I intentionally made this very detail free with heavy diffusion when i took the picture, and the gum process further softened it. I was taking a painting class at the time, and was impressed with how much painters could say, with so little detail.
Funny, I have wondered the same thing frequently. Ansel looks over all our shoulders at times. Also, I studied with Lisette Model, and her admonition "Don't shoot until you feel it in your gut," has haunted me ever since. But I think as long as one feels it, feels something with passion, one can proceed. Also, I worked for ITT as a photographer for many years photographing circuit boards and such in great detail and to size. This is nice change. BTW, Lisette told me, in private, in that bizarre little sitting room of hers, that she thought Ansel's pictures were boring. And I've heard Ansel thought Lisette lacked technical skills. But from all accounts they liked each other.
No extra light. just one flash head bounced into a white umbrella. Notice the same amount of light is hitting the side of her head. I prefer to shoot by natural light, but my model was available only in the evening that time, so flash it was.
This print is reminiscent of Steichen's early nudes in gum (e.g., The Little Round Mirror, La Cigale, etc.). I like it a lot. I did gum for many years and this image has all the qualities I tried to attain in some of my own work.