How does an idea become ink?
Ink & Identity is a photography project for Pinterest’s Originals team, made for a featured board about tattoos: how an idea turns into ink. The first plan crossed three cities. The budget fit one, so we spent a single Saturday in March 2026 inside Mercy Tattoo in Salt Lake City, with the artists and the people in their chairs, shooting on digital, 35mm and Super 8 at once. I was executive producer at Think Less.
Ink & Identity
Tattoo ideas to reality
We photographed the artists and their clients, the walls of flash they draw from and the work in progress, and cut Super 8 loops that move like the needle does. Pinterest asked for a lighter, neutral film look on the delivered set, so those frames carry its grade; the rest are as shot.
We delivered 35 photos, chosen from 100 selects, five art assets and five silent Super 8 loops in three sizes each. Twelve days after the shoot, Pinterest put them live as the featured board Tattoo ideas to reality on its Art account.
A Think Less production
For Pinterest
Executive produced by Cole Sax
Shot at Mercy Tattoo, Salt Lake City
Athletes featured in the series
Skateboarding, surfing and climbing enter the Olympics.
NextWorld
Debut
YouTube Originals · Feature documentary
The CruxThe North Face
Call to ServeFord · soon
World DebutYouTube Originals · soon
Far From HomeOlympics · soon
Second SightSEE International · soon
Salesforce × AFLSalesforce · soon