Inked Talk

Lynn Ann Allen’s work is making quite a stir in her local tattoo community. Her love of photography along with her own collection of tattoos made combining the two seem natural, and the results speak for themselves. Her project, Beautiful Women with Ink, is an ongoing effort to showcase heavily tattooed women.

Lynn took a few moments to speak with Inked Talk about her project.

Inked Talk: What inspired you to begin photographing tattooed women?

Lynn Allen: Well, I am a woman adorned with more than a few tattoos and I worked, until recently, in a corporate environment. I was always respectful when I was with clients or fellow associates and covered up when needed. Still, it always got my goat when negative things were said about me based on the fact, and the fact alone, that I had tattoos. Even people I did business with for an extended period of time and we had what I thought was a good working relationship treated me different after learning about my tattoos. Like it changed me somehow, but why I don’t know.

Tattoos have become so mainstream now, but in the end nothing really has changed. People, women I think more so than men, are looked at in a more negative fashion if they have tattoos. I am not talking about little butterflies on your hip or flowers on your foot, but rather “manly” arm tattoos or extensive works covering more than a square inch of your body. “Such a pretty girl, why would you do that to yourself?” So those experiences lead to my wanting to do this project. The project isn’t necessarily about the tattoos themselves though. It is about the woman who chooses this as a form of self-expression. Who she is and the beauty she still possesses regardless of “defacing” herself. This project is a way to show the world that the old stereotype of women with ink is antiquated.

IT: Tell us about your own tattoos.

LA: I have approximately twenty or so, mostly concentrated on my arms. The crow is my totem animal so I have a lot of art that incorporates birds. I love spirals too, so most have some sort of spiral in them. My favorites are a couple Tim Burton characters I had done most recently. When I moved to Milwaukee I read an article on Heather Shinn. I then went to meet her and I “fell in love” with her personality and her work. Now, I will continue to go to Heather since I trust her and her work.

IT: How has your project evolved from the beginning to where you are now?

LA: In the beginning I wanted to do portraits and that’s it, but as I meet these beautiful, independent, intelligent, charismatic women I want more and more for them to be seen as I see them. Once I get enough women interested, interviewed, and get the test shots completed, I plan on choosing a few iconic locations in Milwaukee and do a final shoot with the women who best personify the premise behind this project.

IT: You have mentioned that this project has been a learning experience for you. How so?

LA: Well, as I mentioned I am not familiar with photographing live subjects. I am used to inert objects like rusted cars and cemetery sculpture. Humans are a totally different ballgame and, for me, it’s been hard trying to figure out how to communicate a person’s personality in a photograph. Each session helps a bit though and I learn something new each time.

IT: What do you see in the future for this project or similar ones?

LA: Well, hopefully I can find a local business to allow me to have a small show and then the book. I have recently expanded my solicitation to include men who are tattooed and I would love to do a series on people with “extreme” body modifications. I think there is a beauty in any form of self expression even if it is something (we) think is crazy.

IT: What has been the most personally rewarding part of this project for you?

LA: Meeting all these amazing women, I feel blessed to have met them.

Thank you, Lynn, for taking the time to talk to Inked Talk about your project. If you want to see more of Lynn’s work, including her other projects, visit her website: Necropolis Photography.

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And, for my daily plug of another 451 Press blogger’s site: Today I found Anime Fans online. Anime is so mainstream these days but it’s still fun to see what those wacky Japanese are up to. Check it out!