Renaissance lighting is hard!

   For a while now I've been trying to figure out a lighting technique and workflow for creating portraits in the style of classical renaissance paintings. It's hard! The photo here is the sixth or seventh test shoot and, whereas I do feel like I'm getting closer, it's a type of "getting closer" akin to how looking out over the Pacific Ocean gets one closer to China. Certainly, there are ways to bridge that gap. However, continuing with my metaphor, I feel like I've packed my bags and maybe I've even boarded the airplane, but I'm sure that I'm not yet even half-way there.