I've tried on numerous occasions to take those types of images...they never are satisfactory to my palate.
The lighting just doesn't work to give them more than a "flat appearance".
IMHO, your images suffer the same fate.
Hi wmchauncey, thank you for your comment.
I'm quite satisfied with the raw files conversion in Capture One Pro 7.
However, I can honestly agree with you and say that viewing them on screen is not the best way to appreciate this kind of images.
Therefore I prefer to look at prints, on matte paper with an high brightness.