Portrait Tricks

So, People magazine has a cover story on the most beautiful people (erp), now photographed without make-up or retouching (eck). (Okay, I have NO idea why I'm writing about this, but breakfast is gurgling a bit, so you know.)

And I really COULDN'T CARE LESS. But PopPhoto has posted a short piece on how to photograph people and make them look good with no "tricks." Well, almost none ... seems to me a soft focus filter is a trick.