A few comments from other pretty talented other guys:

"Whenever I see his work, I just zone out."
                                                                              A. Adams
 
"Light -- what a concept."
                                                                              J. Vermeer
 
"The imagery portrayed in his oevre, though at once representational and illusional, nevertheless reminds one that the Best is yet to come, unless, of course, you are east of the Rockies, in which case it is Hellman's"
                                                                              Prof. Irwin Corey

 

On a more serious note, many amateur photographers get unnecessarily wrapped up in the f/stop & shutter speed issues, making exposure overly complex.  

Here is a simple rule of thumb that works regards of the amount of light available.  If you master this simple formula, you will always have the correct lighting for your exposures.