How do you edit a photo to make the sky pop(picture included)?

Question: How do you edit a photo to make the sky pop(picture included)!?

I want to learn to make the images seem 3d and realistic!. How do you do that!?
I don't have photoshop, but I have Gimp 2 and Paint Shop Pro 8!. Is there a way I can do it!?
http://farm4!.static!.flickr!.com/3006/2520!.!.!.
http://farm1!.static!.flickr!.com/94/276905!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

I'm not 100% sure if it was done using HDRI technique, because it seems to me that while sky really stands out, the bottom part of the image does not show so much HDRI "wow" effect!. But I could be wrong, as I don't have much HDRI experience!.

The other way to achieve something like this is a polarizer filter!. The conditions must be just right though!. In a sunny day with sun just outside of the frame you may get the sky as dramatic as in those shots, or somewhere close to it!.

If you have an SLR you can get a good circular polarizer for it (linear don't work with digital) for about $20-50 depending on your filter thread diameter!. For point and shoot it's harder, because it usually requires some sort of adapter before you can use a filter, but also possible!.!.!.!. or you can just hold a polarizer in front of the lens when shooting!.

LEM

---
Re: additional info
Well, you're in luck, because looks like both of your lenses use 58mm filter thread, so you can buy one polarizer to use with either lens!. also you can get one as cheap as $14
http://www!.amazon!.com/Sunpak-CF-7059-Cir!.!.!.

Or for a bit more you can go for a better brand like Hoya or Tiffen!.

also here's an example for you of what a polarizer can do with a bit more info:
http://www!.fotohacker!.com/tag/filters/

Look for polarizer on the bottom half of that page!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Those two shots look like HDRI shots !.!. done in the camera where three individual images,(OE, UE and NE) are taken and then combined using either Photoshop or a HDRI program!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

increase saturationWww@QuestionHome@Com

Try this website!. Those are nice pics!.

http://www!.picnik!.com/Www@QuestionHome@Com