Great Tip from Planet Photoshop

Light depth with layer blending

Studio lighting can be quickly and easily dramatized by blending multiple layers. Duplicate a layer with a subject by pressing Command-J (PC: Ctrl-J). Desaturate (Choose Image > Adjustments > Desaturate)the new layer, then adjust the Levels dialog (Command-L [PC: Ctrl-L]) to create a strong contrast. Now, apply a Gaussian Blur (Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur) to the new layer and set its blend mode to Overlay, which amplifies the saturation of the base colors, while retaining the tonal contrast of the new layer. This effect can provide a strikingly more provocative sense of depth with very little effort.

Here's an example using a photo I took of my niece Syd for her acting resume. Click on the image for a larger display. Find more great tips at Planet Photoshop.