That's exactly what I was going to say. I'm not a big fan of the bland white sky in this one. If you can go back, I'd wait for a day that has some interesting clouds just to give it that extra pop.
Now this is the best advice I got. See a red filter only works if there are clouds in the sky to produce a contrast to suppliment with the filter, there were none. It was a flat overcast day. Even a flat clear blue shy won't be helped a lot by a filter. Since I mostly shoot black and white a blue sky is the same as a overcast sky for contrast.
I was there to test a lens not really make images. I pointed the camera from the forties, fitted with a lens from the 1900's to see if it leaked light. Also of course to see if it was sharp and if the shutter was working. By the way the lens was almost new since the guy who bought the cam must have broken it the first week.
Okay there I am to test a lens and bingo, I shoot the 4x5 and off I go. I read the light with a classic averaging GE light meter from the forties. I carried the film holder home and loaded into a daylight tank, peanut butter jar actually with that famous black tape covering. I develped it in a hot shot developer just as they would have in a newspaper lab of the day.
I scanned the negative after I checked it for sharp which it was and for light leaks at the bellows. It had a slight one. So I learned from the camera and image what I wanted to learn.
But Bobly pointed out my failing.
I went out to shoot a test shot, and that's what I got. If I wanted to shoot a fine image, I should have gone out to shoot a fine image. I should have picked the right conditions. The blown out sky that bothers everyone else never bothers me at all. See I have a saying and a philosophy. Shoot it as it lays. But that doesn't mean you cant bring a filter or choose the most beneficial day. So I screwed up by confusing a test image with a classic image.
Thanks Bobly and i mean it... Sometimes I tend to get lazy and complacent.