Spooky Old Folded Photo Photoshop Tutorial - New or Improved Skill Day 7

I wanted to make a ghostly, blured image so I started with this photograph of Minneapolis. It was taken early Sunday morning and was devoid of people.

Here is the final image.

• Open the photo in Photoshop
• Go to images > adjustments > desaturate
• Press Command j 3 times to make 3 duplicate layers
• Drag the original background image to the trash
• Select the middle layer and name it soft light. Go to blending options, choose soft light.
• Select the top layer and name it hard light. Go to blending options, choose hard light.
• Select the bottom background layer. Go to filter > blur > motion blur. Set the angle to -90 degrees and the distance to 15 pixels.
• Select the middle layer named soft light. Go to filter > blur > motion blur. Set the angle to -90 degrees and the distance to 80 pixels.
• Select the top layer named hard light. Go to filter > blur > motion blur. Set the angle to -90 degrees and the distance to 200 pixels.
• Select the bottom background layer. Go to filter > noise > add noise. Amount 25%, Gaussian, monochromatic.

• Add a new layer on top of the hard light layer. Go to filter > render > clouds. You need to have a more defined image so go to image > adjustments > levels. Move the sliders. OK. Go to blending mode and choose overlay. Change the opacity to 10%. 
• Click on the adjustment layer icon. Choose brightness/contrast. Brightness 20, Contrast -30.
• Click on the adjustment layer icon. Choose gradient. Style radial, angle 90, scale 150, reverse, align with layer. Change the opacity to 60%.
• Add a new layer on top of the gradient layer. Place an image of paper, I used a ratty old book. Make the blending mode multiply. Opacity 75%.

I find it helpful to see the layout in the layers panel.