Permanence: Tattoo Portraits by Kip Fulbeck

Published by Chronicle Books
Distributed by Raincoast Books

While tattooing is becoming increasingly popular there is often still a great amount of stigma surrounding those who decide to decorate their bodies in this fashion. Kip Fulbeck takes images of a diverse group of these people and puts them into this book along with their own stories regarding their experiences with ink.

Whether you sport tattoos or not, you are sure to find this book an eye opener. Great photography and a very voyeuristic look into the personal choices behind each piece of art. A great gift for those who are into body modification and for anyone who has a curiosity as to why anyone would get inked.

Myself, I have three tattoos though it looks like two. I have a wolf with native feathers on my right arm and later had my husband's name placed alongside. Both of those are a symbol of my commitment to him. I also have a more personal tattoo on the back of my neck to remind me of my spirit and strength.

I loved this book and hope it is the start of a new trend. I would love to see more books on the subject of body modifications.