Alright...
I spent months at purchasing a computer, now I'm not bragging so don't get me wrong, I have an ASUS  notebook. ASUS is, IMHO the best in the business when it comes to computers and computer graphics.
This notebook was custom made for  me to ensure THE VERY BEST 3D/HD  quality renders and films.  (Fliming is what my fiance and I do for a livin)  The problem is NOT gamma corrections on my monitor, it's my inability to get the lighting right.

Geep, the image you show, what you did with it on your side looks VERY "foggy" to me.

Momodot, in the image you show, you have sunlight coming off a beaker in the middle of the night. It's a night scene...That's a large moon in the window, I guess I should have done that differently huh? I thought about layin' the staff on the ground, think that would aid in making her look smaller than her surroundings? I know I have to work on my lighting, first I need to get the scene how I want to it first. Maybe I need to sit down and sketch in with pencil first.

Think using Photophop would work better than Poser? I know in one of mine..."Escape from Hell" I used photoshop but I'm not sure that turned out well.