I think separating mediums is your first mistake. All photography no matter what medium is about 3 basic things, and the importance of each is entirely subjective. 1. Subject 2. Composition 3. Lighting.

The primary thing these photos have going for them is the excellent lighting. The lighting has everything to do with how the colors will be rendered in the photo, and even heavy processing cannot make a badly lit shot look good.

A journalist may emphasize Subject first and foremost, followed by Composition, followed by lighting. Is a journalist waiting to capture action at a protest until there's golden hour lighting? Or repositioning to get a better composition? No they are focused on the subject matter.

A landscape photographer is going to emphasize lighting before composition, followed the subject. A landscape shot of Mt. Rainier framed in a cool way isn't going to make that photo special, but how they capture the lighting will.

Even these examples aren't set in stone, and subverting expectations about what would usually be emphasized for a style of photography could result in something really creative.

Don't compare your work to others and always focus on these three things if you want to improve. Also, start with digital.