Is this what you are telling me?

I think that I still must be misunderstanding something very basic?

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb74/kayto_bucket/03.jpg

Please help.

I must have something very basic very wrong.
I have tried 5 different tutorials - always the same problem.
It is all black or almost all black.
I am using Maya 8.5

I am trying...