45 thoughts on “Times Square Kiss tattoo”

  4. Very nice! Great placement too — the overall shape of the image fits there quite well!

  5. This has to be one of the top 5 tattoos I’ve ever seen. That’s been my favorite photograph since I was 5. Beautiful job.

  6. Hey, I’ve met the guy in that photo. He lives at my grandmother’s retirement home. He’s really nice, but I don’t know if he’s into tattoos. Maybe I’ll ask him next time I see him. I think this one is beautiful. *agrees with outmywindow*

  12. modblog does it again,holy smoke that is hands down the best picture on the site…..shhheeeeeiiiit!!!

  16. Because of the way it looks like the sailor is virtually taking the nurse by force; the kiss does not look like it was consensual. For it to be one of the most celebrated photographs in US history… That creeps me out like nothing else.

  17. Carolyn, I’m pretty sure he didn’t know the nurse at all, but I’m also pretty sure he didn’t rape her or anything. I think, given the context, it’s OK.

  19. It kind of creeps me out too, Carolyn. I used to think it was a sailor kissing his girlfriend/lover, and when I found out it was just a random guy who had grabbed a random nurse and kissed her passionately like that I was really squicked.

    I guess that day sailors were randomly grabbing random women like that all over the place (one of the reasons why it’s so hard to identify the sailor).

    The idea that people thought these guys (whether they were war heroes or not, and actually it’s even creepier if people think *because* they were war heroes*) were completely entitled to grab and make out with women they didn’t even know is a really repellent one to me.

  20. I always liked that picture. I should have known it was a kiss by force by the way the lady is bent. creepy.

  21. i like the picture.

    i dont think he was at all entitled to kiss the nurse like that, but i think the photo is more about the passion of being home and the war being over. and plus, i think that it kinda fits, soldiers and sailors especially, are know for their pin up tattoos, alot of the people who saved the, nurses. who better to share the moment with, than someone who has kept you alive mentally and physically.

    if a photographer had set the photo up, he would have been a genius

    but he didnt, so he just snapped and decided to share that awkward moment with the world.

  22. “i dont think he was at all entitled to kiss the nurse like that, but i think the photo is more about the passion of being home and the war being over. and plus, i think that it kinda fits, soldiers and sailors especially, are know for their pin up tattoos, alot of the people who saved the, nurses. who better to share the moment with, than someone who has kept you alive mentally and physically.”

    I agree. I don’t think he was ENTITLED, but if I was in the middle of Times Square during such a happy and emotional event, I’d be OK with being randomly kissed like that.

  23. Hmmm he was entitled and so was she. You have both ends of the war spectrum standing right there..the killer and the healer who played an intricate role with eachother ..There are many upon many nurses and Gi’s etc..who are happily married today .P.S. if u look at the placement of her arms I think they say a whole lot about their relationship.Which helps make the picture what it is.If it had been his wife/lover her arms moret han likely her arms would have been wrapped or at least comming up towards him in embrace and when u look at the placement of his arms they are in a supportive not embracing mode and his upper hand is up in the air not clamped down on her leaving her room from disengament if she really so wishes.

  24. am i the only one that thinks that the quality of this photo-to-transfer tattoo work isnt that good? i think the shading skews the perspective and makes it look gimpy or “off” compared to the original……

  25. I agree with Anna. The shading and the linework are both pretty bad- the folds in the clothes and the sailor’s left arm are also off and distracted me. Not to mention the sailor’s right hand, or the way the shading makes them kindof look like zombies…..

    I like the picture, but the tattoo is off considerably, so it kind of ruins it for me.

  26. I too am not a fan of this photo just because of the forceful kiss. If they were lovers or fiances or something it’d be okay. It just always creeped me out that this is “Okay”

    The tattoo is very nice, and I am sure it has meaning to the person its on.

  27. I love old art, the colours, or lack of them are great.
    Makes ya kinda feel all romantic an all 🙂

  28. If you actually knew the history behind the photo, and the sailors coming home, people, and more to the point, the women on the streets, were yes, being grabbed randomly and kissed by the returning sailors (or war heroes). And from the looks and the interviews from back then, the women weren’t at all objective of it. if anything, they liked it, which is why it kept happening on that day…otherwise the women would have ran…or objected. get it? so dont get up in a bunch thinking its such a terrible creepy thing.

  29. I more than love that picture and actually seeing it tattooed on someone so perfectly done gives me the chills!

  30. Thats a really good FAKE tatto, i’ve seen them in shops every where, cost a bit but it worth it till it washes off!

  31. For the asshats who keep talking about some sailors forcing themselves onto these “poor” women; shut it! Not one of those women minded what happened that day. Find one interview, on photo of a disgusted post-kiss young woman and I’ll kiss you where the good lord split you. Those women had fathers, brothers, boyfriends, husbands, etc… that they no longer had to worry about. They didn’t have to worry about was rations. Didn’t have to worry about east-coast blackouts at night along the eastern seaboard because some German u-boat was off the coast. They were every bit excited as those young men! And every bit as happy to oblige some poor sailor thousands of miles from mom and dad and their sweethearts with a kiss.

    It’s a kiss people! Maybe they just should’ve shook hands.

  33. I’d really be interested in knowing what Jonnyboy thinks he’s talking about… and Zkyl as well.

    feel free to elaborate.

    I happen to think it looks quite amazing.

  34. I cant believe how uneducated some of you are in thinking this is a fake tattoo. This IS IN FACT MY tattoo. If youve been tattooed before you clearly know that moisturizer is placed on a fresh tattoo before it is bandaged, and the moisturizer reflecting the flash will make it shiny. I can understand that people have different views on the photo itself, and I can respect others opinions. I feel this photo is beautiful, it was a stepping stone in our history, whether you are a liberal tree hugging hippy or a left wing conservativist, it doesnt matter, its still history (Aside from the personal meaning of this piece). I thank all of the compliments that were listed, and as I said I respect different opinions, but too fucking bad. Its an amazing tattoo done by an amazing artist.

  35. “Let me tell you,” says Edith Shain, “the sun goes up, the sun goes down. It didn’t change things. It wasn’t a big deal.” After all, a pretty girl gets more than one kiss, right? But for the record, Edith describes the situation. “It was a good kiss, it went on for a long time,” she recalls. “I closed my eyes, I didn’t resist. I think, sometimes, if I hadn’t been with my girlfriend, I might have stayed.”

    Edith Shain is the woman in the original picture.

    Also, according TO THE ARTICLE SHANNON LINKED, EVERY sailor was kissing ANY girl that walked by; it was just elation at being home.

    For fucks sake, people, read up before you start making accusations. Especially when the evidence is provided for you.

  36. people look way to damn deep into things, mostly because they didn’t think of it first! i just think it is beautiful and it fits the person who has it! you rock!

  37. For the ass clowns who can’t appreciate another person’s artistic impressions……Let me see your work. I figure that someone who clearly can’t tell a real tattoo from a fake must be talking out their ass. The tattoo was labeled “a work in progress,” It was clearly photographed shortly after it was done, if you would look at the redish hue around the sailors’ left shoe as well as other areas you would have noticed that it couldn’t have been an expensive “fake.” To all others who have a problem with it……….Even if your the best tattoo artist on earth, no one can do a “perfect” tattoo from a photograph. Although they may come close,take them for what they are……..an artists rendering of the original.

    I’m sure the tattoo will look amazing when it’s finished.

  42. Hey. I love the tattoo, it’s pretty amazing. I just had a got a tattoo (03/24/07) and I was wondering it Glysomed hand cream is a good mosturizer to use on it. It contains Glycerine, Silicone and Chamomile. If anyone knows please email me or leave a message. 🙂 Thanks.
    [email protected]

  43. The woman in the picture had this to say in 1980:

    “Let me tell you,” says Edith Shain, “the sun goes up, the sun goes down. It didn’t change things. It wasn’t a big deal.” After all, a pretty girl gets more than one kiss, right? But for the record, Edith describes the situation. “It was a good kiss, it went on for a long time,” she recalls. “I closed my eyes, I didn’t resist. I think, sometimes, if I hadn’t been with my girlfriend, I might have stayed.

    Regardless… a stunning work of ink…I want it LOL

  44. I have been around tattoos my whole life and never met anyone with this tattoo… I am online looking for the timesquare kiss to get it tattooed… at least I know that it looks great in a tattoo!!! Great artist!

  45. looking for a tatt for a while. couldn’t decide, this will be my 7 th. have always loved this picture, and found that it was taken on August 14, 1945. I was born a year later. So, of course, this made my decision easy, this will be my new tatt. Now where to get it ???

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