To my readers......

SITE UPDATE NOTICE

Thanks for visiting mitchmen, home of Mitchell's Gay Art

For Artwork by Mitchell click on the 'Mitchell's Gallery Hub' tab just below
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Link to the Royale Studio Archive in the right sidebar


Message updated 26th Jun 2025

Tuesday, 3 February 2026

Guys in Uniform revisited - 1. Double Discipline (updated)


 Article in preparation

More about Guys In Uniform Studio  

This series of articles aims to update and extend my original survey of the work of 'Guys in Uniform' at mitchmen

 

Guys In Uniform - Double Discipline 01

Above: An atmospheric staging of a disciplinary session at a military establishment. The two offenders hang their heads, deferring to the punisher's authority and anxious not to aggravate him.

There is a colour variant of this image which reveals that the man in authority here has removed his shorts, they lie on the floor at the back. Apart from that incongruous detail, it seems a logical first image in continuity terms. Like most of 'Guys in Uniform' output, this set doesn't have a discernible storyline.



.
Guys In Uniform - Double Discipline 02

The two men 'assume the position' under the watchful eye of their nemesis, who is properly dressed now, but seems in no hurry to start.
 
The images in this article come from a 'Guys in Uniform' set which I have called 'Double Discipline'. It is probably the best known example of their work - with good reason! The situation of two men in PT kit, up for punishment with a cane, is memorable. You are immediately struck by the tight and very brief, white shorts, which visually are an advance on the efforts of Royale Studio. Of course, Guys in Uniform had the option of using flimsier garments than Royale did in the 50s. 
 
Royale's black and white images of men in shorts were bedevilled by 'white-out' of shorts under the glare of bright lights, erasing the details. The wider availability of colour 20 years later solved that problem, although the bending figure on the left above is a near miss. The pants are lit to show off the target areas very well, and the glimpse of bulges between the legs is amazing. The hems of their shorts show off chunky thighs, while the ankle socks with blue hoops (also classic sports wear in their day) reveal solid calves - these men are fit!
 
Guys In Uniform - Double Discipline 03

The Offender who is first up lowers his shorts and the ritual begins.
The blond-haired man wielding the cane here is not entirely convincing as a military disciplinarian, but I suppose we might regard him as an 'Instructor'.  His skimpy shorts have a thick black waistband rather like those worn by professional boxers. In fact, there's a striking resemblance to a pair of shorts worn by a hunk, who graced the front cover of Zipper 45 a few years later, in 1984 (below). 
 
Boxer on Front cover of Zipper 45
 
Sadly, this man didn't appear anywhere else as far as I know, and the shorts fashion didn't catch on for official contests.  
 
There's a break in continuity in the images we have at this point. You'd expect another picture very similar to No 3, but showing the 2nd offender taking his turn to be caned, a classic 'double'. He does indeed get his lot in the next image, but much else has happened in the meantime...
 
 
Guys In Uniform - Double Discipline 04

In image 4, the first offender has been dispatched to stand facing the wall and his hands have been tied behind his back, suggesting a rebellion might have quelled. His shorts are in a higher position, a concession, perhaps, to allow him to shuffle with dignity. Or perhaps his unsuccessful attempt to 'cover up' was responsible for his wrists being restrained. The Instructor is not yet finished with him, but his raised head suggests he remains defiant.
 
One of the two stools has now disappeared. The remaining man lowers his shorts and takes his turn alone.  
 
 
Guys In Uniform - Double Discipline 05

The indentation visible here shows the instructor means business.  No 2's filthy shoes won't have gone down well with him, and might have earned him something extra. (However, they afford us a convenient way of distinguishing the two men, in the absence of visible faces). 
 
His colleague at the wall dips his head, as if acknowledging his comrade's treatment, but whether in sympathy or sudden dismay on his own account is impossible to say.  
 
Guys In Uniform - Double Discipline 06
 
Having completed his allocation of strokes, 'mister dirty shoes' takes his turn at the wall. His shorts are now down round his ankles. We can only speculate how that came about, but he seems to have decided it prudent to leave them there, so we get to appreciate his chunky backside. 
 
He seems to be standing protectively over a glass of water that appeared in some of the earlier pictures. Finding the session too hot? Well, you might detect a rosy hue to his cheeks, but this studio didn't go beyond mild simulation. No doubt, though, there must have been some playful taking advantage of the situation. Purely in the interests of authenticity, of course.  
 
No 1 is recalled for a second dose, and his kneeling position here suggests he's still not being co-operative. You can see the front of the Instructor's shorts quite clearly here with the badge in the waistband, not to mention a telling bulge underneath. He has a number of tattoos on his arm, which spelt 'rough and butch' in those days. That bodes ill for the rebel.
 
Guys In Uniform - Double Discipline 07
 
You sense a certain extra energy and determination here, as the Instructor resumes his thankless task of correction. His swing is hampered, though, which won't improve his temper.
 
My eye is drawn back to the man facing the wall, he has a beautiful figure and an upright posture (a cross between at attention and at ease) that is very manly. There's a treat for neck freaks, like me (despite a near 'white-out'). 

POST REVISED TO HERE 
Come back in a few days 

.
More Guys in Uniform in the next post.


Sunday, 1 February 2026

The Transformation Art of AG-Ren

 Some years ago I showed some images by Siproites and Yomero (JesusOnTheRocks) that showed men unexpectedly undergoing total transformations into very different beings, stereotypes loaded with challenging qualities for the average Joe. Since then, photo-manipulation techniques have spawned a host of muscle morphs and body enhancement images, but the artists tend to ignore the possibility that the subject might find his changed body and status less than desirable, which makes for a much more interesting situation. I suppose BedVC's 'combatants', conscripted into mysterious, hyper-male roles, might be an exception, but their reactions to the predicament are largely masked.   These images by AG Ren make an interesting contribution.

AG-Ren Boyfriend's Shorts
 
 Massive thighs are a natural consequence of some sports.
Giving the process a hand seems innocent enough..... 
 
AG-Ren - Big Bag Basketball Player
 
But beware of The Law of Unintended Consequences.
A big bag might seem a good idea in erotic dreams,
but it's not a great advantage in energetic sports.  
 
  
AG-Ren Overtime For Office Workers
  
Bigger muscles might be a great way to attract fans
and might even distract a batter into an error.
However, a sportsman looking for media adulation, 
might find TV has a problem with this pants display. 
 

AG-Ren -Big Breasted Sportsman
 
There are other embarrassments for sporting types who overdo enhancement treatments. Their new bodies not being accommodated in normal sports apparel, for example. This guy had to improvise special jocks for his weighty  junk, much to the amusement of the others in the locker room.
 

 
AG-Ren - Tease
 
Developing mega pecs seemed like a great way to attract admirers.
But Willy's nips became over-sensitised in the process,
an erotic trigger that soon became an embarrassment to him.
As word got around, everyone came to try their luck.

 
 
AG-Ren - Opponent or Partner?
 
Inevitably, like attracts like.  
Casper's felt his efforts to develop a powerful, manly physique had been in vain, as men with bigger pecs and even bigger personalities drew him in. He found himself mesmerised and dominated when he had wanted to be the dominant one.

 
AG-Ren -Big Breasts in Latex

Of course, many men who took the plunge were delighted with their new bodies. Old latex suits, which had never seemed to fit quite right before, suddenly clung like a second skin, deliciously peelable. Now they showed off the impressive growth of flesh above the waist and also below.



AG-Ren - Enlargement

Not every man found enlargement to be a liberating process. Unapproved treatments were emerging and causing strange reactions. Pete, an advertising executive, found himself to be the horrified owner of enormous melons which burst out of his shirt when he wasn't expecting it, triggered by a weird light effect the boss had installed in the Office foyer. 
 
It wasn't just the visual effect that dismayed him, he had to carry the damn things and they were very heavy. He didn't like to think about what was going on in his pants.  


See also Roger's Bra Crisis at 'X'




AG-Ren -Big Muscle Bros

Nor were such embarrassments confined to public spaces...
 
Gee! What happened bro'? 
You're not usually this big!
Have you been messing with my supplements? 


AG-Ren -Superman Ripped Butt
 
You would not think that Supes would need to mess with body enhancement, but his human side had its full share of vanity.
Unfortunately, his Super side caused the 'supplement' to go into overdrive. His suit was designed to withstand any stress, but in the middle of a mission it gave way, 
first at the rear ....  
 
 
AG-Ren -Superman Curvy, Ripped Suit
 
....and then at the front
 


AG-Ren - Office Workers
 
Next day at the Office, Clark Kent was wary of attracting attention. He'd found an XXXXL size shirt and pants but sensed his body was continuing to expand in every area. Already his pecs and biceps were straining to escape. He dreaded running into Lois - or Jimmy!
 
AG-Ren -  Muscular Man in a Suit
 
Kent tried to restrain the growth with a harness under his shirt, but it didn't work, and soon seams were giving way again and the cascading sweat just made everything worse.... 
 
 
Other related transformation posts:-
Fantasy transformations by Siproites  
Colour transformations by Yomero (JesusOnTheRocks) 

Thursday, 29 January 2026

Guys In Uniform Studio (Updated 29 Jan)

Article Incomplete
 
Guys In Uniform - Sailor in the Rigging
 
Guys in Uniform Studio* set up in the mid 1970s, producing sexy pictures with a strong flavour of military discipline. It was much inspired by the example set by Royale Studio in the late 1950s, and the personnel involved reputedly had connections of some sort with Basil Clavering's set-up (see below). 
 
As an example, the photo above directly references the 'Sailor in the Rigging' images of Royale Studio and Hussar
 
 
Guys In Uniform - Double Discipline

 Guys In Uniform created many Gym Discipline scenarios which also mirrored Royale storyettes which usually featured a gym horse, providing both context and a handy frame for punishment 
 
 ~
Ever since the release of the British Photographers' collection of Royale and Guys in Uniform images, this Studio has suffered from being called 'Men in Uniform' in some quarters. However, it always used the 'Guys in Uniform' label in its short existence, as shown in the image above. There was never a Studio called 'Men In Uniform'  
 ~
 
The pictures of both studios pushed at the boundaries of acceptability for their respective times. Royale's beefcake images flirted with homosexual innuendo and sadism, which was strictly taboo in the 1950s Britain. By the late 70s, when Guys in Uniform was formed, gay lifestyle magazines were commonplace and even frontal nudes were permissible (if flaccid). However, the combination of nudity and discipline scenarios' was still highly controversial and problematic.
 
Guys In Uniform - Double Discipline

 This image is similar to Royale discipline scenarios, but they did not show their subjects undressed like this.
 
 
Guys In Uniform - The Investigation

Both Studios openly used genuine servicemen as models, particularly Royal Guardsmen (sometimes in authentic uniforms). This shocked the establishment and provoked police raids to seize their material. In Royale's day, anything to do with homosexuality was hushed up by the press, but in the case of Guys in Uniform there was a full-blown scandal when a tabloid 'exposed' that real Guardsmen were posing for nude photographs in homosexual magazines. 
 
There used to be an interesting article at milism about the history and the connections between the two studios, but the link no longer works. I am presently seeking the permission of the author to reproduce it here. PENDING
 
Guys In Uniform - Cover of Uniform Magazine, Issue 2
 
Like Royale and Hussar, Guys in Uniform supplied their images to the Gay Magazines of their time - Him, Playguy and Zipper. Many of them were printed in colour. They also published 3 issues of their own 'Uniform Magazine' (above). Surprisingly, though, it only had black and white photos.
 
Guys In Uniform - The Harness


Guys in Uniform ventured into one area where Royale and Hussar had not dared. This leather harness/apron was part of a provocative (for its time) exploration of leather and rubber fetish, a subject which formed a major part of their output. 
 
Royale Studio - Man wearing a Leather Harness
 
Recently, a solitary image has come to light suggesting Royale had a similar harness, but images of it were never published at the time. This photo formed part of the Bonham's sale of photographs by Basil Clavering in 2021
 
The saleroom stated in their prospectus that the collection of hundreds of Royale Studio images had been "acquired by the present owner in Notting Hill in the 1980s, from a fan of Studio Royale (sic) who had tried unsuccessfully to mimic its success". This latter reference sounds like the 'Guys in Uniform' experiment.
 
Royale did publish a series of fetishistic images with models wearing pouches made from chains, but the Dolphin set 'Leather Merchants' seems to be the limit of their venture into the leather scene.
 
Dolphin Photography - Leather Merchants


More to come
watch this space! 
View the mitchmen review of Guys in Uniform pictures in 13+ Parts 

Friday, 16 January 2026

All Time Most Popular Post, up to 2025 (MPP3)



A gym assistant performs oral, stim spotting for heavyweight favourite, Julio Rodriguez, as he ramps up his preparations for the Nationals later this year.
.
 Art by this year's MPP3 winner - IFNB.
 
~
 
I've flipped the 'all time' popularity listings again this year to give precedence to hit rates averaged out over the number of years since publication. This is a method that gives recent articles the same chance as older ones. The figure in the last column illustrates the benefit to younger articles. I have retained the 'total number of hits since publication' as a secondary measure, but it has reached a point where older articles have established unassailable totals.
 
 
Table 1
Articles with the Highest Average Hits per Year Since Publication (to 2025)
 
Article
Year
Published
Ave Hits per year (last yr)
Position
(& last year)
'Total Hits' position
2018
7596
(8226)
1 (1)
2017
6888
(7209)
2 (2)
1
Milking Factories - 3
2018
3557
(3937)
3 (5)
6
2020

3542
(4140)
4 (3)
13 
2012
3504
(3643)
5 (6)
Homoeros Gallery Guide
2018
3496
(3981)
6 (4)
7
Art by Shenguanlin
2023

3023

7 (-)
61 
2016
2577
(2771)
8 (7)
2019
2432
(2664)
9 (8)
14
A-Z of Fetish Artists – Mike Carcel
2010
2348
(2438)
10 (9)
 5
A-Z of Fetish Artists - Cavelo
2008
2301
(2358) 
11 (12) 
4
2018

2224
(2362)
12 (11)

15
The Art of BrosFate – 3
2020
2085
(2408)
13 (10)
23
2020
1951
(2222)
14 (13)
28
2024
1908
15 (-)
297
The Art of Amalaric – 3 Hunks & Manipulators
2020
1746
(1966) 
16 (14) 
 37
The Art of Homoeros - 1 (Beefcake Boys)
2018
1629
(1782)
17 (15)
24
2018
1614
(1729)
18 (17)
21
A New Life For Our Air Force Boys
2017
1524
(1665) 
19 (18)
22 
A Christmas Criminal
2015
1513
(1593) 
20 (20)
17
Mitchell's A-Z of Fetish Artists - Jotto  
2009
1484
21 (-)
8
IFNB 3 - International Federation of Naked Bodybuilders Newsletter
2024 
1484
21 (-)
312
Stats compiled 31/12/25
Shortcut to Last Year's Table (2024)

IFNB and Milking Factory topped the table again this year and continue to comfortably outscore every other post in the blog on a regular basis (bar one this year). They both benefitted from related, new posts - namely, IFNB Newsletter, which reached 21 on this ranking, just outside the chart and the continuing stream of Milking Factory posts, including ones by this year's golden boy, Shenguanlin and the other new entry from Ain Postolos, who creditably sustained his initial popularity into a second year.

The gap between the top two closed again this year, but the chasing pack has been falling further and further behind, including 'Milking Factory 3' which leapfrogged the competition into 3rd place. The only post keeping pace with the heavy scoring of the top two this year was Art by Shenguanlin, which gatecrashed the table into 7th place. 

Some former giants drifted downwards  - Amalaric (at 4, 16), MCarcel (10) and Brosfate (13, 14). Also Homoeros (6, 12, 17) despite his good showing in the new posts chart. They were all either elbowed aside by the new bloods or displaced by some old hands showing their longevity - Priapus at 5 (up 1), Cavelo at 11 (up 1).  

Etienne's index of articles (8) also declined, but was one of the few articles to register higher hits in 2025 than the previous year, thanks to synergies generated with the Exclusively-Etienne Google Group. My marketing efforts at 'X' helped my own 'A Christmas Criminal' to do the same trick, managing to hang onto 20th spot despite strong challenges from IFNB Revisted and Shenguanlin's Milking Factory 14.

Dropping out of the table, were 'Come and Get It!' (was 16) which has become redundant with the transfer of Royale Studio material to the new Royale blog.  Also, 'Milking Factories 5 -Development Lab' (was 19)

The entry level to this table is now 1484 down 7% from 1593 last year. That score is not beyond the scores of the best new articles, but I don't allow articles less than one year old in this table. There were several this year whose time-averaged scores would have got them in, but only thanks to ultra short periods since publication.

The A-Z Index of Artists at mitchmen hit score presently averages 10,363

The table below shows the old 'Total Hits' measure 


Table 2 mitchmen Articles With Most Hits Since Publication to end 2025

Posn
(last yr)
Title of Post
(& link)
Year of
Pub'n
Cum
Hits
Hits in 2025
1 (1)
2017 
61107 
4367 
2 (2)
IFNB – A Fantasy World of Bodybuilders2018
59393
3298 
3 (3)
2012 
48,0511740
4 (4)
2008
405471354
5 (5)
2010
366431048
6 (6)
2018
270701043
7 (7)
2018
24655559
8 (8)
2009
24001477
9 (9)
2016
235901000
10 (11)
2009
20937893
11 (10)
2010
20645358
12 (12)
2008
203792299
13 (13)
The Art of Amalaric 1 - A Slave To Passion
2020
18971937
14 (14)
2019
169281046
15 (16)
2018
163961347
16 (15)
2010
15818529
17 (17)
2015
15171782
18 (18)
A-Z of Fetish Artists – The Hun
2009
14496238
19 (19)
2009
13632741
20 (20)
2009
12983451
 
As expected, there were no major upheavals in the Total Hits list. Franco and Malex swapped positions at 10 & 11 and Homoeros - Part 6 overtook Martin of Holland (at 15 & 16). There wasn't a single new entry. The last column shows how strongly the leaders continue to pull away from the rest of the pack, who are now a long, long way behind them. Only Brick at 12 looks set to make any progress. 
 
This table has a number of older articles which no longer feature in Table 1, but have built up big totals in earlier years which are almost unassailable by new entries. Franco, Malex, Brick, Martin of Holland, The Hun, Kalabro and Julius are all a long way down the hit rate table, but their position here doesn't seem under serious challenge. 
 
The entry level to this all-time top 20 is now 12,983 about 450 more than last year. It's about 10 times the winning total of most new posts these days.
 
The mitchmen  'Index of Artists' page reached 105,844 hits at the end of 2024, a 6% rise (compared with 13% last time). It would have earned top spot in this ranking if I counted it as a post.

~

The articles I post to this blog are very much based on my own interests and fancies but the results of this survey do help me plan future offerings. My readers preferences doesn't always match my own (where are Les, JoeT and Link?). Nevertheless it's gratifying to see such interest in the great gay fetish artists who often have a fairly low visibility on the web.

Remember, this comparison is only made for entertainment, since I don't really know how accurate Google's stats are, they don't seem to add up to the overall hits at the blog and I suspect they don't count the activity of people who just browse through the blog roll.

Thanks to all of you for your continuing interest and support.
 
This annual set of articles is made up of 3 charts
MPP3 - Most Popular Post of All Time (i.e. cumulative performance)
that's this article!
 
Charts and reviews for earlier years can be accessed by clicking the 'MPP' label below