Finally finished with this one and thanks to some kind folks on the community boards I have a result I am very pleased with.
http://community.cgcookie.com/t/what-i-did-over-the-weekend-or-properly-ignoring-my-animation-project/449/23
The photo I referenced.
http://spademm.deviantart.com/art/Fire-Inside-297583922
The photographers main page.
https://500px.com/ekaterinala
this is amazing. how did you do the glass texture/material?