Learning new editing methods

I honestly have no idea if I'll keep up with a blog, since I've never kept up with one before. But, yeah. Instead of spamming my own flickr page with outtakes of photoshoots, I figure, why not post them on a blog instead! And stuff.
So I recently learned of this photo editing method that really intrigued me. It's called the Brenizer Method. Ryan Brenizer, who's an amazing photographer, came up with this technique. You can find him on flickr just by searching his name.
So I downloaded a free trial version of photoshop (I have paint shop pro and I don't think i can do this with psp), and went outside and took some test shots. Here's what came out of it. The first one is the crop, and the second one is the god awful mostrosity original.

Eh, I could probably have made it bigger by using the clone brush. But, it's only the first try. And the focus isn't great at all. So I'll try again tomorrow. So until next time =)