Mitchel Gray Brings New Dimensions to Art and Bodies in Photography

For the past 35 years, Mitchel Gray has made Photography his passion, and now he has brought it to a new level. 
As an accomplished fashion, beauty, and lingerie artist, he has always loved shooting bodies, and now has brought creativity plus balance into beauty into focus.

"I sought to find the athlete doing natural movements in their professions. Everyone sees sports stars, but we see the outside," Mitchel says. 
"What was going on under the uniform, the padding? That is what I show through my lens."

Doing celebrity portraits for years brought me to this place where the athlete can show the whole range of athletic abilities in a series of shots of the athlete as natural as they wish to be. 

Normal body shots have taken on creativity, a beauty, and agility, and a Mitchel finesses it into a gloriously beautiful picture. A swimmer, a roller derby girl, a kickboxer, an archer- what will be see?

“Bodies In Action” is an ongoing photographic series that Mitchel Gray began in late 2014. The concept behind the series is to illustrate what the bodies of great athletes are actually doing under all the equipment, padding, and uniforms while they are performing their sport, in a uniquely artful, dramatic, and informative style. 

All of the photos are made at Mitchel’s studio in New York City. He employs a distinctive, exacting, lighting approach that is designed to emphasize musculature, action, and grace. “The lighting is key,” Mitchel clarifies.

There is one more aspect to these photos that make them truly a “first” in the genre – in each photo in the series that appears to have two people in it, there is actually only the same person shot in opposition to them. 

This approach allows Mitchel to emphasize two sides of the same body in one frame, seamlessly and within the construct of the action. Many of the subjects are Olympians or Olympic hopefuls, and all are gifted athletes. 

Mitchel has enjoyed the cooperation of the U.S. Olympic Committee and the New York Athletic Club in the creation of “Bodies in Action.

“This method of shooting looks as if there are two people fiercely engaging and it is the same body, the same movement. It’s a full 360 shot I am doing,” Mitchel explains. “Offense to defense. Creative lighting – around and backgrounds add mystery to these shots. It depends on the individual, they are participating in the moment and they make it theirs.”

Elements of the series have already been featured in the National Art Museum of Sport, and there will be a gallery show for the series in New York on August 10th Opening through September 8th at The Elga Wimmer PCC Gallery in the Chelsea Arts District.

Mitchel Gray is a photographer, videographer, and an author. He has to his credit two best selling books, The Lingerie Book and Lingerie Fantasies (St.Martins Press) and has illustrated many more, particularly in the active lifestyle/health and fitness field. 

He has photographed over sixty magazine covers, thousands of magazine pages and images  pages both in the fashion and beauty industry and the sports and fitness world, including Men’s Health (all editions), Men’s Fitness, Men’s Health Muscle (Germany), Muscle & Fitness, Runners World, Bicycling, Fitness, and The Sporting News, including hundreds of advertising pages for various clients around the globe. 

Much of his portrait work in recent years has focused on sports celebrities ranging from Tom Brady to Derek Jeter. His Fine Art work has been show in galleries in both the U.S. and Europe.

“I go into the shoot with one notion, and something else can occur. I leave the door open for something to happen,” Mitchel says. What will come through?

*Photographs courtesy of Mitchel Gray.

Actress & Historian Traci Law Takes on the Paranormal

Do you feel that?  That chill on your neck or a feeling something of smothering or surrounding you? A vibe of an area?

Traci Law, photo by Bob Christopher

When historian and photographer and actress Traci Law is on location filming paranormal reality show Ghost Detectives, she is aware of the history of places and the possibility of other presences.

Her feelings of a presence within a space and her sixth sense…yes it’s real and it’s there. “I can honestly say I don't actively turn a switch on or off to feel things.

I've walked into places that people swear up and down is haunted and not felt a thing; whereas I've gone into places not known to be haunted and have had to leave.
I’ve been in Gettysburg where I have felt things and even heard a sigh in the room when no one else was in the room with me,” she explains.

Traci travels a lot for filming and for her work as an actress, historian, and photographer (she’s even photographed my family and some wedding shots!) and she is all over the place. She likes to check out local places especially, and tends to pick up different vibes in different places. Scariest places she’s ever filmed…a cave with spiders! Traci doesn’t scare easily.

“I did archaeology at Eastern State Penitentiary years before it was open to the public. We were relatively alone around there and not once did I feel anything. It's still one of my favorite places with the architecture and for photography. 

At Pennhurst, I won't say there's nothing there given its history, but again, I was given permission a few years back to wander around for photography, including in the tunnels and closed buildings. I was literally by myself in these places for about twelve hours and cannot report anything paranormal,” she notes. “That said, I was far more focused on what living people might be hiding out there.  I do know a few members of Ghost Detectives were there over the summer and had something thrown at them as well as heard a few voices.  Either way, it's still a pretty creepy place.”

Plus, investigate with Traci and her team! Want to check out The Knickerbocker Hotel? Haunted Explorations Events will be hosting a ghost hunting event there on May 17^th, 2016. Here are some pictures for this weekend of this incredibly active place.

You will get to investigate side by side with Bob Christopher, Dave Juliano, Traci and more! They were here last weekend and you’ll have to watch Ghost Detectives to see what happened!

Duca Photography: Preserving the Wedding of Steve & Christine in 2015

Duca Came Through in a Big Way on Our Big Day

It was April 17, 2015—a big day for Stephen Trimble and Christine Tarlecki.

Soon to be Mr. and Mrs. Trimble, the couple had all the details sorted, and it was time to get ready for the nuptial festivities. My groomsmen had all arrived at our condo, and Christine, her bridesmaids, and her parents were all getting ready at her family’s home.

Then Tony—my photographer—showed up. Right away, he took charge of the situation, for which I was extremely grateful. He even helped me with a piece of my tux that wasn’t cooperating. He led us through several shooting situations and poses, and made us all feel at ease as we took shot after shot.

I had a sullen 12-year-old as part of my contingent (my cousin), and Tony had him laughing and smiling as we went through all the needed shots. Tony even helped me incorporate my beloved Chow-Chow Leo into some pictures.

In a little while, it was time to go and meet up at the church. One of my groomsmen, Jimmy, thought to pick up some sandwiches at a local deli, and we munched them in the parking lot as we waited for it to be time to go inside. Of course, Tony got some shots as we ate, and they made for some of the more entertaining photos.

Now, as we went into the church and made ready for the ceremony, I was really getting nervous. It was a bit of a blur from here, but I caught sight of Tony and the girls’ photographer, Cassie, as they took shots of the church, the guests, the clergy, and the entering bridesmaids. 

I'm nervous and ready!

Finally, my bride walked down the aisle, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her—and neither could anyone else. Both Duca photographers got some fantastic shots as she entered and approached the altar.

After the ceremony, we were able to get photos of the entire group of guests as well as the bridal party. Soon, however, it became apparent that there was a problem with the limousine, and we weren’t going to be able to ride in it to our other photo location or the reception. “No problem,” said Tony, “Bride and Groom, get in my BMW, and the rest of you follow us in your cars.” Problem solved!

We all met up at the beautiful Valley Forge Park, in full spring bloom, and quickly were able to take hundreds of beautiful shots there. These are easily my favorites of the bunch, as the natural setting complemented our dress and comportment.

From there, it was off to the reception. Both photographers captured the action masterfully as we danced, drank, ate, and sang. It was truly a magical evening, and I’ll never forget it. Thanks to Duca’s skill and professionalism, we have nearly a thousand memories we can look at any time we like as the years pass.

Thank you Duca Studios, and Tony and Cassie!

By Stephen Trimble, special correspondent