Eagle Portrait my recipe

OK everyone, I have been asked how I am creating my art.  I think this eagle will be a good example.  You can see below the original photo that is just bad with awful light and reflections.  I am really happy with the new image of the eagle.
1. I use PS7.  Open the image and duplicate the background.
2. Add a gradient layer black to white at 45% opacity and then using a soft round black brush with opacity about 45% again brush away the areas you want to show through.
3. I duplicated the gradient layer and set it to blending mode screen      22% opacity.
4. Another adjustment layer was added with a soft warm peach color
   4b1506 hex code soft light blending mode at around 15%
5.I went back to the duplicate layer I added a watercolor filter
6. I now added an adjustment levels layer and brought out the whites.
7. Another adjustment layer Hue and Sat to take out the greens and yellows for a soft look.
8. I went to the top of my layers and added a very cool free texture from Deviant Art and set at soft light about 23% and duplicated that layer.
9. I added a mask layer and brushed away the area over the bird for the last part
10. I added the very nice little frame to finish it off.  Don't you think it look's much more interesting.  I feel like I saved that photo from the trash bin.

This must seem like reading Greek to my friends who visit my art here,
but the steps are quite easy to learn especially if I keep my pen and paper handy at my keyboard!   I am learning all this at:
http://photoshoptestkitchen.com/

Textures and Frames

Working through some of my old images and have always liked this little bird.  As a stand alone composition I did not like it so decided to work it over with the textures and layers in PS and add some words from a set of Dream brushes.  I love how it looks. One of the layers was a olive that brought much of the image together and allowed the little wading bird to be more of the main attraction.

At the Test Kitchen http://www.kimklassencafe.com/
there was a little tutorial on making a frame with the layers.   I tried a little studio photo of some shells and was really happy to figure out how easy it was to make this frame.  Then I added that burst of light rays which ruined it!  Oh well, after I stepped back and looked at it about 5 min later, I truly regret adding that at that strength!  But the frame is wonderful!