I have no idea what this has to do with that Sting song, but in photography a rainstorm brings the opportunity for some fantastic shooting.  Here in the Bay Area Peninsula we don't have very impressive clouds, at least not during summer.  We have cloud cover, it's true... but they tend to be these low-contrast, whispy things that don't  photography well.  Not like the nice cotton candy you see here.  If you want to capture drama in your landscapes, then go out after the rain has fallen. Clouds are key to a dramatic landscape, and they build up during a big storm.  This weekend we had a large dump across northern California, and I could see the opportunity to catch some dramatic cloud formations.  The thick clouds provide another benefit as they can cast some nice shadows or diffuse the sun if they are positioned correctly.  The rain also leaves a lot of green growth and a nice sheen behind.  Shoot in the afternoon for better shadows and colors.

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