I'm not much of a photographer DuFresne, but you get the idea.

and one from a couple years back, from some magazine I was in, snapped at a tattoo convention:
The tapping hurt real bad. It is basically a small sharp-toothed comb attached to the end of a short stick. That comb is dipped into the ink and the short stick is 'tapped' by another stick repeatedly. It's a real art as the wielder must maintain even piercing depth with each blow. Too deep results in scars, not deep enough and the color fades. The technique allows for a lot of really fantastic shading. The ancient fellow who did it didn't speak any English and I was alone, so there were no distractions from the pain. Great work though. Amazing depth and detail. I took a photo but the damn soft (and sexy) bathroom lighting sucks and it didn't turn out.
The most painful work I've had done is a tie between the nipple areas of my chest and my shins.
The most sketchy tattoo I've ever gotten was a Jopo (gangster) black market tattoo I got in Korea.
I can't speak for everyone but I don't get my tattoos to look cool or tough - Frankly, I don't think I need the help. I really enjoy the medium as an art form. Love the fact that my body is not only a canvas, but a memento of where I have been and the characters I have met in my journeys.
My friend Leveticus, the original, has just about every cliche tattoo in the book. Eyes tattooed on the back of his head, a Tazmanian Devil, Mistletoe just below his navel, the infamous 'Your Name' ass tattoo. The man is a walking cartoon character and he loves it. He loves making people laugh. But his entire back is a piece in memory of his father. It is truly a work of art.