Along the Road

This picture is so dramatic. The branches and leaves are looking still and quiet even as dark clouds are looming over them. Their shadows are falling onto the roadway in a perfect horizontal pattern. The sharp angle made by the tops of the trees gives us an idea of just how far down the road we are able to see, giving greater depth in turn to the vastness of the open fields. The sidewalk and structures on the right also give a contrasting look, with mankind seeming to loom on one side of the road and openness still mostly conquering the other.

A former friend who likes photography preferred this kind of mood and had a really fun trick for getting it. He did it by copying the base layer, making it black and white, and then adding a touch of gaussian blur. Then right click to blending options from its spot in the layers panel and select Multiply from the drop-down menu, and shift opacity as desired. This might give you that dark feeling without having so much contrast in your clouds and will make the clouds a bit softer. I haven't seen your source image so it's hard to be sure, but it might be fun to experiment with those options.

Great image!