While I could not agree more that Tom's are gorgeous pictures, I doubt that most of your average, everyday photographers would wind up with shots looking like that in harsh sunlight. Not that it can't be done, but it would most certainly require the higher level knowledge and tools that serious, skilled photographers possess.
I think that could be said for the majority of visitors to WDW. I am not basing this on any statistics or known facts, but just a quick look around you in any of the parks or resorts tells me that the majority of people are after quick snapshots, or perhaps some really good ones in many cases, of their family and friends, and the reason for them taking pictures is to record a memory of a good experience that will give them visuals to look back on and remember their time at WDW. Most of the photos I've taken on our trips are like that. I am not a skilled photographer. I want photos of our trip. But even with very little knowledge on the subject, there are times when, unless it's a "get it right now or lose it forever" moment I have opted to leave it because I just know there is no way I'm going to keep whatever the camera records. That brings me to another point, for those who actually delete the very similar images or the ones that aren't what we want: I don't keep them all. I think I took about 5000 photos last trip; I kept less than half of those. Some are really nice (or should I say, I am happy with them), others are photographically borderline disasters
but they captured a moment in memory that means something to me. I kept those as well. However, with that said, if I am walking around the animal Kingdom and know we are going to be there until 6 pm, I tend not to try get my photo of the Tree of Life at lunch time, because I know that I will get a 'better' (I use this word loosely, because it is a reference to my preference) picture on our way out of the park at closing time. I know that there is far less chance that the 6 pm shot is going to be deleted when I get home.
A Just because it's not your thing doesn't mean someone else can't make stunning images in full sun in the middle of the day.
I do agree with this statement, but I think that is determined by what makes your photo "stunning". If it's a family vacation, pictures of your family having fun are stunning. If you have the time (and the rest of your group has the patience), you seek out different subject matter to take photos of. When I went with my daughter at age 6, the majority of my pictures were of her. As she has grown up a little and I have more flexibility with time and her stamina, I am able to let her sit and have a snack or an icecream while I try and take a different kind of photo. And those are planned and a bit more thought goes into them, including timing. While I dont necessarily go for a perfect or magical light time of the day, I do consciously try and work those for times when I am not fighting the noon day glare of the sun.
It all comes down to what you want as your end result. I see countless guests walking through the park at a fair pace, they spot something, out comes the phone which they hold up, snap a quick photo and put it away; and all this without even slowing down! Now while I just can't understand that, they may just want something to load up to Facebook to say "I was there." Nothing wrong with that. Is it for me? No. But they are happy with it. So let them have it. But when it comes to better times of the day to take pictures, my
opinion (subjective) is that the kind of light is going to affect the end result.
Because it captures MK as it is most of the time, and how I feel most of the time when I am there.
Those are great pictures because they evoke some feeling of emotion, based on memories and reminiscing. Those have a very important place in our home - they always have, and always will.
But what about the photos that make you stop and look at them, even stare at them for ages - because they cause you to feel something; they are filled with mood, passion or emotion; or perhaps a combination of all of those? Those fall into a different category altogether. And this is personal preference, but I love low light shots. I love to feel the mood in there and be drawn into the picture. The ones that cause me to stop what I'm doing and spend time enjoying them .... THAT to me is art. And for me, there has to be the right light and use of it to create that. I'm not going to start another what is art debate. I hope I have been clear in stating that this is what I appreciate in a photo. I don't feel the need to persuade anyone to see things my way because I can choose to keep, look at, save, ignore or delete images as suits my preference. But those that make me feel, not just see, are the ones that will always draw me to them, appear to be the ones taken at the arguably optimal times of the day.
