FWIW, my two cents...

For post work, Paint Shop Pro version 9. It gives Photoshop a run for its money and is far, far cheaper

http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=Corel3/Products/Display&pfid=1047024307383&pid=1047023911984

I own two versions of Photoshop (7 and CS), Im not biased. PSP 9 is a great product and is nearly as versatile.

For rendering landscapes, sorry, but Bryce simply cannot compare to Vue 5. I purchased Bryce and quickly realized that while it's popular, it's simply not a 3D solution. I just purchased Vue 5 Infinite and am totally blown away by the product. It's pricey at $599, but you do get a $50 discount for additional content upon registering the product.

For product comparison between Vue 5 Esprit ($249), Vue 5 Pro Studio ($399), and Vue 5 Infinite ($599) go here: http://www.e-onsoftware.com/Products/vueproductline/

For a full feature list of Vue 5 Infinite, go here: http://www.e-onsoftware.com/Products/vue5infinite/?Page=14

You can also buy the older Vue d'Esprit 4 for $69 cheap.

For 3D modeling, you might want to check out Wings 3d. It's free (open source)...

http://www.wings3d.com/

The other 3D modeling products mentioned above are certainly superior to Wings, but if you're trying to get a feel for it, Wings 3d is nice to try. As mentioned, most of these products come as demo versions. Not sure about Bryce though. Its on its third owner, who knows

http://bryce.daz3d.com/

But if youre looking for incredible detail in landscapes and atmospheres, Terragen is the defacto standard. Nothing compares to the output quality (if its in the right hands) and the user base is enormous. Its free (spend $99 to unlock additional capabilities and to use it commercially, plus get a discount when the retail version is released) and its currently being re-written to be released as retail, to be known as TGD. Its been used in a few movies, and is being used in another to be yet released movie

http://www.planetside.co.uk/

The features are minimal in its current form, but the results are astounding. Visit the Terragen forum here for examples. Visit all of the forums and associated galleries here for examples and additional information.

A lot of Vue owners are also owners of Poser, so keep that in mind.