Behind the Photo No10: Blurred Holborn

Blurred Holborn: Holborn Tube, Central London

Ernst Haas I can hear people screaming. This photo is a RIP off and COPY of the Master Ernst Haas.  I would be the first to put my hands in the air and say "You are totally correct"

The most famous quote about stealing and copying is: “Good artists copy, great artists steal.” . I think it was the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso who came up with that quote. Again very true.

BUT here's the thing? GREAT artists will steal an idea for sure, but then they will use that for inspiration and come up with something new based on that idea, put their own personal stamp on it and call it there own. Good artists on the other hand, will use an idea and incorporate it into their work making it similar to what has gone before. Big difference!

The Photo?

Which brings us nicely onto this photo called "Blurred Holborn" taken strangely enough nearly Holborn Tube in Central London on a pedestrian crossing in the rush hour.

Camera: Olympus EM5

Lens: Vintage Lens probably 28mm which is 56mm equivalent on Micro 4/3

Shutter Speed; Very slow

ICM: there is a slight suggestion of some Intentional Camera Movement.

Painterly:  Oh Yessss

Here's what makes this photo slightly different from an Ernst Haas photo.

1. It's in Black and White....most of the work of Ernst Haas was in colour. In fact Ernst Haas was one of the early colour pioneers along with Saul Leiter and William Egglestone.

2. A high proportion of his work was shot in New York whereas I shoot predominantly in London.

3. Not that it matters, but he shot using film, I primarily shoot using digital. 

4. Ernst Haas was also a painter whereas myself I see more with a photographic eye.

The subtleties add a twist to make it more Pavement Pulse rather than Ernst Haas

Is this photo any good?

Personal rating is good but no more. Marked down on originality. It's a complex photo to achieve, too much blur and you have a complete mess, not enough blur and it's just an ordinary photo with people standing in traffic at a pedestrian  crossing. 

For some reason I just think this would look good printed massive on a gallery wall. I mean huge! What would Ernst Haas think? My rating 7.5/10. Your views may differ?