Attached Link: http://www.poserdirect.com/concepts.html

Heres another couple of tricks...

Many artists use (especially when making very complex scenes) is to render the scene and then use that render as the background for another picture.  As long as you don't change the lights or move the camera when making the 2nd piccy it can be surprisingly quick and effective.

Another one is to use the same photo both as a background and also cutting bits out of it and making transmaps from the bits. So you can make your characters walk behind parts of the photo, which is pretty cool for animations.

Also don't forget you can use video backgrounds as well as photos, so you could easily make a clip of your self talking to a robot or dwarf.

One fun variation of these is to film a scene, say like a street scene, add some flying sci-fi cars then place a transmap in front of the camera, so it looks like a future street.
Another idea I've used - and to great effect - in work presentations is use a photo background, animate a simple toon character walking across the scene or doing silly things. Then either recorded myself against a green screen and chromakeyed in the render for the background.

Or more simply ran the render as a video clip using a projector and stood in front of the whiteboard.  Then as you talk and the clip plays behind you people will start paying attention :)

BTW - link below is to some tutorials and bits for some inspiration.

Pinky - you left the lens cap of your mind on again.