lucky that something like these below didn't happen. I guess Canada is less paranoid?

http://www.sfist.com/archives/2005/02/14/homeland_insecurity_photo_ban_on_muni.php
http://69.93.170.43/index.php#
http://www.shooter.net/index.php/weblog/Item/attack-of-the-sf-muni-fare-inspectors/

People these days...

Taken while you were moving? Interesting change of imagery. Makes me feel less selfconcious about my shakey photography. It's a cool effect.

Actually its like you were ridding a horse with them when you clicked the shot. The streaks of light are moving like the motion of a horse back rider.

In an abstract way you captured the feeling of ridding horseback. I really enjoy the constant changes in style you display. Thanks for the inspiration.

I have been toying with the settings on my horribly inadequate tiny camera and attempting some long exposure shots too... they are really fun. Thanks for the great idea. I may have to someday invest in a better camera that will let me more accurately control my settings.

I love seeing mounted police downtown amidst all the cars and concrete. Another great feature of Toronto life.

This one at first looked like some kind of giant neon green monster throwing a left hook at you...

Surreal

I like it... controlled chaos is what comes to mind. Great, vibrant colors. Great green and orange contrasts.

I really don't want to be negative and maybe you feel pressure to always come up with a winner(you often do). But, this one sucks. I would have deleted it right off the CF.

=\ um... this is one of your worse images.. sorry.

Very cool ... for me it really looks like the horse and cop has blended together into form walking down the street.

ummmmm....I really don't like this. It looks like you took the picture with the camera on the wrong setting.

Not your best, sorry.

What's a "steert"? ;)

This one is awesome! I feel dizzy just looking at it. I love pictures that can actually make you feel something, and there is no way you can look at this one and not have your eyes swim all over.

Were you walking in this photo or moving the camera around? I can see the motion paths by the trail the lights leave, just wondering how you got the exact affect?

You post some great shots, and then you post this. We all know you got great tallent, so dont let me down now.

didn't like it :/

Pretty bad. One of the worst.

It's funny to read the comments. People just say its bad but they dont have an argument or reason to back it up. People just arent open minded these days, they dont understand art. They like to see the pretty pictures of sunsets and buildings, but as soon as something abstract comes into the picture, they can't grasp the concept. Now I'm not saying that all of Sams's pictures are great but it's hard to take somebody's opinion if they can't back it up. Good work by the way Sam.

Usually, I'm a fan of the lomo pics... not so much with this one. I'm guessing it may have been one of those fleeting OMG-This-Would-Be-A-Cool-Shot moments, but it just didn't turn out as well as it could have. I'd just like to see *something* anchored in the image, even if it's just the centerline in the street.

I'm gonna have to agree with diana here... I would have liked at least one part of the image to not be so insanely blurred.

ahhh. looks like a devil horse with red eyes!!!

check out my crazy little moving photo with lights in madison on my page. Its a bit similar

I just have to reiterate, sorry. I dont think people even looked at this photograph! Yes it is abstract. I REALLY like this image! The colors, the motion, the lights... all of it! I love it! People were in too much of a hurry or something today... if you really looked at this picture I think you'd be able to appreciate it. Calm down people. I'd have to agree with "the Buddha" that it seems like ya'll would only be happy with sunsets and buildings and solid things that dont always take perspective to make interesting. This image is intersting, the perspective is interesting. If you dont have anything constructive to say... then just dont say anything.

I agree this is one you need to look at for a while, let your mind carry through the imagery and recreate the flow of the movement, to appreciate it. The lights and the movement come together and depict the sensation of riding horse back. It is abstract and wonderful. I am usually a realist lover who enjoys very well captured sharp colours, but I can appreciate the feeling of this piece. I like it. Each persons mind works a little bit differently, so I do believe this photo looks a bit different for everyone. while I can appreciate and empathetically feel the motion and the moment of this photo purhaps for others it just does not connect. (When I first saw it I didnt like it, because my mind had not yet grasped what it was but when i began to view the movement and realise what i was seeing... then I could appreciate it)

I think the point that many people are trying to make is that there is a difference between camera shake because you forgot your tripod and creative subject movement in the image from a camera with a tripod attached and used well. Technically, the tripod version is obviously harder to do and involves lugging around a tripod 24/7...where as with this image, it's basicly just camera shake and no tripod was used - I assume, or used badly..hehe. At the same time, I gather Sam knows all this more than well enough as his work attests and wasn't attempting to capture the average tripod + subject movement shot and instead went for something a bit different. Test out the waters, explore the craft and all that! Personally I think I would have preferred a tripod shot with subject movement rather than camera...but it's up to the eye of the beholder and everyone obviously sees it differently. Keep'em comin' Sam....

Hey .
I read most of the comments.But I dont understand why poeple sometimes can be so close minded.Guys Art has no defenision.Everything is art and nothing is art.And no art is better than others.They all have their own values.
Well if you guys know this guy,sam,you all know his work and how tallented he is .But would it hurt to see something different?
I myself like the colour combination.
Red blue yellow green black gray brown ...
Nice job sam.Different but nic.
Good luck to you.

I must admit, when I first looked at this I also had the instinctive dislike.

On repeated viewings I still don't like it - as one previous commenter has observed,it'd be OK if _just one_ piece was in focus (as with your shots of people in cars, with the panning effect).

It has the feel of a shot where everything was on auto, and the shutter's been open way too long, just to get the available light. It's different, and I'm not going to knock that. On a personal perspective, I don't like it.

As for Alyssa's comment that if you don't have anything constructive to say, say nothing, I feel that can lead to false positives where someone says "it must be good! Look, no-one's said anything negative!". With photography there's always going to be some polarisation, some liking, some loathing. That's life, and "art". This one seems to be more extreme on the polarisation, that's all.

For myself, I'd have liked to have either the cops/horses motion-blurred while the street stayed in focus (in a similar vein to the whitby self-portrait) or vice-versa. But to have everything in motion - for me - loses all impact of the image.

I like it a lot. It looks like a Futurist painting.

cool? maybe if i was stoned? na even then, it sucks, sorry dude "i love you man" but i agree, this one sucks, keep up the great work!!!!!!

I think the photo is cool. Gorgeous in a different manner

not a good picture SAM I AM. Get better pics that make sense dude

This is a wonderful photo - it shows life in action! One must remember this is an intrepretation of an event - not just a documentation of a horse and rider. This photo has life and energy - not boring. Although I am not surprised that some don't like it - this is a photo that will be seen in many different lights by many because it makes you use your immagination (at least, just a little). Would I frame this? No. But it is a great example of "Cops in Motion". It also shows life in Toronto. And this photo is very appropriate for the web! Good Job! Eric

rules are there to be broken, but only to serve a purpose, otherwise they are there to help us be more communicative.
creativity can sometimes come through breaking rigid rules, but not always. don't explain to anyone if you find it too hard, but ask yourself, what was my point when i decided to do so? only for the sake of having broken conventional rules? or a purpose worth experimenting? yes or no remains with you. you can stubbornly say people are entitiled to their opinions still having the illusion that you're open to criticism or humbly take them all as a stepping stone.

i think it definately captured the pukey-feeling i get when i see too many neon lights... following the light trail near the cop's head is gonna make me vomit. maybe it's the green/blue at the bottom right that makes it seem so infectious.

Rules are made to be broken, keep up the good work. This reminds me of an impressionist painting, the colors are so rich and full of contrast, it really evokes some emotion. If people are critical, you know you've pushed their thinking, and that can only be good.

Love the site!

Some of u guys are too critical. Enjoy life, enjoy the experience of life through someone else's eyes. OK so it lacks an anchor point, but those neon-ish light shapes are "totally rad dude".

I think people these days are very close minde about this type of thing. It should ust be done the way you want it to be done...not the way somebody else wants it done..so say something constructive or respect the photographer...not saying there should be no negativity...but open your mind set a little bit