One of my personal AP heros (and StarTools user) Fred Vanderhaven is known to produce starless images now and then. Though purists may turn up their noses and call it 'doctoring', they completely ignore the fact that these images can really put 'old familiar' objects in a new light and help the viewer see things (e.g. nebulosity or interconnectedness of features) in the original image that weren't apparent with the stars still in. As such I think they're very helpful and interesting!
Ivo Jager StarTools creator and astronomy enthusiast