Jessica Alba, au Naturale

Okay, I guess this is officially magazine night here on Strobist.

So I am in the checkout line this evening waiting to pony up for my Diet Mountain Dew and Baked Ruffles. I'm looking at the People Magazine 'Most Beautiful' cover story because I am way too cultured to look at the National Enquirer. Unless it is a really good issue.

Drew Barrymore? Most beautiful? Please. I mean, she's not repulsive or anything. But c'mon. I see her as high 20's, tops.

Given the photo up top, Drew is not even the prettiest person on this page.

But right in the middle of the whole Beautifulness package, there was something of interest. They shot 10 celebs for a spread without makeup or Photoshop.

We have looked into the retouching thing at length in the past. This no-makeup-no-retouching stunt flies in the face of all we hold dear in celebrity photography today.

It's almost communist, if you ask me.

So why do we give a rat's butt? Because PopPhoto Flash got the skinny (heh) on the techniques the photogs used to cheat Mother Nature (or at least Father Time) when shooting the celebs without a net.

Yes, folks, utilizing techniques like this, you can make even Jessica Alba look good.

Seriously, there are some very good tips that you can apply to your own subjects if they don't quite crack the Top 50. Check 'em out here.