Ex - 1

Ex-Gang Members With Their Tattoos Removed

Tattoos done in the past can often be silly or embarrassing. But that’s nothing compared to when they have a serious and harmful impact on your life. That’s the notion photographer Steven Burton explores in his photo series Skin Deep, featuring the ex-gang members struggling to come back to society.

“ When I started Skin Deep I had a simple concept: take portraits of heavily tattooed ex-gang members and remove the tattoos using digital re-touching to create before and after portraits, ” Burton writes on his Kickstarter page . “ Most of the homeboys/girls hadn’t seen themselves without tattoos for decades, so during the interviews, I presented the images. There was a deep emotional response by the subjects. “

“ These images inspire personal insight from the subjects and elicit questions of how we as a society perceive and judge those with tattoos and how this stigma goes so far as to influence these former gang member’s perception of themselves. “

The photographer spent two years and over 400 hours on Photoshop to make this book a reality. The last thing that’s missing is your support on Kickstarter.

More info: kickstarter | steven burton | (h/t: designboom )

Steven Burton created a photo seriesSkin Deep,featuring the ex-gang members with their tattoos removed

ex-gang-members-tattoos-deleted-skin-deep-steven-burton-1 - 2 ex-gang-members-tattoos-deleted-skin-deep-steven-burton-2 - 3

He takes portraits of heavily tattooed ex-gang members and removes the tattoos using digital re-touching

ex-gang-members-tattoos-deleted-skin-deep-steven-burton-3 - 4 ex-gang-members-tattoos-deleted-skin-deep-steven-burton-4 - 5

‘Most of the homeboys/girls hadn’t seen themselves without tattoos for decades…’

ex-gang-members-tattoos-deleted-skin-deep-steven-burton-16 - 6 ex-gang-members-tattoos-deleted-skin-deep-steven-burton-15 - 7

‘So during the interviews, I presented the images…’

ex-gang-members-tattoos-deleted-skin-deep-steven-burton-11 - 8 ex-gang-members-tattoos-deleted-skin-deep-steven-burton-12 - 9

‘There was a deep emotional response by the subjects’

ex-gang-members-tattoos-deleted-skin-deep-steven-burton-5 - 10 ex-gang-members-tattoos-deleted-skin-deep-steven-burton-6 - 11

‘These images inspire personal insight from the subjects and elicit questions of how we as a society perceive and judge those with tattoos…’

ex-gang-members-tattoos-deleted-skin-deep-steven-burton-17 - 12 ex-gang-members-tattoos-deleted-skin-deep-steven-burton-18 - 13

‘And how this stigma goes so far as to influence these former gang member’s perception of themselves’

ex-gang-members-tattoos-deleted-skin-deep-steven-burton-13 - 14 ex-gang-members-tattoos-deleted-skin-deep-steven-burton-14 - 15

The photographer spent two years and over 400 hours on Photoshop to make this book a reality…

ex-gang-members-tattoos-deleted-skin-deep-steven-burton-7 - 16 ex-gang-members-tattoos-deleted-skin-deep-steven-burton-8 - 17

The last thing that’s missing is yoursupporton Kickstarter.

ex-gang-members-tattoos-deleted-skin-deep-steven-burton-9 - 18 ex-gang-members-tattoos-deleted-skin-deep-steven-burton-10 - 19 Ex - 20 Ex - 21

Andrius

In cahoots with the secret orde… With nobody. In cahoots with nobody.