Yes, Rob, the law of conversion of quantity into quality (Marx and dialectics) 
But seriously, that is nothing new, i.e., that subject matter dominates over medium or technique. The series is not about medium, technique or even photography, it is about fascinating samples of British characters.
You would be the first to argue that, when it comes to landscape for instance, the attraction of it often lies in God's creation itself (subject matter), rather than the photographer's creativity.
Absolutely, rendering the photography, unless for some commercial purpose, next to redundant. I stopped being interested in landscape almost exactly about the time I stopped doing stock!
Such heresy aside, I do enjoy and respect a great deal of urban photography which, because of the human element, either due to its physical presence or simply by the fact of designed creation - the work of man as well as the presence of man, one might say - adds a certain interest measurable in human terms which, perhaps, literal landscape can't; could be it's simply too big for comfort.
Maybe it's just confusion over terminology, but from a photographic perspective, I'd find a lot more of interest in Rome than I do here in the tourist sticks. Yes, it's lovely up in the mountains as it is down by the sea, but lovely doesn't imply connectivity.
Rob
