Interesting thoughts. Have any of you been to Bonaventure? The funny thing, to me at least, is that the overwhelming "feel" of the place to me wasn't gloomy or dark or creepy really, but something more vibrant. Not historic (though it's definitely that), and not so clinical as "historic" can imply. Maybe it's the tangled garden aspect of the place. It's overflowing with old southern trees, Spanish moss and the restless, heavy history that is the American south. Different in tone and feel than similar (in theme anyway) images I shot at Taos a few years ago for sure.
To the more general question of darkness in B&W work, I would concur with all of you in this thread that we've perhaps been too conditioned to expect shadow detail when there really need not be as much. I will say that I have had trouble with prints vs. screen though - sometimes a print that lacks shadow detail looks (to me at least) just a little too old fashioned,maybe. What works at screen size quickly can become crushing in its darkness in a print.
