then, but we seem to be back again!

I think I see why we have two viewpoints here. Currently the lens is listed, or at least the latest one is, on the SRS site in Pentax fit. So I need to amend my description to include the words at the time as when the lens in question was purchased, a few years back, there was no availability in Pentax fit in the UK.

However, it's a great lens, so if it is available now in its new incarnation it's worth buying. Unfortunately the Pentax 560mm is rather less, so that might change things again.....