Help with the GIMP

[Pat.Hawkins]

Hi folks,
is anyone using the GIMP for image editing. (can't beat that $0 price)!

I'd love to produce images like those I see in the Gallery with the blacked out background and beautiful lighting effect.

Youtube and other tutorials leave me confused as they're from a different version or don't seem to behave the same way. There also seem to be alternate ways of doing it which adds to the confusion.

Does anyone have a good, proven method?

I'm using 2.10.6
Cheers