Flare in a contact print

[John Kasaian]

I contact printed some 8x10 aerials and I the best looking one has a small "star" in the upper left corner, barely noticeable but it is there:eek:. I'm thinking that since we were flying into the sun it was a reflection off the open plexiglas window which was 90 deg. over the window I was shooting out of, and somehow glanced off into my lens and flashed a rough "star" on the filter. It is on the sky portion (a very dark and dramatic sky at that) so I am unsure how to retouch the neg (or print for that matter) without making it look cheesy.

Of course if I enlarge, the flare wouldn't be a problem but right now I'm working on contact printing.

Nope, I'm not into digital manipulation---it's not my thing:) .

So here's the deal:

Should I be stressed over this? I always felt that my aerials reflected (bad pun) the conditions under which they were shot. Wing struts, reflections off the plexiglass or bodies of water far below seem to me to add "reality check." Of course I've only had myself to satisfy and now that I might inflict this on the general public I'd like to hear what my colleagues here have to say on the matter!

[Ash]

Keep it, go for it as-is. There's no harm in keeping things 'real' :)

[C. D. Keth]

I haven't seen it for myself but it doesn't sound like it would be bothersome to me.

[Gregg Cook]

or burn it...

Your print, your call.

[David A. Goldfarb]

It doesn't sound that serious. Could you post a scan?

There are ways of dealing with things like that, like etching it off the neg and spotting the print to match, but it depends on what the background and the thing you want to remove look like.

[Merg Ross]

John, very simple. You still have only yourself to satisfy. Forget the audience, you are the master, follow your instinct. Some will love your work, some less so, but do not fret.

[John Kasaian]

Thanks Merg and David,
I guess now now all I have to do is get better at spotting!