i have been looking at some of the post francisco made. and some of harvey's. i know they have fig wasps helping out and are in area that's optimal for the fig.

then i remembered all the martin's posts. 

martin lives in chicago. no wasps, not very long season, and no caprifigs. 

so what is martin's secret? i know he does shuffle. i know he gives his figs optimal sun and heat. i know he fertilizes.

but his figs look much more superior to others. 

now, JD also has great looking figs, but i know his weather is much warmer and he has patience to let the fig ripen.

so long hot season the only ingredient for superior figs? or is there something more?

A good camera?

good camera helps to show off the figs better, and more importantly the skill of the person taking the pictures. but it has all start with good figs. JD and francisco takes very artful pictures, but still the fig has to be good to show that off. there is something more. 

i'm trying few things this yr to see if i can duplicate what martin is doing. one of which is fig shuffle. i'm going back to MG fertilizer and osmocote. i'm going to water most of the yr with hand instead of drip system, unless i'm out of town. me being lazy, that way i would only water when there is a need instead of putting the trees on schedule. and try to hold off taking the figs until they are well ripen. 

@Pete
Here are two primary lessons that I learned from forum members:

Patience/Dead Ripe (from Martin and Dan). You have already discussed this. I wait as long as I can before I pick fruit. I want them "dead ripe". I will lose and have lost some to the birds but the difference between a dead ripe fig and one that needs another day or two is significant enough for me to risk it.

Pinch (Herman). I pinch for branching and to encourage fig production. It works.

There are other lessons involving potting mix, fertilizer, and watering. However, I do not have a definitive statement on those because it has not been an issue. Concerning watering, although I primarily use bubblers, I also have some on drip and the trees are doing ok. More than anything else, I need time to pot up, up pot and root prune...but I also work for a living.

@Kelby
The variety of cameras used to capture a moment varies. Pete actually posted on this once before and I like his answer in this current thread.

thanks JD. pinching is one thing that i do not do unless there is no fig on the tree. i should start pinching. that will push figs earlier. 

These are all good thoughts. Here are some more: some varieties split in the rain, right? While I am sure some people try to avoid these varieties, if you have a splitter, how about a small 6 x 8 greenhouse where you can do an improvised shuffle during inopportune heavy rainstorms? Then your fig will ripen perfectly under drier conditions. Also, for colder regions, like the northeast, the greenhouse will provide extra autumnal warmth to extend the growing season and help ripen late ripening varieties. This is my thought, would love to know if anyone agrees.

I think part of the reason is stones, it helps warm his figs and gives the extra heat units he needs.  His potting mix, watering and fertilizer is also looking to be excellent.  The last thing he will probably say is the darkside is what gives him great success.

yeah... dark figs.

If I were a betting man, I'd guess his selection process (same with Herman2 and Gorgi).  For as much grief as I've given him for not sending me his discards, I have a tremendous admiration for his ability to get rid of trees which do not suit his conditions (both environmental and personal). 

If I had to guess the second reason, it would be maximization and consistency.  Rarely do the three of them post they have jumped on the tool du jour or growing mix du jour or fertilizer du jour, etc. There are many methods to growing figs.  I think any one of them which is tweeked for our particular situation until it is maximized will perform better than most others that are not.

Our Martin certainly is an expert in taking beautiful fig fruit pictures!
His fruit always looks better than mine (of the same variety).
I once asked him (in not the same exact words)
(a) do you doctor your pics? - ans: hell no!
(b) what is your secret?  - ans: take a lot of pics, and choose the best.
Other factors may be involved are for; e.g., micro climate and right ripeness.

His potted figs trees also look exceptionally nice too!
That is probably b/c of his expertise and TLC he does give them;
e.g., pruning/shuffle/etc.

Though I'm still looking for that one particular 'white' fig fruit/tree pic that did, did eventually make him see the 'light' ...

A key point in fig shuffle is to sit the pots in either concrete or ashphalt. Using higher "P" fertilizer.

yupe. they are sitting on concrete. and against south facing brick wall. fertilizer, i can do P heavy.

Does it count if I have thrown some figs into a hoophouse where they are getting 30 degree days for 8-10 hours?  Bone meal is a great P source as well as calcium source (supplemental source not sole source), usually in summer it will be used up within a month, but most also has some nitrogen in it