Has a Sci-fi look to it. The direction the people are looking makes me imagine they are watching a sky event simalar to what would happen if the earth poles shifted. I don't mind PS work at all, it's all in what the artist wants to portray (in my opinion anyway).
Like the pic's, I think they work with or without PS. Good symetry on the second pic.
Very nice. One thing to keep in mind, though, Jon. When you push those levels you are pushing them everywhere. Look at the skintone on that girls back and the overexposure look in the cloud break.