Eureka!

I think I finally figured it out! There is the coolest technique that I have seen three photographers do but I could never figure out how they did it and none of them would tell either. The one I spoke to at length was so non-specific despite all my questions and some (very) minor pleading. Obviously it's considered a prized trick. And it is! Well, today while fooling around in Photoshop, my favorite occupational hazard, I stumbled upon the very look they were doing and it was so unexpectedly simple I almost don't believe it. I'm not gonna tell either. This is a picture of a local art gallery owner, Shirley Dubnick of Solomon Dubnick Gallery, and I used it as a test. Now I will refine the technique further, and am eagerly working on it, but for the moment this is a very good start!