Iso set to 250 and developed in D-76. I had to use a slow shutter speed so the window highlight was a problem. Ended up burning in the window for double the time of the rest of the exposure. What do you think? (I am new to printing, just got my enlarger a couple of weeks ago!)
For someone who just got an enlarger a few weeks ago, I would say you are doing very well, indeed! Good job! And a nice simple photograph with some mystery!
You've given yourself a particularly tough starting assignment.
My sense is that you have taken the highlights just a bit too far., especially on the right side of the window. I think you need less burning, but that it needs to be more uniform. Note that you have lots of texture in the highlights as you get closer to the right side of the window, but not so much so on the left.
You didn't indicate what you did with contrast filtration. I think you need slightly higher contrast overall, but then lower contrast in the window. In other words, use a higher contrast grade filter for your base exposure, and then switch to a lower grade filter when you burn in the window.
Before doing a lot of burning on the window, however, I suggest that you try flashing the print to see if you can get a uniform level of texture in the window. Find a sheet of tissue paper - the thin white paper that stores often supply with gift boxes that is intended to be used as an inner wrapper around an article of clothing should work. After you initial base exposure, hold the sheet of tissue paper under the lens and give the image an additional exposure of something around 10% of the base exposure, while keeping the tissue moving. This will cause a uniform "fogging" of the overall print. AT 10%, the impact on the shadows should be negligible, but it will cause a slight reduction of the brightness of the highlights.
Remember that you don't want to reduce the highlights in the window down to the level of the midtones in the image - what you want to do is maintain the sense of light coming through the windows while retaining a hint of texture in the fabric of the drapes and in the dust that certainly exists on the window panes.
If that doesn't take the image far enough, then repeat the process but add some burning in the corner. This time, make sure that you are burning the entire corner - use a card with a notch cut out of its corner as a burning tool, but keep it moving so that you can blend in the edges. If you have flashed the print, start the burning at 30% of the base exposure and work up in smaller steps. I think you will find that you really need a lot less than 100% to achieve the look you want.
The other thing you need to do is straighten up the image - make sure that the bottom of the first step is parallel to the bottom edge of the paper.
Nice image. I agree about the uniform burning advice and the need to straighten it a bit. Also the bit of protruding dark curtain at the left edge of the frame is a little distracting.
But a very nice image overall, especially as one of your first prints.