INDELIBLE INSCRIPTIONS

A fresh tattoo is as charming a little liar as your local politician claiming to want what’s best for you while their hand is in your pocket and their eye's scanning those fucking Flock cameras. It is swollen, wet, impossibly saturated, and usually photographed under lighting that could make gas-station sushi look like sashimi under Tokyo neon. Blacks look darker than your cheating ex’s heart, Colors look Chernobyl radioactive. Every highlight snaps. For fifteen minutes,

So you’re finally ready to get your first tattoo—hell yeah! Whether you’ve been dreaming about it since you were 15 or you woke up this morning and said, “Screw it, it’s time,” that first appointment can feel like a trip to the principal’s office.

Why do so many artists focus on only showcasing fresh tattoos? And what the hell is with all the filters and enhanced images?