Combining Vectors with Photographs (Cranes)

First, I opened the top image and then chose Image>Canvas Size to make room for the second picture. Then in the layers panel, I reduced the opacity of the top layer and re-positioned it to make the pictures overlap. Next, I used the Rectangular Marquee tool to hide part of the top layer. Then, I chose Select>Inverse to invert the selection, added a layer mask and reset the opacity to 100%. I chose Image>Trim to eliminate the empty white canvas. I chose the Custom Shape tool and the flower shape and added some flowers along the seams of the image. Then, pressed Control, clicked on the Vector mask thumbnail, selected the middle layer and pressed Control-J. Then, I dragged Layer 2 to the top of the stack and turned off the visibility of the Shape layer. While on the top layer, I pressed Control and clicked on the Layer thumbnail. I took the Rectangular Marquee tool, clicked the Subtract from selection icon and put a rectangle above the seam around the shapes. I chose the inverse, added a layer mask, pressed Control and selected the Layer mask. Then, I selected the Multiple Crane Mask thumbnail and chose the inverse, set the default colors by pressing D and pressed Control-Backspace to show the top photo. I then added more flowers around the image and added one with a lower opacity to top right corner. I really liked the way the image turned out and think the techniques used to create it were very cool. The hardest part for me was getting the flowers to show through to the top background. The easiest thing was adding all the flowers around the perimeter at the end.