Inked: The Life of the Tattoo

A dynamic and revelatory collection from the legendary extreme sports starand#8212;and tattoo aficionadoand#8212;Carey Hart.

Freestyle motocross champ Carey Hart is a heavily tattooed celebrity, whose studio, Hart andamp; Huntington Tattoo in Las Vegas, was featured on Aandamp;E's hit reality series Inked. The shop caters to rock stars, celebrity VIPs, locals, and tourists, who all clamor for Hart andamp; Huntington's original and irreverent tattoos. Carey now brings this unique mix of attitude and beauty to Inked, which features 75 evocative portraits that confound and surprise. There are photos of seemingly ordinary peopleand#8212;businessmen, schoolteachers, and mothersand#8212;in their everyday dress juxtaposed with images that unveil their elaborate tattoos. There are also hip and sultry photos of tattooed Las Vegas starlets and rockers, plus enthusiasts of all shapes and ages. Personal stories of first tattoos, design inspirations, the process, and the joys and regrets that accompany skin art, as well as an introduction and history of the tattoo by Carey, combine to form an exciting tapestry of what tattoos mean today. Packed from head to toe with Las Vegas glamor and edge, Inkedis illuminating and provocative, with more substance and style than anything else in the category.

Carey Hart was the first motocross rider to do a backflip on a bikeand#8212;a stunt he pulled off at the 2002 X Games. He turned his passion for tattoos into a serious business venture in 2004 when he opened the first Hart andamp; Huntington in Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. He has since opened three new studios, in Orlando, Honolulu, and Cabo San Lucas in Baja. Hart andamp; Huntington also has a clothing line that is sold nationwide. Carey lives in Las Vegas.Bill Thomasand#8217;s portraits and action photography have appeared in The New York Times, ESPN The Magazine, Papermagazine, and Wired. His advertising clients include Nike, T-Mobile, Sony, and Mountain Dew. Bill lives in New York City.