It is really that simple. Look at the excellent images of David Muench and tell me you don't see complete mastery of the medium and a nearly perfect understanding of light. Look at the images of Morley Baer, John Sexton and Howard Bond. Then ask yourselves if these images come from darkroom tricks or if they aren't the result of vision coupled with technique used to interpret the light they find on location. All these photographers, and so many others, are good because they learn to use light to express their souls on film.
Light is the same for every photographer.
No one has a special light that isn't available to anyone else. No one has a corner on sunlight, shadows or rimlighting. The same quality of sunlight Ansel Adams used is available to you. The same quality of light used by Nick Vedros is available to you. Arthur Morris, John Shaw and Galen Rowell shoot in the same locations with the same light you have if you go there.