Man of Many Talents - Thomas Wanner, Erbach, Germany

Thomas Wanner is not afraid to show the world who he is. In fact, he even displays it proudly across his body. Two years ago he got a tattoo of the "Heidelberg" logo - his eleventh tattoo in total. Wanner came to Erbach in Swabian Germany in 1999 as an apprentice and completed his training as an offset printer here. The hobby photographer loves going to the movies and is interested in film technology.

You had the "Heidelberg" logo tattooed on your waist. How did you get the idea to do that?
All of my tattoos say something about me. I'm fascinated by printing technology and that's what the Heidelberg name stands for. So the motif was clear to me. The tattoo is very simple and looks like a black and white insignia. Having it done on my waist was pretty painful though.

What do your friends, family and co-workers think about it?
At first, my boss thought I had gone crazy. But in the meantime he thinks it suits me. I've never had any problems because of my tattoos in any case - neither with customers nor with the older generation. And women usually like the tattoos.

What do you enjoy the most about your work?
There's a lot of variety. As a small print shop, we take on a very diverse range of orders, from four-color company brochures to flyers for a club. I also like the personal contact to our customers. It's a real affirmation and huge source of motivation when they thank me for my work.

What is the biggest challenge in your job?
Hot summer days. Our print shop isn't air-conditioned. When all the machines are running it often gets up to 104 degree Fahrenheit (40 degree Celsius) inside here. We work up quite a sweat then.

What's your greatest dream?
A nice house with a big barbeque grill along Lake Garda in Italy.