post production is still an integral part of photography and always will be - I have the ethos that the photographer can catch the moment and I can add to the image with maybe subtle changes or maybe large compositions to portray the original idea.

http://www.pixelfinity.co.uk

I concur with what Pixelfinity has to say.

Now People have such idea... ideals?? Of what they want, that the of retoucher's job is invaluable to projects. I watched a job with a client of a previous place that I worked where, they did the poster/DVD for a season of a major show on television, Every person in the image had their head swapped out (plus an arm and leg) who so that they would look best for the advertisement. It has evolved beyond to even family portraits. Moms breasts didn't look perky enough, $2,000 dollars later she looked fantastic. I see people sending out their personal snap shots to make them look better!!! Which I guess raises a whole new issue,

Oh... Yes they do deserve all the credit they deserve...

I feel that the post work is just as much of the artistic process as compostion and getting the shot. I do all my own retouching and even tho it can be a choir it can be very rewarding.