> Quote - I just came across this post; and your tip for reallism in our renders was great. > So I thought you might like to see what I came up with... > http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=1548818

Very nice!  Ironically though I had a similar idea in my "one day to do image list" which I have just now crossed out because you beat me too it,  LOL Anyway, since we're showing off AO results, here is mine!  I used the AO node on the coffin, the dirt, the ground, Michael's hair and pants (to try and improve the look of the waist band area by the body). Though it didn't really seem to make a difference with the pants at the waist.

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=1548180

I also used bagginsbill's candle shader which is my absolute favourite shader!  The lights are my own concoction.

I've attached a full render of the image without the AO for comparison. Click for a larger view. You can see that  the AO makes things look "richer" in colour while the one without AO looks dull and less "dimensional".   I'm very impressed with this and will be making it a staple of all of my future images!

Bagginsbill also gave me some great advice for my "glowing hair", hehe.  I had rewired the nodes so that the Diffuse Colour Node was in the "Alternate_Diffuse" node.  I'll let him explain the concept behind what I did and what he suggested as a better way :)

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi