These are beautiful, Donald! Glad you figured out the banding. On the composit display above, #6 seems somewhat dark for my monitor. #5 is perhaps my favorite in tone and "harmony" with the background. The softening (is this like Bidsey's 'Glow') works nicely here, (but please save the originals in your archive!) So, did you work with the instructor on these? What does the instructor do? Are you both shooting together? Does she watch over your shoulder, and crack jokes about the size of your lens? Enquiring minds want to know these things! The "one more before reality" is a religeous experience.