Title basically. I tried to underexpose the shadows severely to make it look more the silhouette, but that just made it look even worse. I suppose the only way to get better pics is to find a better location. But I would appreciate if someone can give me advice on any other tricks I could use to make the sky look better and take focus away from the urban hell
If you’re using a DSLR, playing around with where you’re pointing the camera when you’re setting your exposure can radically change your picture. Point the camera at the sky and set your aperture and shutter speed so that the light meter in your viewfinder is balanced, then move the camera back down so that the buildings are included again. The light meter will indicate that you’re underexposed but taking the picture like this can keep the buildings in shadow, while allowing the sky to shine through.
Also think about how your composition is balanced. If you want the sky to be the focus, try including more of it in the image. Remember the rule of thirds - maybe try with the sky taking up two thirds and the buildings just the bottom third.