The cover ended up being easy in execution, difficult in decision.
I loaded up a stock photo site granting me royalty free (or limited royalties) and pooling around for photos that would work. They are particularly awesome because they are professional, they are well lit, and they're really on the cheap side and the rights specifically allow for use for book covers, allowing cropping, editing, and adding text.
I have seen several photos on Amazon that I know do not belong to the writer, and means that the illustrator/photographer isn't getting anything from the use of their art. They are using it illegally and stealing from that artist.
Its highly frustrating to me that a writer who is attempting to make money at their craft would not support an illustrator trying to make money at his, especially when there are so many services out there in support of these "starving artists."
Ok off my soap box.
I used a free shareware program which I plan to donate to if this venue helps my family as it has helped many others, and I used free for everyone fonts (not free for personal use fonts).
Then I saved as a jpeg and made sure pixel sizes and file sizes were correct. Easy Peezy. :)