The color variation in the plaster is most likely from trapped moisture as the plaster dries at different rates throughout the pool, not the same as mottling on a 10 year old pool. When the plaster fully cures, in about a month after fill, this typically goes away. Make sure to maintain proper water chemistry over this time period. After a month it should look significantly better, if not there are remedies to improve the pools appearance.

This makes sense. Thank you lvpools!

Nothing to be worried about - these will face over time and is a completely normal part of pool plastering. Was the pool filled right away or did it sit empty for a while. You want to fill it as soon as the plaster has set and the water helps to protect against hairline cracking and increase the strength of the plaster. The only really permanent cosmetic problems would be from material like leaves, pine needles or (gasp) cedar shavings in fresh plaster which causes huge ugly stains. Also, trowel burn is sometimes a problem which leaves permanent black / grey streaks in the brilliant white finish.

Just an update. It's now been five weeks and the pool still has the same mottling. The pool guy who did the start up said it will take about 3 months and it will look good. Is it possible the finish might still even out a little more over the next few months or is it pretty much the way it's going to be? I've been trying to get the plasterer to come back to take a look and he keeps promising to come over and is a no show every time. He still has to deliver my "eyeballs" which were on backorder but which he's had in his truck for 3 weeks now. I don't expect perfection but the plaster finish doesn't look new to me, it looks like it could have been done a few years ago. It's not isolated to one area (it is over the walls and floor) and has been there from the beginning so it's probably not the start up even though I had my challenges with that guy showing up too. :(