Retouching is definitely an art. Knowing when to stop is key. Too much and the image will not only fail to be an accurate representation of the subject but will look unrealistic. Always be very selective about who does your retouching! I can’t stress this enough. I personally, unless specifically requested, avoid really heavy handed retouching. To me it defeats the purpose. What’s the point in an image of yourself if it doesn’t look like you.
Who decides what’s retouched? This depends entirely on volume. With smaller groups it’s fairly easy for individuals to make their own suggestions. With larger groups these decisions are typically best left up to the photographer. I say typically because I’m not opposed to taking some suggestions from particular members of larger groups where necessary. But I try to keep these to a minimum.
Here are some before and after examples of basic retouching.
