I don't know that you should be that bothered about not doing postwork (or not having Photoshop) - some people swear by it, I often don't even bother. 

In this image (watch out, there's BEWBS in this pic!*)  http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=1954585&user_id=629786&np&np I spent absolutely ages working on the lighting (there's 3 spots above her and six point lights around her sides) and the sweaty skin look - postwork... I think I probably upped the contrast a little, and darkened the area around her eyes, but that was it.

All I'm saying is it's not necessarily the postwork that'll help you make a good pic.

Hey... I'm hijacking my own thread! What can be done about the sycophants, eh? We need some direct action!

*Oh, FYI I deleted the rest of my gallery (and freestuff) off Renderosity because of the heavy-handed attitude of the mods.