Any really good photographer will agree: taking the picture is the easy part! The real magic in creating consistently beautiful images is in post-production. By balancing the color, exposure, removing blemishes, altering distracting elements, and adding artistic effects, we make the image truly representative of our ideal vision.
Here are some retouching examples which show what goes into bringing a "raw" image to perfection. Roll over the image with your cursor to see the before and after versions of these pictures: