Biography
"Tracy" was a vortex of creativity. Beginning his career on Wall Street, he soon realized the financial world was not his calling. Assisting Santé Forlano of Bernard Arnault's LVMH and Tiffany&Co. Charles rose quickly to celebrity status as one of the premier photographers in the early NY Club, Hamptons and Fire Island social scenes. His early career was spent documenting for LIFE magazine the likes of Janis Joplin, Cher, Liza Minelli, Joe Eula, Milton Green, Francesco Scavullo, Mick Jager, Keith Richards, Jody Foster, Patti Hansen, Lou Reed, Gia, Cindy Crawford, Nicki Taylor, Pat Cleveland, Andy Warhol, Malcolm McLaren, Jasper Johns, David Bowie Betsey Johnson, Vivienne Westwood, Elsa Peretti, Halston, Stephen Burrows, Patti Smith, Robert Mapplethorpe, 9, Sam Shepard, Debbi Harry and more.
The first American photographer to be celebrated in film, with a portrait in the film Mahogany with Diana Ross. Where Anthony Perkins developed his character after months of hanging around Tracy's Soho studio. He was also portrayed in documentaries on the Battle of Versailles, The Studio, Stephen Burrows, 35 Cents, Sensorium, the limited series 3 for the World and Mechanics2Go (MTV), and Ephigy (number9ine). Credited for having the first billboard in Times Square with the infamous photo of Patti Hansen that launched the Career of Calvin Klein in 1978. His photos had already become infamous with Halston and Elsa Peretti, Vogue, Taxi, the NY Times. Hearst and Condé Nest publications both domestically as well as internationally.
Credited with encouraging the next generation of visualists the likes of Keith Haring, Michael H. Henderson, Kenny Scharf, Madonna, Gorgio Moroder, Felly, Grace Jones, Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Magidson, Bruce Weber, James Cameron, Ron Fricke, Kate Moss, 9 Patrick Disanto, Leonardo DiCaprio, Anna Cleveland, Mark Wahlberg, Mark Gasper, Gregory Colbert and others. Opening Ruby Studio and Charles Tracy Studio in the later part of his career to handle consistency in catalog clientele in the days of mail order for SAKS 5thAve, Bonwit Teller & Co, Takashimaya Company, Harrods, and Barneys New York.
Late in his career he teamed up again with Elsa Peretti, Joe Eula, Michael H. Henderson, Kate Wetherby, and Mark Gasper to establish Media iidp and Ruby Studios, Ulster Park in the Hudson Valley. Going on to work with the American artist 9 Patrick Disanto on tours, art installations and exhibits for number9ine and Case Trick. Co founding the film studio complex SPACE in Kingston NY.
