Amber Rose Gets her Rose at Red Lotus Tattoo and Body Piercing

Although I have no tattoos myself, I've always found them very interesting. How does one choose his or her tattoo? Is there a special story behind it? How do you decide where to place it on your body?

Last Saturday I went with my friend Amber to a tattoo parlor in our hometown, Red Lotus Tattoo and Piercing, to photograph a tattoo she's been looking to get for a while now. She waited until our work schedules aligned (which took quite a few weeks) so that I could come with her. Not for the moral support really, she's no stranger to getting tattoos. No she just knew this was something I'd always wanted to capture after taking some shots of her getting her tongue pierced back in high school. This time it was a rose on her left hip, for her namesake, Amber Rose.

Her tattoo artist, Hayli A. Marquiss, was really nice and encouraged me to get up in her face if I needed to. So I did, shooting beside her, above her head, over her shoulder...I just wish it hadn't been a florescent light but whatever. Hayli (HAM) also answered a lot of my questions about getting tattoos, the kinds of people that she's met through her work, the kind of tattoos she's done, and what it really feels like to get one.

She asked me if I wanted to photograph some of the tattoos of the people she worked with. Although a nice offer, it occurred to me that photographing an already created tattoo just didn't do the trick for me. I want the process, I want to see the artist in action.

Woman's Best Friend at Norristown Farm Park

Jessica DiMuzio and her Papillon Johnny Angel, co-authors of “Bark! Bark! Bark! for Our Park!,” hang out at Norristown Farm Park Thursday, May 17, 2012.

This Sunday, the two of them will be hosting a fund raiser to raise money for the 690 acre park. A few years ago, Jessica wrote a children's book that told the story of how she and her papillon saved the park by speaking at town council meetings and organizing petition signings. Jessica, a veterinarian, said she got the idea to write the book because she wanted to teach children in the area the importance of enjoying and conserving the outdoors.

Jessica was very camera shy and the second photo is a very rare one in which she actually looked at my camera. I was fine with that, she was very good at candid moments, kissing and holding her dog, Johnny Angel, who I could tell plays a huge part in her life. Her next story, she told me, is going to be based off the true story of how she recently saved Johnny Angel's new girl friend, a fellow papillon, from a puppy mill.

Third Annual Norristown Arts Hill Festival

Arianna Prete, 7, of Norristown paints a picture during the 3rd Annual Norristown Arts Hill Festival Saturday, May 5, 2012.

Actors from the Center Theater Children's Play perform for children during the 3rd Annual Norristown Arts Hill Festival Saturday, May 5, 2012.

Mike Wood, of Bridgeport, works on his craft during the 3rd Annual Norristown Arts Hill Festival Saturday, May 5, 2012.

Earrings hang on display during the 3rd Annual Norristown Arts Hill Festival Saturday, May 5, 2012.

Dancers from Metropolitan Ballet perform during the 3rd Annual Norristown Arts Hill Festival Saturday, May 5, 2012.

Norristown Arts Hill Festival Article by Christine Reckner

Art festivals are definitely one of my favorite types of assignments to cover because they're events I'd go to even if I wasn't working! Well that's not necessarily true for this week, because as soon as I finished I had to jet to Penn State to see my best friend graduate.

But anyways, seriously all those types of art, performing, dance, abstract, paintings, caricatures- and children amidst it all, with their bright, curious eyes make for the best subjects. There was a point during the day when I almost forgot I was working...but when I was also reminded of the reason I wanted to be a photojournalist. So much inspiration! I spoke with so many artists who, instead of pestering me to buy their work, instead showed me how to create my own!

This arts fest is only in its 3rd year, and that's also another reason I'm so impressed. Norristown, the city I work in, is not known for its arts scene. It's a town more known to my friends and to everyone else that's grown up near the area as more of a crime scene. Every week I'm meeting people that live here that are using all the resources they have to change their hometown's image and I think that, while they've still got a long way to go, they're certainly off to a good start.