Gary Ray Rush Photography

I've photographed thousands of people, from neighbourhood families to the CEOs of international conglomerates, from local talent to world class musicians, dancers, and stars of stage and screen.

My intention is to discover, capture and communicate the best qualities of the people I photograph. -GRR

Bob Lord

Rosemary Evans, Principal UTS

Jim Fleck, Chairman of the Board University of Toronto Schools, Official retirement portrait

Deborah Lundmark Co-Founder & Artistic Director, CCDT

Curator Elaine Fleck with artists Tim Merrett, Kathy Kissik, Brandon Steen

Glenn Ives

Keith Ambachtsheer

Dr. Dana Colson

Tom Ehrlich

Lionel Robins

John Bowey

Elaine Fleck, Gallery Owner, Curator, Art Dealer, and my Wife

John Harris, President the Harris Institute

Dr. Sara Diamond, President Emerita of OCAD University

Dr. Peter Simon, President and CEO of the Royal Conservatory

Neville Kirchmann

David Neale

Stephen Bear

John MacNaughton

Jim Fleck, Companion of the Order of Canada

Hi Gary - Absolutely delighted to get your e-mail and have a first look at my official UTS board room portrait. What a spectacular photograph it is! Patsy was also thrilled to see the portrait and very happy indeed to see that I was smiling as she had hoped.
You and Elaine are a tremendously talented team - you do your preparation together very carefully and the end result certainly bears this out. I feel very privileged to have been given the opportunity to work with you and Elaine and hope to see you again soon.
Thank you for sending me a copy of the portrait - it has been exciting to see the final product!
All the best, Bob.

Gary Ray Rush is an impressive portrait photographer. His attention to detail, his technical skills that shine through and his engagement with his subjects that reveal how comfortable they are with him behind the lens all work together to present memorable images.

In Jim Fleck's portrait, one sees Gary at his best. The angle in which Jim is posed, the warm expression caught, the rich color of his red scarf and the hint of red in his breast pocket all draw the viewer in. The saturated background colors reflected in the windows that display the UTS name and his Order of Canada pin in his lapel suggest a man of accomplishment who has a long track record. The composition holds it all together. For me, I would say it is a perfect portrait.

Linda Kooluris Dobbs, Official Portrait and Fine Artist and Photographer

Gary and Elaine, I have to send off this thank you from our President and our Board and especially your subject Lionel R. and his family members. I don't think I've ever seen Lionel lost for words, but when we took off the velvet draping last night, he was truly overwhelmed. From the usage of the image in the video to the evening's program to the boxed photos for the family and the office portrait, he was stunned. He was thrilled with all of it and I wanted to say how very much we appreciate everything you did to make this one of the most memorable Annual General Meetings in my twelve-year history!

One of the doctors at Mt. Sinai who is an uncle to one of our senior staff here wants to know "who the genius is that took Lionel's portrait." So we are most likely going to be throwing more business your way as well. Everyone who has seen it noticed the emotion and feeling that you were capable of portraying.

Well done! MC, Manager, The PMHF

Gary is a gifted photographer whose portraits have graced the pages of our publications for many years. He has the ability to capture the "personality" of his subjects and with gentle humour relax them during his "shoots" so as to get the best results. I would recommend him to anyone who is looking for a consummate professional, a creative mind and technical expertise. D F

You are a Genus behind the Camera. K B

You always exceed my highest expectations. K O

I've hired Gary many times to do family and professional portraits. He has the ability to efficiently take photographs that capture the essence of the individual while ensuring that the background is relevant. His compositions are interesting and unique yet they don't detract from the subject at hand. Gary spends a fair amount of time planning and setting up so that he can work quickly with the subject(s), which is particularly helpful when working with busy people, babies, children and with large numbers. The quality of his work and prints is excellent. And as a bonus, he is pleasant to be around. I absolutely recommend Gary for any type of portrait work. Y F

Gary was accommodating, professional and put me at at ease immediately, with great results. I highly recommend him. K R

Hi Gary, I just wanted you to know how much fun I had during the session last week. You made it feel like playing in the light and that is truly how one creates beautiful art. Also just FYI my ego has returned to normal, (I hope). See you soon, thank you again. Maggie Broda, OCAD University Board of Governors, President OCADU Alumni Association, Elaine Fleck Contemporary Art Catalogue interviewer/writer/ artist, Muskoka Arts and Craft Member, Executive Member at John B Aird Gallery, President of The Women’s Art Association of Canada and Studio Artist.

Thank you for checking up on the portrait you just did for our firm . I was happy as always with the quality as well as delivery. S C

I've hired Gary twice to take family photos. The first shoot was a studio shoot; the second an outdoor shoot with Gary meeting us at a favourite spot on the Toronto Harbour twice because rain threatened during the first shoot and he wanted to get us better shots. We ordered several photos both times; have fond memories of the shoots themselves; treasure the photos as do the family members that received copies and have received several compliments. Even my teen sons enjoyed the shoots and liked the end result. Gary is a pleasure to work with! V R