Last Thursday, at the release party for my Black Tattoo Art book, I did diva it up but I was also thrilled to share the spotlight with amazing photographers who contributed to the book. One photographer in attendance who wowed the crowd with his portraits of David Sena's tattoo clients is Damian Sandone.

Shooting tattoos is not an easy task, and for professional photographers, it involves coming to portraiture with a different approach than a usual sitting. Here's how Damian describes it:

"I love to use lighting as a means of dramatic affect especially when it comes to tattooed bodies. It's different from shooting a portrait; faces are beautiful and tell a lot about a person, but the story isn't deep. Their face can only show so much about themselves. Tattoos bring a whole other dimension to a person's individuality. That belief, or idea, or dream, whatever it may be, is what I like to bring to the surface with the proper lighting effect."

Damian is a third-generation photographer who creates works with such fluidity that, indeed,  each photograph tells a story. His digital works can be found in campaigns for Nautica, Kenneth Cole, Tommy Hilfiger, Scoop, and so many more.

Currently, he's working on a project for Postures for the Planet, a non-profit working to bring yoga education into schools, in which he is shooting a series of photographs using yoga instructors in NYC doing postures in and around the city.

Damian and I are planning an exhibition of his work at Tattoo Culture in Brooklyn in the next couple of months. Check it.

Contact info for Damian:

Damian Sandone
www.damiansandone.com
347 W. 39th St.,  Studio 6
New York, NY 10018