A distance of leap

"We are all at risk of something. Of ending up exactly where we began, of failing to imagine and find and know and actualize who we could be. The only difference is the distance of the leap" - Dear Sugar The Distance of Leap

I've written to two magazines to express my interest in contributing (for free) the stories and photographs about The Tattoo Diary but one said I was polarising people with tattoos whilst the other had no space for feature. I'm not deterred; I just need to get the right medium, at the right time and place.

MK, 28, businessman from Penang

"The one of my arm is 'ohm'; I have one which connotes peace, and the other, anger. A complete 'ohm' shows a holistic balance and you can see one of my other 'ohm' is housed in a dreamcatcher.

I also have on my hand, a tribal sun from Mohicans. The story behind this tattoo is of a Sun God, who hunts for food.

On my left arm lies a lion, with a phrse 'Born Wild' and of course, the last 'No pain, no gain', across my stomach."

Photos by Chee Minh

Fin, 23, Borneo Ink's apprentice/ animation student

"My tattoos used to mean something but now I just get them along the way.; they've resorted more to like a 'collection'. And it helps that I'm working at Borneo Ink!"

Photos by Chee Minh

Edie, 40, tattoo artist and owner of Borneo Ink

"I collect tattoos when I travel, especially to Europe, US, Canada and New Zealand. It's said that the further you are away from home, the more prestigious the tattoo would be.

That said, my Iban culture will always remain true to me.

One of my tattoos explained: a 'buah engabang labuh' on my left arm, a type of cash crop that grows by the river and its leaves and branches droop like a propeller. It's also known as a deco motif."

Photos by Chee Minh

Aurelien, 24, French tourist

"A lot of my tattoos were done in places I travel to, like Thailand, Japan and India. I have a few jaguars, Borneo flowers and Eqyptian-inspired tattoos.

My first tattoo done was a Maori symbol."

Photos by Chee Minh

Frankie Ng, 31, Owner of Zoo Body Art

"I met Free Wind at a tattoo convention and he shared some ideas and inspiration on getting this tattoo, the Maoi facial jaw tattoos. It's known to give protection to people around him and I thought, that would be meaningful. On my leg/thigh, I got a Dayak/Iban design - the idea was to have my flesh surrounded by 'inverted' design. On my half body, it's a Tibetan Kabala skull, which you can see it's floating above water. Another tattoo is a koi fish design which is swimming under water - a sign for good fortune and luck."

Photographed by Chee Minh

Andy Seet Toh, Tattoo apprentice, 23

"There is a biomechanical design on my right arm and not many people have this. Another favourite tattoo of mine is the Tibetan skull Kabala, which represents a large group of Tibetans who practise a belief called 'burial of sky'. They leave the body around for vultures to eat, leaving the skulls and they take it, the remaining bone matter, for power."

Photographed by Chee Minh.