Russ, if I could offer a critique...
In a projection or on the light table, the light coming through a transparency allows you to have the best of both worlds, where blacks get to stay black, but the light shines through bringing up highlights and details. But in a backlit shot like this it's almost impossible to have your cake and eat it too when you try to translate that to another medium. To me, you've gone a tad too far here, leaving the blacks just a bit too washed out and contrast overly diminished.
Trust me, I understand your frustration. I have a shot (not K'chrome, but Velvia - and please don't ask why any self-respecting rail photographer would shoot steam with Velvia) of 3985 on Archer Hill that just makes me grin when I look at the transparency on the light table, but I have never been able to translate the great morning lighting of the original to a decent scan for similar reasons.
To my aging eyes, in this shot you're stealing drama to buy detail. Some battles just aren't completely winnable. No matter what you do here, I think you'll have to compromise.
But maybe that's just me. (Aren't you glad you drug me up!)
Scott
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/29/2015 05:43PM by Scott Turner.