My tattoo

After spending an afternoon with the staff of Wizard of Ink I decided that I was going to get my first tattoo! It had been something I've been contemplating for a while and knew that I wanted to get it done there. I went in there on Wednesday and had it done, I was so nervous! But I did it and was pleasantly surprised by how little it hurt compared to how much I thought it would.

First meeting

Finally I was able to get a place that was willing to take me which as Wizard of Ink along Lewes Road

I went in there on Friday 18th and ended up spending a few good hours in there talking to the staff and watching how they work. Unfortunately the day I went in was very quite due to the rain so I wasn't able to get a wide variety of different shots but I was please to be able to get to know the staff in there and was welcomed back anytime I wanted :)

Here are a few of the shots I got.

Problems and Solutions

With this project I have run into a lot of problems to do with being able to get into the tattoo studios and have been turned down a few times so I am planning on going into a few studios such as penetration and taking my photographic books of my work I have with me and showing them my work and hoping that they will allow me to spend some time in there. If I find a place that is willing to have me I want to spend a while there and actually get to know the artists and not just focus on their work but how they work and the atmosphere.

Brighton Tattoo Convention

While researching tattoos I found out that the Brighton Tattoo Convention was happening the week we got our project. I emailed the even organiser Woody and managed to get a press pass!
One the weekend of the convention I went on the Sunday and collected my press pass. There were many different types of artist there with many different styles and it wasn't just tattooist at the convention. there were piercing stalls. art work, jewellery and many other things
Here are some of the shots I took :)

Leah Moule, my new favourite tattooist

I own the one on the right! Looks even better in person :)

Click the images to see them bigger =)

First contact

I decided it would help me if I made a list of possible tattoo and piercing studios I can contact to get the chance to take photographs.

Blue Dragon

http://www.bluedragontattoo.co.uk/

Email: info@bluedragontattoo.co.uk

Intro Tattoo & Piercing

http://www.intro-tattoo.co.uk/

Email: From website

Angelic Hell

http://www.brighton.angelichelltattooworld.co.uk/

Email: brighton@angelichelltattooworld.co.uk

Nine

http://www.nineboycesstreet.com/

Email: inkme@nineboycesstreet.co.uk

Inka Tattoo

http://www.inkatattoos.co.uk/

Email: From website

Wizard Of Ink

http://www.thewizardofinkbrighton.co.uk/

Email: johnnietat2@yahoo.co.uk

Inspiration

http://comablue.deviantart.com/art/Daaz-s-Tattoo-in-Color-50825485?q=favby%3Achemicalllover%2F8430109&qo=7

http://cocktailshaker.deviantart.com/art/sakura-141821105?q=boost%3Apopular%20in%3Atraditional%2Fbodyart%2Fbodymods&qo=61

http://unknown-nobody.deviantart.com/art/Tattoo-64696111?q=boost%3Apopular%20tattoo&qo=6

http://zap-br.deviantart.com/art/Inked-Jack-199928678?q=favby%3Achemicalllover%2F8430109&qo=2

http://intensivetherapy.deviantart.com/art/last-breath-60934674?q=boost%3Apopular%20in%3Atraditional%2Fbodyart%2Fbodymods&qo=162

First Ideas

• Ask around and email tattoo and piercing shops asking to be able to shoot photographs of during the process of people getting their 'markings' done and the final product.
• Different groups of people 'tribes'- e.g. skaters in the level, shoppers in churchill square.
• Night life- beginning of the night, end of the night.
• Homeless people and their dogs.
• Cashiers/ Shop workers.
• School Kids- junior school/high school
• Sterotypes- emo/scene/goth/prep
• Parents
• Children in the park- young generation (young tribe)

New Project

For our new project we were given the word Tribe and were told to create a list of what we think tribe could mean.

• Differences
• Respect
• Religion/Beliefs- Could be things like church services or graveyards
• Rituals-  This could mean many things like something that happens or someone does yearly, monthly or daily ( for example their morning routine)
• Brighton colours
• Pride- This can be related to being proud of who you are so gay pride which happens every year would be a good example of the pride people feel to be part of the gay community

• Honor
• Culture
• Symbolism
• Traditions
• Spirit
• Entertainment
• Groups of people
• Leadership
• Nature



An old tree from the Jenisch-Park in Hamburg Germany, taken with infrared

• Magic

• Powerful
• Animals
• Live from the land
• Dancing

• Community
• Markings- I feel this would be tattoos and piercing which are big part of culture now and are quite widely accepted

Finals

It was finally time to choose our final images that were to be mounting and I found t quite easy to pick which ones I wanted. Here are my finals...

This image here was solarised for my final and actually turned out really well

Second Outing

After going through the images I had I knew that I needed to go out and take more photographs, so I decided to stick with graffiti as my main focus. That day I set off and just walked around looking for graffiti. In the end I was able to shoot two full films and as very please with how the day turned out.