3rd time’s a charm! If you’re struggling with flat loaves, try a lower hydration

The first three pics are of my most recent loaf where I used a 69% hydration recipe. It resulted in a much better loaf than my previous two attempts at a 75% hydration (pics 4 and 5)! A great rise, huge belly, and super soft inside—I’m very happy with it. I also skipped using ice cubes and spraying water during the bake and it made the crust so much nicer! My next steps will be trying out a true autolyse, 2.6% salt, and a 6 minute expansion score for a better ear.

Also, I’d appreciate any feedback on the crumb. I’d love something a little more open—do you have any advice? Also, does it look underproofed or overproofed at all? Thanks!

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My recipe:
90g stiff sourdough starter (1:2.4:4)
350g room-temp water
500g King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
10g salt

Process:
1. Feed sourdough starter 1:2.4:4 ratio around 10PM the night before (I use 15g starter, 36g water, and 60g flour)
2. Once starter is at peak at around 10AM, mix with water and flour
3. Cover and let rest for an hour
4. Add salt. Dimple and stretch and fold to combine. Knead/slap and fold the dough to a moderate windowpane (takes around 5-8 minutes)
5. Cover and let rest for an hour
6. Coil fold until dough is a taut, domed shape and no longer easily stretched (5-8 coil folds)
7. Cover and let rest for an hour. Repeat hourly coil folds 3 more times (4 total). Take care not to tear the dough
8. Cover and finish bulk fermentation. This usually takes me 8 hours and 20ish minutes for a 73-74 degree dough. I look for the dough to be domed and not sticky on top, ripples when the bowl is shaken, and pulls away easily from the side of the bowl
9. Sprinkle the workbench with 1:1 mix of rice flour and bread flour and turn out the dough with the flat, dome side down (should release easily). Spread the dough into a rectangle, pop large bubbles, fold it into thirds, then roll it up. Candy canes using a bench scraper until the dough is round, smooth, and taut
10. Cover with the bowl and let rest on the bench for 15 minutes
11. Sprinkle the workbench with rice flour/bread flour and turn the dough over, seam side up. Pop large bubbles. Envelope fold, tuck in corners to the center, and roll it up. Candy canes using a bench scraper being careful to keep the top side smooth and round
12. Gently lift and place the shaped dough into a generously floured banneton, seam side up. Stitch the seams while maintaining a round shape
13. Dust the top with the flour mixture and cover and let rest in fridge overnight
14. The next morning (12PM), preheat the oven to 475F with a Dutch oven inside for 30 minutes.
15. Flip dough straight from fridge over onto a floured dough sling, flour the surface, and score. Score decorative scores first
16. Place dough into preheated Dutch oven and bake for 30 minutes
17. Remove lid and bake for another 20 minutes
18. Remove loaf from Dutch oven and allow to cool on wire rack for 2 hours