It’s probably not just one thing. HDR may be part of the look, but the biggest factors are usually location, timing, lighting, careful exposure, and strong post-processing.

Those kinds of images are often made with a workflow like: good scene choice, shooting in great natural light, correct exposure/aperture, possibly using filters, then post-processing—with HDR only as an advanced step if needed.

If your HDR looks blurry or plastic, common causes are movement between frames and overdone tone mapping. A tripod helps, and taking bracketed shots quickly reduces alignment/ghosting problems from clouds, trees, or water. After merging, HDR files often need careful contrast adjustment to avoid a muddy or fake look.

Your kit lens may limit sharpness and contrast somewhat, but gear alone is not the main reason. Better lenses can help, yet technique and light matter more than simply upgrading.

If you continue with HDR, dedicated tools like Photomatix, Oloneo, or Nik were suggested as better options than older built-in Photoshop HDR for some users. Aim for subtle processing if you want a natural result.