The secret ingredient

[ZoneV]

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.................................................. .....................................Good light.
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[JBA]

Or failing that, creative exposure.

[kodakrome]

Some people would answer HDR

[ZoneV]

Originally Posted by kodakrome

Some people would answer HDR

Hopefully not anyone here. Garbage in, garbage out. HDR only works right if everything else is good to begin with.

[KR4myF2AS]

Good light and the ability to use it creatively (most often, but not always, daylight), a good night's sleep beforehand, engaging or unusual subject matter, curiousity, prior fortification of the artist with several cups of high caffeine coffee, reliable equipment that the user has mastered, and a medium responsive to the vision of the photographer.

[hujev]

A good 'Geist', a place that you like, nobody or nothing to bother you, and knowing not to try when this isn't the case. Light too, of course, but not having that is like not having a camera, film, or sometimes... batteries.