Kevin Russo Photography wrote:
I think the tattoos are just as much art and craft as the photography, I personally do not have any tattoos but I enjoy the work of tattoo artist as well as photographing tattooed models.

Kevin Russo -Photographer

Hey Kevin, You're right of course. My point is I work in the commercial business where most of my clients DO NOT want tats. Who is pushing models to get them?

Keith Allen Phillips wrote:
What's a shame is you making it your business when it clearly isn't.

Thanks Keith. I was just venting my frustration after spending hours retouching a model. True, it's none of my business. It just doesn't seem logical to me.

Robert Stedman  wrote:

Hey Kevin, You're right of course. My point is I work in the commercial business where most of my clients DO NOT want tats. Who is pushing models to get them?

Why are you or your clients casting Tattooed Models then spending time removing them, cast non tattooed models. I am obviously missing something.

Robert Stedman  wrote:
Hey Kevin, You're right of course. My point is I work in the commercial business where most of my clients DO NOT want tats. Who is pushing models to get them?

I don't think models are being "pushed" to get them. They probably wanted a piece of art that meant alot to them on their body. I know that's why I have my 2 tattoos, both of which are easily hidden(ok the one on the wrist isn't as easy but a bracelet over it or a watch works wonders) and neither has bothered any of the people I've worked with here(I do commercial work here sometimes.). Of course, if it does bother them I simply won't get the job.

Or they were young and impulsive and got one that they will regret, that can happen. But usually it's the other way.

Robert Stedman  wrote:

Hey Kevin, You're right of course. My point is I work in the commercial business where most of my clients DO NOT want tats. Who is pushing models to get them?

No one is pushing them to get tattoos. Some may be doing it for all the wrong reasons and will likely regret it in the future. Some know exactly what they're doing and why and won't have any regrets in the future. My question would be if you have commercial client that don't like tats then why are you/they booking models with tattoos? There are plenty with and without. Hire what you need. And if the client insists on a certain model but wants her tats removed tell them it's gonna cost.

Robert Stedman  wrote:
Keith says it's none of my business. Wrong. It is my business. If I didn't have to spend hours retouching skin I do more important things that earn money.

Listen.  I have a practical solution.

Send me all the retouching jobs that require tattoo removal and I'll do them gladly.

You can then focus your energy on those more important things.

Robert Stedman  wrote:
Hi, It seems that lately I've been more busy retouching models tattoos out than actual time on the shots. Most of my clients don't like the rubbed in ink on skin. I just wonder why it's so popular now. Don't models realize what they'll look like in a few years?

You said it all in your title: "I don't get tattoos."

Robert Stedman  wrote:
Keith says it's none of my business. Wrong. It is my business. If I didn't have to spend hours retouching skin I do more important things that earn money.

Sorry... still none of your business. Why are you hiring models with tattoos if you're going to have to cover them up? And if you are having to cover them up, why aren't you charging for that time(assuming you're being forced to shoot these models because the client wants them)?

Robert Stedman  wrote:
I know it's about choice. My client wanted a specific model for a clothing shot. She had tats. Nothing I could do but post it out. Model's port didn't say she had tattoos and she never mentioned them to my AE. Surprise when the clothes came off!

Did you ever ask, in advance?

Brian Ziff wrote:

Listen.  I have a practical solution.

Send me all the retouching jobs that require tattoo removal and I'll do them gladly.

You can then focus your energy on those more important things.

Hey Brian, thanks, I will! Been a fan of your stuff for years. You're an amazing photographer.
Yeah, "the more important things" are making money. Got burned on this job with the retouching.

Robert Stedman  wrote:
I know it's about choice. My client wanted a specific model for a clothing shot. She had tats. Nothing I could do but post it out. Model's port didn't say she had tattoos and she never mentioned them to my AE. Surprise when the clothes came off!

See, what I don't like about that is the not mentioning them. You're supposed to. All jobs I get through my agency and without them, the client and photographer are fully aware that I have two small tattoos. It's something that does need to be mentioned.

Lauren WK wrote:

Did you ever ask, in advance?

Yes, of course. She said she "forgot."

Robert Stedman  wrote:
Yes, of course. She said she "forgot."

You should have sent her home.  That's not an example of tattoos getting in your way... it's an example of a model who isn't upfront about what she comes with.

Lauren WK wrote:

You should have sent her home.  That's not an example of tattoos getting in your way... it's an example of a model who isn't upfront about what she comes with.

Exactly.

Keith Allen Phillips wrote:

No one is pushing them to get tattoos. Some may be doing it for all the wrong reasons and will likely regret it in the future. Some know exactly what they're doing and why and won't have any regrets in the future. My question would be if you have commercial client that don't like tats then why are you/they booking models with tattoos? There are plenty with and without. Hire what you need. And if the client insists on a certain model but wants her tats removed tell them it's gonna cost.

Hi Keith, I'm in Singapore for this shoot and the choice was limited.

Robert Stedman  wrote:

Hi Keith, I'm in Singapore for this shoot and the choice was limited.

Still... not a tattoo problem, but a dishonest model problem.

Robert Stedman  wrote:
Hi Keith, I'm in Singapore for this shoot and the choice was limited.

I still don't know why you're complaining about tattoos, rather than the model who lied to you....

Elisabeth West wrote:

Exactly.

I must work on a different planet. Imagine the client sitting there with the MUA and hair person all booked and I cancel the shoot? I followed Nike's tagline and just did it. Otherwise I would have lost a few thousand bucks.

Lauren WK wrote:

I still don't know why you're complaining about tattoos, rather than the model who lied to you....

+1

Robert Stedman  wrote:
I must work on a different planet. Imagine the client sitting there with the MUA and hair person all booked and I cancel the shoot? I followed Nike's tagline and just did it. Otherwise I would have lost a few thousand bucks.

So, you made a few thousand bucks.  Why are you complaining?

Lauren WK wrote:

I still don't know why you're complaining about tattoos, rather than the model who lied to you....

Oh sorry. When we did casting we rejected about 8 models that had tats, so the choices were getting thin.....

Robert Stedman  wrote:

I must work on a different planet. Imagine the client sitting there with the MUA and hair person all booked and I cancel the shoot? I followed Nike's tagline and just did it. Otherwise I would have lost a few thousand bucks.

MUA could have concealed it enough to at least make your post work a little easier?

Lauren WK wrote:

So, you made a few thousand bucks.  Why are you complaining?

Ah, because we spend a lot of that money in retouching.

Robert Stedman  wrote:
Oh sorry. When we did casting we rejected about 8 models that had tats, so the choices were getting thin.....

If your choices were running thin after rejecting eight models, the job must not have been very appealing to them....

Robert Stedman  wrote:
Ah, because we spend a lot of that money in retouching.

If you were the retoucher, why did you have to spend money?

Keith Allen Phillips wrote:

MUA could have concealed it enough to at least make your post work a little easier?

Keith, don't get me started on the make-up artist!

Robert Stedman  wrote:

Keith, don't get me started on the make-up artist!

Then, maybe you should be complaining about make up artists, rather than tattoos....

Lauren WK wrote:

If you were the retoucher, why did you have to spend money?

Lauren, time is money. I run a studio with four designers. We didn't count on that amount of post so we lost other jobs.

Robert Stedman  wrote:

Keith, don't get me started on the make-up artist!

I know. Sometimes everything goes to shit and there's nothing left to do but bitch about it. Better luck next time.

Robert Stedman  wrote:

Lauren, time is money. I run a studio with four designers. We didn't count on that amount of post so we lost other jobs.

If you're so busy that you lost jobs because of having to edit out a tattoo, I don't think you're doing too badly....