IAM: Bikuki‘s finally finished her camera tattoo!

Edit:

“I got my camera for two reasons – The most simple and easy to explain is that I love photography.

The second is more complicated and personal, and has a lot to do with my grampa. My mum, dad and gran all worked full time when I was in primary school, so every day my grampa would take me home to his for lunch and again after school. I was so close to him – he practically raised me from the age of four through to eight years old. He was an incredibly artsy person who taught me to draw and took me to his photography club when I was a kid, he also gave me my first SLR camera.

In January of this year he had a stroke, and although he’s recovering it gave me the fright of my life and I suddenly became very aware of his mortality (although I used to have nightmares as a kid about him dying, and it was always my biggest fear). I wanted to have a part of him inked on me forever so I knew he’d never leave me – and a camera was perfect.

He’s such a cool old man, and was the only member of my family who actually seemed interested rather than disgusted by my existing tattoos, too, which always makes me smile.

I’ll never forget him.”

Tattoo (from start to finish) by Barry at Chameleon Tattoo, Paisley, Scotland..