Mitchel Gray is a photographer and 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 / fitness field. He has photographed over 100 magazine covers and thousands of magazine, advertising, and web pages.

The images in this edition of Production Paradise are a combination of covers of Mens' Health Muscle Magazine, and excerpts from the 'Bodies in Action' gallery show in New York City. It is a a series designed 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. He employs a distinctive, exacting, lighting approach configured to emphasise musculature, action, and grace.

There is an additional 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 themselves. This approach allows Mitchel to illustrate two sides of the same body in one frame, seamlessly and within the construct of the action.

Most of the subjects are Olympians or professional athletes. A book is in the immediate future.