Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
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)
RELATED:
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
246Kviews
Share on Facebook
What do you think ?
tiagoobin 8 years ago
Interesting. How different people look without tattoos. I still love tattoos, but some of these people are better without.
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...
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.
Master Markus 8 years ago
Most facial tattoos, at least all the ones shown here, were very bad.
Load More Replies...
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".
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....
Load More Replies...
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.
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!"
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.
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.
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.
Emelie Rosberg 7 years ago
The eyes are the same, with or without tattoos.
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
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
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)
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.
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.
Load More Replies...
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.
Ida Steen (Imezia) 8 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
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
Flora Polvado 8 years ago
It says the artist did digital retouching to get the before and afters.
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!
Little letitia 7 years ago
They didn't actually remove their tattoos dude...jeez
Load More Replies...
Illumation Erwinus 8 years ago
You must be a fool to really believe this s**t, it's the opposite.
Little letitia 7 years ago
You realize they didn't actually remove the tats right...I think you're the fool
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.
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.
Load More Replies...
tiagoobin 8 years ago
Interesting. How different people look without tattoos. I still love tattoos, but some of these people are better without.
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...
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.
Master Markus 8 years ago
Most facial tattoos, at least all the ones shown here, were very bad.
Load More Replies... 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".
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....
Load More Replies... 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.
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!"
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.
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.
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.
Emelie Rosberg 7 years ago
The eyes are the same, with or without tattoos.
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
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
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)
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.
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.
Load More Replies... 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.
Ida Steen (Imezia) 8 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
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
Flora Polvado 8 years ago
It says the artist did digital retouching to get the before and afters.
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!
Little letitia 7 years ago
They didn't actually remove their tattoos dude...jeez
Load More Replies... Illumation Erwinus 8 years ago
You must be a fool to really believe this s**t, it's the opposite.
Little letitia 7 years ago
You realize they didn't actually remove the tats right...I think you're the fool
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.
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.
Load More Replies... You May Like Finger Tattoos Are The Newest Trend, And We've Collected Some Amazing Ideas For You To Check 30 White Tattoo Designs That Look Like Magic Runes 45 Ear Tattoo Ideas For Your Next Ink
Akvile Petraityte 🇺🇦
Akvile Petraityte 🇺🇦
Akvile Petraityte 🇺🇦
Related on Bored Panda
277
60