My interpretation of shooting clients in their natural state to me means that I try to use a flash as little as possible. I would rather use natural light from a window. I try to shoot as clean as possible, so that there is not a lot work to do in post production. If a person has a particular blemish or mark on them that is very distinguishing to them. Who am I to change it? That is part of my thought process, because in this digital age you see photos that are Photoshopped to the point that the real person no longer exists. When my clients look at their photos, I want them to say "you captured the real me".
I will only make subtle changes. I may brighten the eyes to make them pop or add a little color to the hair. Very small and minute changes that do not alter their overall appearance. I am sort of old school in the sense that I want my clients to look like themselves. I may be behind the times a little bit, but I like where I am in my process and of how I choose to do things.
My process might not work for the next photographer and they should choose to develop their way of doing things. Over my years of being a photographer I have developed my personal style and that is what I stick with doing. I am not inflexible with my process because if a client insists that I make these changes I will, but I am doing things the way that I learned and in a way that I am comfortable with doing.