Photographer takes photos of people with tattoos and reveals what they'd look like without them

A photographer who takes photos of people digitally removes their tattoos and gives them a picture of what they'd look like without the ink.

Steven Burton is the artist behind the Skin Deep Project, where he photographed former gang members and showed them the difference between their appearance with the tattoos and without.

The photographer said that the subjects of his photography were 'rebuilding their lives beyond the identities written on their skin' and that's what he captured.

"The project explores how quickly we make assumptions based on appearance, by showing people with and without their tattoos, so viewers see the person first, then reconsider their perception," Burton told LADbible about the Skin Deep Project.

"It became quite personal - many tattoos mark pivotal life moments."

This is a photo of Marcos Luna with and without his tattoos (Skin Deep Steven Burton)

When they were shown their photos many of the men said it was 'emotional' to see the difference and marvelled at how much their appearance was transformed from not having the tattoos.

Marcos Luna said the tattoos reminded him of 'the homies', but also 'a lot of death, sadness, hate, destructive, sick, just out of control' memories back.

He was grateful to see the difference though, telling the photographer 'the person you see in this picture is a human being, just like you'.

When Dennis Zamoran saw his own pictures he was shocked and said 'that is what I could have looked like', saying it was 'crazy' and he felt like he'd messed up his 'whole life'.

Dennis said he felt 'bad' looking at the pictures because they reminded him of what he'd done, with the picture of him covered in tattoos reminding him of time he'd spent in prison.

Dennis Zamoran said he didn't 'want to return to who I used to be' (Skin Deep Steven Burton)

He added that he was looking forward to showing his mum the one of him with his tattoos removed.

Francisco Flores remembered that 'the first tattoos began when I was little' when there was 'nothing else to do', saying he got addicted to getting tattoos and had the rest when he was in prison.

Francisco Flores said he couldn't remember 'the last time I saw myself this way' (Skin Deep Steven Burton)

"It was more like a shout for help when I didn't want to accept that I needed it," he said.

"I was like 'somebody look what I'm doing, I'm destroying myself, somebody come help me out'. Then it was just like I got addicted to them and it's just like one after another after another and they just start piling up.

"Next thing I know I have no more space."

Former gang members being photographed said it 'feels completely different' to see themselves without the tattoos (Skin Deep Steven Burton)

A succession of former gang members photographed by Steven and shown how they'd look without any tattoos were amazed at the results.

David Pina said he looked 'younger' and couldn't help but say 'damn, that's me' when he saw the difference between the two pictures.

He remarked on how much more he looked like his brother and his dad, and wished that his mum had been able to see the photo of what he would look like in his 30s without tattoos before she died.

“I am going to show these pictures to my mom because she hates my tattoos. She hates them. She can hardly look at me,” David Williams said. (Skin Deep Steven Burton)

David Williams said looking at his other self made him think 'that's the guy I should have been'.

He wanted to change because he had a son of his own and felt like he should become a better man because of it, though he said he would still 'die for my hood' because of what they'd given him in his life.