You’ve stated in an interview before that you ‘enjoy
photographing in black and white – it forces the
eye to concentrate on lines, angles, textures and
tones – without the confusion of colour.’ Do you
feel that this applies to tattoos as well? In terms of
technique, how do you photograph a tattoo that’s
in colour compared to a tattoo that’s in black?
Essentially, when creating images that focus primarily
on tattoos, it’s documenting somebody else’s creation
– the tattoo artist’s creativity and final product on skin.
You always want to do that art ‘justice’ and capture
it in the best possible way –
aesthetically and technically. You
never want your photographs to
detract from the artistry. Colour
plays an incredibly important role
in modern tattooing – they’re
often vivid, vibrant and bright if
done correctly. As such, when
photographing tattoos, I generally
choose to create colour images
as to best document the reality
of the piece. The biggest factor,
which affects photographing
tattoos clearly, is skin tone and the
contrasts between the ink and the
person’s complexion.
"TATTOOING
EXTENDS
THROUGHOUT ALL
CLASSES, RACES,
AGES AND PLACES "
What elements come into play when you
photograph someone’s tattoo?
Tattoos on darker skin types need to be shot with
more considered lighting conditions to define the
tattoos better. The age of the tattoo also affects its
appearance on skin. Tattoos do degrade over a period
of time, as the skin is continually regenerating and
losing or gaining elasticity. Then, obviously, how well
the actual tattoo was done plays a role. Professional
tattoos done in a hygienic environment heal a lot
better, and usually look a lot cleaner and sharp.