Quote - i agree with agent0013 about tweaking your lighting but with one variation of course.  you will have one thing in your render that is the focus of the image, if you start with that figure in your image then you set up your lighting with that figure in mind.  you could set up your lights right after you have the figure in the scene so that you get the shadows and highlights as you want them even b4 you put anything else in the scene.  i usually make at least 3 distant lights set one to illumination on and the other two on to spec only that way you have the specular highlights illuminated more so it is more like natural lighting.

Thank you for that tip in lighting. I have been wondering how to do exactly that. Now if we can find out how to do ambient lighting, I think we will be doing great. Don't quote me on this, but I think ambient lighting has something to do with the underlying surface glow. It sets the mood of the piece. A good example is how a spooky setting is lit. Like I said, I don't know this for sure.