Northern Soul

Is a photo of a 2d artwork a cop-out?

I usually avoid photographing street art. In my hometown of Dundalk, murals are everywhere. They’re beautiful, but as a photographer, I worry they become a crutch — you end up "borrowing" the artistry of the mural artist rather than creating your own.

If a crap photo of a beautiful person is still a crap photo, why does a crap photo of a mural still look "interesting"? To me, it feels like a shortcut.

But, I made an exception for this wall at @northernsoulmcr. By adding my wife into the frame — she is a "Northern [Irish] Soul" who happens to love cooking — does this become a new work of art, or is it just a family snap elevated by someone else's painting?

My wife is literally leaning on the wall? Am I artistically leaning on the wall?