When I was in jury duty, I noticed that the room had 2 or more sets of lights. There were lights hanging from the ceiling and lights along the side of the room. Might want to try that, more dim lights. See how it looks. That should get rid of the light spot on the background. What is the purpose of this picture? In other words, what sort of feeling do you want to convey here? Are you going for a shot from "Better Lodges and Manors" or the court of the Spanish inquisition? If the desk is the focal point, I would make sure that it grabs the eye. Would change the color of the cushions on the pews to dark brown or dark red. The desk should be a bit brighter so it stands out more. Would also move the candles so they surround the desk on 3 sides, so the person reading the book has even light.