Most of us realize that the best photographs are those without distracting objects in the background. We notice the subject of the picture, not the light pole behind their head! Digital retouching is most often used for competition photos where I can't control the location or background. The removal of cars, horse trailers, and other objects dramatically alters the feel of a photo. But subtle enhancements such as smoothing a jacket or repairing a blemish also turn a nice photo into a 'wow' photo. Of course, the sky is the limit when it comes to artistic photo renderings, with an almost endless variety of effects.