Shadows: I use too many shadows, or so i'm told, so you can't get me on THAT one. but I guess it really depends on what the person is trying to show? maybe they are mainly trying to show off the the contrast of a skin texture with a clothing texture, for instance, and a shadow would detract from that. not everyone is trying to create the same picture in the same way, which is a Good Thing. As to standing on toes... yup, most of mine do that; it's probably because I do Model Photography a bit also, and a womans calves, rear & posture look better (to me at least) when she is on her toes, at least partially.