I recently photographed Reno tattoo artist Elijah Cole (of Ace’s Tattoo) for a Tuaca advertisement. In larger markets, Tuaca produces a Body Art Ball – a body paint and dance extravaganza. In smaller markets, like Reno, they’re running ads that profile a local tattoo or body paint artist. I think that’s a pretty cool way to work with the local art community, so I was excited about the project.
Elijah is a truly talented artist. The depth and detail of his work is incredible. I realized while looking at some of his pieces that most tattoo artists learn to draw a nice hard line and stop there. Not Elijah. He can produce some of the most subtle shading I have ever seen in a tattoo, adding a depth and subtlety to his work that is rare to see.
The model, of course, is Jenessa. I’ve photographed her for album covers and clothing companies before. She is always fun to work with, and since Elijah is working on an extensive tattoo project for her it was a natural fit.
For obvious reasons, I can’t post the image used in the ad until it’s published. However, the above shot is an outtake that I really liked, and here’s another shot of Jenessa.
