Branded

ulrikft

Got the chance to photograph a tattoo in the making:
As always: C&C is very much appreciated

schmoo

Although the subject is technically centered, I think the light and the details make it work. Because his hands are covering the lines he's drawing, it makes me wonder what the finished piece will look like. I think you can tell a lot about each person here just through the texture of their skin.

jeffreaux2

Nice.

...and I especially like the way you have processed it.

eL eSs Vee

This is a fantastic shot! Great detail in the skin, gloves and metal. Nice bokeh and shadowing.

I love it!

Schmoo: Looks like it'll be a black widow.

photoshow

Love it! The light, the detail and the processing all bring it together and deliver the image with imapct.

Hyllmark92

good job!

NeilL

Yes, it's all the good things the other posters have said!

Among my first reactions, however, was disappointment that I would not be able to relate to either of these people because I could not see enough of them! So, I wonder, to use urbanaries' words from elsewhere, what the intention and the expectation of this image are? Is it an illustration of the operation of tattooing - informative? Is it to give us a peep at a social group different to ours, different values, signs and symbols - voyeuristic? Or is it to invite connection - sympathetic? This latter is what I would like to do through the image, but can't. I want to push back the frame and see more of these people so I can get more understanding of who they are. I imagine opening a door into a smoky studio, hearing the harsh buzz of the machine, seeing the walls covered in tattoo sample art, two figures, dark, covering a glow from a light focused on the job between them. I imagine walking close up to peer over the shoulders, over the heads, at the arms at the center of their attention. Heads, shoulders.

You perhaps should be aware that my comments are from someone who has had a DSLR for all of three months, and who has posted on DGrin all of maybe six images (and maybe six too many!).

(Happily, these are not my only qualifications!)

Best wishes and thanks.

Neil

ulrikft

Thanks for all your comments! And yes, it is going to become a black widow..

I can try to explain what i wanted to "communicate" with this picture. I wanted to keep the tattooers tattooed hands a bit in the dark, but still present, and the "new" and untouched canvas more in the light. I tried a few different compositions, a few with more in the frame, including some posters in the background and the partially painful expression on the victims face and the very consentrated look on the tattooer. I can't explain why I like this more intimate version, it just "hit" me with more. It is hard to explain why I have to admit that I'm not very scientific in my endavour into photography. I just wanted to show the atmosphere and the intersection between craftsmanship and art, bit like photography.

Compositionally/technically i tried to get the one hand to come out of the corner and the machine in the upper left "third". I don't know that I'm answering your question?

NeilL

ulrikft wrote:

Thanks for all your comments! And yes, it is going to become a black widow..

I can try to explain what i wanted to "communicate" with this picture. I wanted to keep the tattooers tattooed hands a bit in the dark, but still present, and the "new" and untouched canvas more in the light. I tried a few different compositions, a few with more in the frame, including some posters in the background and the partially painful expression on the victims face and the very consentrated look on the tattooer. I can't explain why I like this more intimate version, it just "hit" me with more. It is hard to explain why I have to admit that I'm not very scientific in my endavour into photography. I just wanted to show the atmosphere and the intersection between craftsmanship and art, bit like photography.

Compositionally/technically i tried to get the one hand to come out of the corner and the machine in the upper left "third". I don't know that I'm answering your question?

It doesn't really matter if you are answering my question - it's very interesting to read your comments about this image and occasion. Thanks.

Would you like to show other images from this shoot?

Neil

Awais Yaqub

Fantastic shot buddy

ulrikft

I can post this one, I'm not sure if I'm happy with the processing yet, but here it goes: (as you can see, the lighting in the place is quite selective)

Flutist

As a lover of all things inked, I think this is a perfect representation!!

NeilL

ulrikft wrote:

I can post this one, I'm not sure if I'm happy with the processing yet, but here it goes: (as you can see, the lighting in the place is quite selective)

I do like this a lot. We could talk about how it might have been to come from above left or above right, or from below. But it really does have narrative, which the other lacked, and offers us many dimensions with which to connect with the characters.

Thanks for posting it!
Neil