Using Photoshop to improve images for magazine covers is a widespread practice, and The New York Times looks at several examples and where different publications draw the line. From minor color corrections and smoothing crow's feet to completely changing the color of a model's top and entirely removing Tom Cruise's braces, there's currently no standard governing the ethics of photo editing. As for why the practice is so common, The New York Times cites technologies that make the retouching process easier and readers' expectations for a "heightened version of the truth." Although the article focuses on editing that happens after the images are shot, rather than in-camera editing techniques like color balance, it's a very interesting read that raises a lot of valid questions about the ways in which media has altered our perception of reality.