This is Molly, she is my test model. I picked her up bald at Hobby Lobby for $10. Add a wig and she is all pretty. I purchased the styro male head as the female head had such fine features I did not think she made as good of a test subject.

If you want to get good at anything you have to practice. I wanted to try to photograph head shots in the style that was done with movie stars in the 30s, 40s and 50s. They used hard light and the images had lots of contrast. The best way to learn, look at some of those photos and try to duplicate the look.

The best way to learn how to light is to practice. I started off with one light with a simple reflector attached to it. This gave a very hard light that created lots of harsh shadows. This was my very first attempt and the first shot I have taken of Molly. She did a great job of holding still though out the session and never once complained.

This is not the finished product. I took about 100 shots working on getting everything right. I started with one light and when I got what I wanted I added a second and a third. The next few days I will be sharing five images with you. The initial first photo. The final photo with one light, the final photo with two lights , and the final photo with three lights. I hope you enjoy following along.