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9 Ex-Gang Members With Their Tattoos Removed

Seeing a fully tattooed person in a shady neighborhood can create all kinds of negative assumptions. But sometimes (if not most of the time) they’re just stereotypes, that actually make the lives of these people quite a bit harder. That’s the topic photographer Steven Burton explores in his photo series “Skin Deep” where he removes tattoos from ex-gang members to show the person beneath.

“When I started Skin Deep I had a simple concept: take portraits of heavily tattooed ex-gangsters and do tattoo removal 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 the gang tattoos for decades, so during the interviews, I presented the photoshopped 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 create the cool photos and turn it into a book. The last thing that’s missing is your support on Kickstarter.

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

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246Kviews

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

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

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What do you think ?

POST

tiagoobin 8 years ago

Interesting. How different people look without tattoos. I still love tattoos, but some of these people are better without.

21points

Notchimine Mette 8 years ago

I don't know - with or without the tattoos I would still cross to the other side of the road if I walked alone and saw them coming my way... It is the eyes...

5points

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.gas. 8 years ago

This gives the impression that tattoos in and of themselves are bad, which is certainly not the case. Hate/gang tattoos, yes. But most of these people's ink was not gang-related.

9points

Master Markus 8 years ago

Most facial tattoos, at least all the ones shown here, were very bad.

25points

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Rhon 8 years ago

They were all so much better looking when you can see clean skin. Very good looking people.

5points

Flower 8 years ago

fantastic!

5points

Jeanne Deaux 8 years ago

What is this trend to tattoo this awful playboy bunny on your face? Geez... Other than that it's nice to see the person under the tattoos, but they are still ex-gang members, so they stay people able to murder someone just because they are not "with them".

4points

Daria B 8 years ago

If they are ex-gangsters, maybe they're people who gave up on murdering someone for any reason at all....

5points

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Kimberly Hopper 7 years ago

The playboy bunny is a gang sign. It is a sign for crips, it is a sub-gang of crips.

1point

AlexaFaie 7 years ago

Just because they were in a gang doesn't mean they were murderers. Just gang members.

1point

Tina Martina 8 years ago

Problem is not tatoo in skin, problem is in heads these peoples.

4points

Susanna Vesna 8 years ago

I love tattoos in general, and most of these were made by true artists. I do not agree with the stupidity of the gang culture- it is like marking oneself as a slave of some cult. And why tattoo urself with naked slutty women and tattoo ur face? Really hope that after this project the would cover these tattoos with something more artistic and representing their current life.

4points

adv3se 7 years ago

Pretty sure that #6 is one of the women featured in the opening credits of Orange is the New Black.

3points

Kira Thesloth 7 years ago

A friend of mine used to be the receptionist at a urology clinic. Her husband was completely tatted up and looked really rough. People wouldn't know their relationship and would always make comments about not wanting him as their nurse, to which she'd reply, "actually Hun, he's the best nurse we have!"

2points

Jackie 7 years ago

Amazing retouching skills.

2points

Joel Ei 8 years ago

They all have the same look in their eyes. They all probably have killed a few people. Gangs are very wicked.

2points

Will Thix 2 months ago

I thought this article was going to be actual tattoo removals, not photoshop

1point

chachkimooch 7 years ago

I think they look more vulnerable without the tattoos.

1point

Kera Tucker 7 years ago

The creator of this project is amazing! It's absolutely stunning to me the amount of detail that went into not just removing the tattoos but the contouring, coloring and depth of the body thats been hidden away underneath.

1point

Kikka io 8 years ago

I like the tatoo. I have a big forearm owl and if I find the money I lighthouse as well, but I believe there is a limit to what we should do on the skin. Perhaps it is true that one should not be looking to influence others but as in life everyday as we are what we appear havoc in the end influence their lives.

1point

Flora Polvado 8 years ago

Amazing, the sweetness in the most of the faces without tatts. Many get facial tatts to look tough, it works.

1point

Emelie Rosberg 7 years ago

The eyes are the same, with or without tattoos.

-1point

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Alvaro Santos 5 years ago

Sure... MOST of the times when you see a guy with a face tattoo, is just a stereotype

0points

Robin Ščrbak 7 years ago

well it will be nice thing if its not a photoshop they have same position on bouth pic its stupid and tattoo remov cant look like that

0points

Robin Ščrbak 7 years ago

is a photoshop

0points

Alissa Tipton 7 years ago

Good idea, in the article http://fixthephoto.com/blog/retouch-tips/tattoo-retouching-how-to-retouch-skin-professionally.html I found the portrait of the photographer - creator of this project, and more photos with these gansters' stories)

0points

adv3se 7 years ago

Pretty sure #6 is featured in the opening credits of Orange is the New Black.

0points

Sandevil sandhya 8 years ago

very dedicated photoshop works..

0points

Sick Boy 8 years ago

Don't knock stereotypes that easily. They are usually there for a reason. In case of gang-members, ex or existing, even more so.

0points

pay1370 7 years ago

yep, if i'd ever meet someone like that on the streets no doubt i'd make a beeline around them. i'd rather have my life than not adhere to stereotypes.

-2points

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NanDur93 8 years ago

Its looks like.. clear skin the add tattos later.. great awesome works

0points

Pobin Rice 7 years ago

Great photoshop skills...........I ain't buying it

-1point

Sharron MacRae 8 years ago

These tattoos are not real. Some would be faded and have turned "bluish." Tattoos are only that black when they are brand new, like within a day or two of being done.

-1point

Ida Steen (Imezia) 7 years ago

If you look at the video you see that the tattoos are real and have faded, some more than others. The artist have altered both the before ANd the after picture, to enhance the tattoos in the before photo to create a bigger difference

2points

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Jette Lægaard 8 years ago

FAKE tattoos !

-1point

Aimee Davison 8 years ago

yeah, i get that sense too

-1point

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nampe 8 years ago

I wonder how could they pose from 'with' tatoo to 'without' tattoo with VERY exact same pose from every single pixel in the body..haha..photoshop skill lvl900000

-1point

Flora Polvado 8 years ago

It says the artist did digital retouching to get the before and afters.

6points

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Onthe Wall 7 years ago

That's great now we will never know who is a gang member and who is not. Makes for a big problem! WHICH ONE DO WE SHOOT!

-2points

Little letitia 7 years ago

They didn't actually remove their tattoos dude...jeez

2points

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Illumation Erwinus 8 years ago

You must be a fool to really believe this s**t, it's the opposite.

-2points

Little letitia 7 years ago

You realize they didn't actually remove the tats right...I think you're the fool

2points

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Delaaart 8 years ago

The before and after photos are precisely the same...it looks like a photoshop job to me. Still interesting, however.

-2points

get in 8 years ago

It IS photo shop, read the info.

3points

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Little letitia 7 years ago

Oh jesus

2points

Sam McKinney 7 years ago

Red before viewing...Geez! Sometimes Delaaart, sometimes.

1point

Tom Gregory 8 years ago

Bunch of stupid a*s gang bangers.....who cares????

-2points

Jackie Mixon 8 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Anni -Manni 8 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

La 8 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Haven Powell 8 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Paco Design 8 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Jeanne Deaux 8 years ago

Did you even read the introduction text? I bet you didn't. And if you did, you should really read it again because you didn't understand what it is about.

8points

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Jessica Nussbaumer 8 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Hayley Lightcap 8 years ago

Why

3points

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POST

tiagoobin 8 years ago

Interesting. How different people look without tattoos. I still love tattoos, but some of these people are better without.

21points

Notchimine Mette 8 years ago

I don't know - with or without the tattoos I would still cross to the other side of the road if I walked alone and saw them coming my way... It is the eyes...

5points

Load More Replies...

.gas. 8 years ago

This gives the impression that tattoos in and of themselves are bad, which is certainly not the case. Hate/gang tattoos, yes. But most of these people's ink was not gang-related.

9points

Master Markus 8 years ago

Most facial tattoos, at least all the ones shown here, were very bad.

25points

Load More Replies...

Rhon 8 years ago

They were all so much better looking when you can see clean skin. Very good looking people.

5points

Flower 8 years ago

fantastic!

5points

Jeanne Deaux 8 years ago

4points

Daria B 8 years ago

If they are ex-gangsters, maybe they're people who gave up on murdering someone for any reason at all....

5points

Load More Replies...

Kimberly Hopper 7 years ago

The playboy bunny is a gang sign. It is a sign for crips, it is a sub-gang of crips.

1point

AlexaFaie 7 years ago

Just because they were in a gang doesn't mean they were murderers. Just gang members.

1point

Tina Martina 8 years ago

Problem is not tatoo in skin, problem is in heads these peoples.

4points

Susanna Vesna 8 years ago

4points

adv3se 7 years ago

Pretty sure that #6 is one of the women featured in the opening credits of Orange is the New Black.

3points

Kira Thesloth 7 years ago

2points

Jackie 7 years ago

Amazing retouching skills.

2points

Joel Ei 8 years ago

They all have the same look in their eyes. They all probably have killed a few people. Gangs are very wicked.

2points

Will Thix 2 months ago

I thought this article was going to be actual tattoo removals, not photoshop

1point

chachkimooch 7 years ago

I think they look more vulnerable without the tattoos.

1point

Kera Tucker 7 years ago

1point

Kikka io 8 years ago

1point

Flora Polvado 8 years ago

Amazing, the sweetness in the most of the faces without tatts. Many get facial tatts to look tough, it works.

1point

Emelie Rosberg 7 years ago

The eyes are the same, with or without tattoos.

-1point

Load More Replies...

Alvaro Santos 5 years ago

Sure... MOST of the times when you see a guy with a face tattoo, is just a stereotype

0points

Robin Ščrbak 7 years ago

well it will be nice thing if its not a photoshop they have same position on bouth pic its stupid and tattoo remov cant look like that

0points

Robin Ščrbak 7 years ago

is a photoshop

0points

Alissa Tipton 7 years ago

0points

adv3se 7 years ago

Pretty sure #6 is featured in the opening credits of Orange is the New Black.

0points

Sandevil sandhya 8 years ago

very dedicated photoshop works..

0points

Sick Boy 8 years ago

Don't knock stereotypes that easily. They are usually there for a reason. In case of gang-members, ex or existing, even more so.

0points

pay1370 7 years ago

yep, if i'd ever meet someone like that on the streets no doubt i'd make a beeline around them. i'd rather have my life than not adhere to stereotypes.

-2points

Load More Replies...

NanDur93 8 years ago

Its looks like.. clear skin the add tattos later.. great awesome works

0points

Pobin Rice 7 years ago

Great photoshop skills...........I ain't buying it

-1point

Sharron MacRae 8 years ago

These tattoos are not real. Some would be faded and have turned "bluish." Tattoos are only that black when they are brand new, like within a day or two of being done.

-1point

Ida Steen (Imezia) 7 years ago

2points

Load More Replies...

Jette Lægaard 8 years ago

FAKE tattoos !

-1point

Aimee Davison 8 years ago

yeah, i get that sense too

-1point

Load More Replies...

nampe 8 years ago

I wonder how could they pose from 'with' tatoo to 'without' tattoo with VERY exact same pose from every single pixel in the body..haha..photoshop skill lvl900000

-1point

Flora Polvado 8 years ago

It says the artist did digital retouching to get the before and afters.

6points

Load More Replies...

Onthe Wall 7 years ago

That's great now we will never know who is a gang member and who is not. Makes for a big problem! WHICH ONE DO WE SHOOT!

-2points

Little letitia 7 years ago

They didn't actually remove their tattoos dude...jeez

2points

Load More Replies...

Illumation Erwinus 8 years ago

You must be a fool to really believe this s**t, it's the opposite.

-2points

Little letitia 7 years ago

You realize they didn't actually remove the tats right...I think you're the fool

2points

Load More Replies...

Delaaart 8 years ago

The before and after photos are precisely the same...it looks like a photoshop job to me. Still interesting, however.

-2points

get in 8 years ago

It IS photo shop, read the info.

3points

Load More Replies...

Little letitia 7 years ago

Oh jesus

2points

Sam McKinney 7 years ago

Red before viewing...Geez! Sometimes Delaaart, sometimes.

1point

Tom Gregory 8 years ago

Bunch of stupid a*s gang bangers.....who cares????

-2points

Jackie Mixon 8 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Anni -Manni 8 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

La 8 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Haven Powell 8 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Paco Design 8 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Jeanne Deaux 8 years ago

Did you even read the introduction text? I bet you didn't. And if you did, you should really read it again because you didn't understand what it is about.

8points

Load More Replies...

Jessica Nussbaumer 8 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Hayley Lightcap 8 years ago

Why

3points

Load More Replies...

9 Ex-Gang Members With Their Tattoos Removed

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