I’m putting these years together because by this time I’d pretty much stopped photographing most of my tattoo work.
As I was planning a hiatus from tattooing I didn’t feel there was a need to take more photos. I’ve got 20+ yrs worth of photos of my work. Did I really need more?
I just wanted to do good work and move on. I’d be stopping, so I wouldn’t need more photos anyway, maybe just a few for my personal records. Those I did take were rushed and were done as a reminder, not really for display purposes.
Under a cloud of fatigue, a sense of defeat, and a modicum of relief, I nearly deleted my entire 20 year tattoo archive. I wouldn’t need it, I was moving forward, to do something else, not to be reminded of past glories, or failures. In hindsight, I’m glad I didn’t let that idea get the better of me.
Social media
By this time I was battling the idea that we must constantly be updating and marketing our work, lest we be totally forgotten. Such is the way of the modern world based around branding, marketing, and social media. But that is a never ending race that cannot be won, not by most people anyway.
In an act of defiance and self sabotage I deleted my Instagram account, losing any following I might have had. I’ve never really enjoyed or understood social media, and usually ended up deleting any accounts that I’ve had on the various platforms.
I’ve been called an idiot for doing that, and yeah, that’s probably right. I know social media is how many/most people communicate nowadays, but when I’m told I should do this, or I must do that, I’m not gonna do that. I’ve always preferred to follow my own path, rightly or wrongly.
If I understood people better, and could engage with people better, maybe I would enjoy social media more but I find the experience to be noisy, needy, and superficial. Some people love it, and that’s great, but for me it’s a distraction.
Although I do find face to face communication a bit awkward, it really is the only way to connect with people on a human level.
Finally done
After announcing my hiatus in 2017 I finally managed to finish my tattooing projects in 2019. I really enjoyed those final months, knowing that I’d soon be able to relax. The work went well and I had some really good projects to finish on.
Finally, I could down tools and move on to other things.
Or so I thought…
Thanks for looking
nigel palmer 