I cant agree with what you say about photography skills being less important. Its a team: model,make-up, hair, photography and retouching. If you leave make-up and hair out of the equation what then will you get?
You can see that by looking at bad original photos. Retouching might make it better, but as long as the original is bad, so will the end result.
More from Nienna1990 
Sta.sh:origin()/pre05/0ec5/th/pre/i/2016/050/7/6/rollover_by_nienna1990-d38dv9z.jpg)
:origin()/pre15/cd61/th/pre/i/2016/050/5/7/retouch_by_nienna1990-d39wwxm.jpg)
:origin()/pre05/b2fb/th/pre/i/2010/274/6/a/dana_cole_retouch_by_nienna1990-d2zul9n.jpg)
:origin()/pre03/5c68/th/pre/i/2009/338/8/c/chanel_rene_rollover_2_by_nienna1990.jpg)
:origin()/pre07/da3a/th/pre/i/2011/122/d/4/david_ekue_retouch_by_nienna1990-d35f00f.jpg)
:origin()/pre14/41fb/th/pre/i/2016/050/5/4/beauty_by_nienna1990-d4bcycs.jpg)
:origin()/pre00/2157/th/pre/i/2010/233/e/2/kelly_e_retouch_by_nienna1990.jpg)
:origin()/pre08/d4b5/th/pre/i/2009/176/8/f/new_version_retouch_by_nienna1990.jpg)
:origin()/pre06/8876/th/pre/f/2011/258/c/0/charlotte_kibbles_eylure_by_nienna1990-d49w861.jpg)
:origin()/pre09/4e99/th/pre/i/2011/201/4/0/blue_traveler_1_retouch_by_maarkb-d40zg4m.jpg)
:origin()/pre08/a36f/th/pre/i/2011/317/b/f/rollover_retouch_xxvii_by_stewin-d4g1282.jpg)
:origin()/pre10/808c/th/pre/i/2009/334/9/8/devin_dygert_hair_retouch_by_nienna1990.jpg)
:origin()/pre05/82dd/th/pre/i/2012/012/d/d/rollover_retouch_xxxv_by_stewin-d4m34yl.jpg)
:origin()/pre02/bcd8/th/pre/i/2010/015/2/d/lee_k___vaunt_retouch_by_nienna1990.jpg)
:origin()/pre14/5681/th/pre/i/2011/029/9/f/andreas_t_retouch_5_rollover_by_hells_seduction-d38ad60.jpg)
:origin()/pre11/367c/th/pre/i/2011/329/1/0/rollover_retouch_xxxi_by_stewin-d4h96r2.jpg)
:origin()/pre12/b8a3/th/pre/i/2011/327/8/b/rollover_retouch_xxx_by_stewin-d4h13xf.jpg)
:origin()/pre02/6647/th/pre/i/2010/317/2/f/andreas_t_retouch_3_rollover_by_hells_seduction-d32rsjl.jpg)
:origin()/pre00/36a2/th/pre/i/2011/194/4/7/rollover_retouch_xxiv_by_stewin-d3nvvvr.jpg)
:origin()/pre05/cc36/th/pre/i/2010/130/1/7/emelie_w__rollover_2_by_alightmonkey.jpg)
:origin()/pre03/44db/th/pre/i/2011/187/2/c/kristina_vassilieva_retouch_2_by_amarfoog-d3l6gyi.jpg)
:origin()/pre06/5fe4/th/pre/i/2011/217/9/7/beauty_retouch_rollover_1_by_aberempel-d45ku3q.jpg)
:origin()/pre05/2989/th/pre/i/2011/193/7/b/dpr_retouch_by_amarfoog-d3ncs0z.jpg)
:origin()/pre07/a03e/th/pre/i/2010/295/9/1/subtlety_retouch_by_elenavdeenko-d31a0v7.jpg)
:origin()/pre05/6161/th/pre/i/2010/270/7/0/bill_jones_retouch_1_rollover_by_hells_seduction-d2zlwzk.jpg)
:origin()/pre00/8394/th/pre/i/2011/190/a/b/rollover_retouch_xxiii_by_stewin-d3lj10y.jpg)
:origin()/pre10/84bc/th/pre/i/2016/050/9/9/retouch_by_nienna1990-d34q34b.jpg)
And it looks natural too.
I'm impressed.
i opened my mouth 5 min !!
This is amazing gurl
Totally in love with your work !!
It is a big difference
but the sad truth is that no one in fashion pictures are real anymore they're just computer retouch pics
still amazing job
You can see that by looking at bad original photos. Retouching might make it better, but as long as the original is bad, so will the end result.