So I'm trying to make an intro for my youtube channel, and I made a shockwave effect for the background. It looks great, and as expected, my username without a material is pitch black in the render since it has no emissions on the material. But, when I do use even a fraction of an emission to help the colors pop out, the whole thing is blindingly bright. It doesn't even have to be an emission material! A lamp shining on the object is enough to recreate the same problem.
As you can see, the object is too bright, but it also doesn't show the true colors. I'm using a blue material and, get this, an orange material. I'm assuming the shockwave is providing light that is reflecting its own hue on the text. How do I make the true colors of my text pop out? (I also hope to give it some reflective lighting effects with a point lamp, but thats for another time.)