For each image, I’d ask myself: What are the elements that make this good? Why did someone choose this image over the hundreds that must have been available? Technique was critical, that was obvious, but at this level, technique was a given. What elevated an image? The first and most obvious element was the location. The photos were nearly always taken in well-known or aspirational places—you’d see the background and think, I’ve always wanted to go there. That factor alone winnowed out many aspirants.
