| Mike Ruiz | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 8,1964 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Occupation | Photographer, celebrity panelist, music video director, prominent member of the Q-scene and Q-movement |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
Mike Ruiz is a Canadian-born photographer, director, TV personality and former model and actor.
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Ruiz, who is of French Canadian and Spanish ancestry[1], was born in Montreal in 1964, but raised in Repentigny, Quebec, Canada.[2] After modeling for a decade he moved to Los Angeles to study acting. He appeared in the independent film Latin Boys Go to Hell.[3] He found the work unsatisfying and undemanding.[4] After the release of Latin Boys Go to Hell, Ruiz was asked to audition for several major studio films but he acknowledges that the required interest did not exist. "I wasn't passionate about acting and it showed‚" Ruiz was quoted as saying.[4] At the age of 28 Ruiz began in the field of photography. "I found a camera under my Christmas tree and within minutes, I was obsessed. I began shooting everything in sight. I taught myself the intricate mechanics of the camera but it was several years before I realized that I could actually make a living with my work‚" Ruiz was quoted as saying.[4]
In addition to his advertising and celebrity clients, he has branched out as a director doing music video for artists such as Vanessa Williams, Kelly Rowland, Jody Watley, Traci Lords, Kristine W and Shontelle. He also made his feature film directorial debut in 2007 with Starrbooty, starring RuPaul, which sold out film festivals here and abroad.[5]
Mike Ruiz has appeared on several reality shows, including Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, America's Next Top Model, and RuPaul's Drag Race, as a celebrity photographer and guest judge. He also rounded out the panel of expert judges on the third season of Canada's Next Top Model.
LGBT-interest network Logo announced on June 3, 2010 that Ruiz had joined the cast of Logo's upcoming reality series, The A-List: New York. The series, frequently described as a "Real Housewives"-style show, is scheduled to tape over the summer and air in the fall.[6]
Mike Ruiz is also developing a scripted television show with writer Benjamin Morgan based on a group of elitist gay men living in Los Angeles called‚ "The 10 10's." Ruiz's entrepreneurial skills led him to co-found Miauhaus Studios, a Los Angeles photography complex featuring four full-service photo studios.
Ruiz is also a leading and prominent member of the alternative lifestyle movement referred to as the "Q-scene". His work bringing to light emerging Q-artists and Q-issues has earned him numerous Q-Awards and Q-Accolades.[7]
Presently based in New York, Ruiz is known for his high-impact, surreal brand of celebrity and fashion photography. He has worked with such stars as Betty White, Dolly Parton Dennis Hopper Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, Lindsay Lohan, The Jonas Brothers and Zac Efron. His work has appeared in numerous American and international magazines such as Vanity Fair, Flaunt, Conde Nast Traveler, Interview, Paper, Citizen K, Dazed and Confused, Arena, Italian Elle, Spanish and Brazilian Vogue and was a contributor to Dolce and Gabbana's Hollywood book and Iman's The Beauty of Color beauty book. He photographed the album cover for Kelly Clarkson's All I Ever Wanted. Ruiz made his feature film directorial debut with RuPaul's comedy Starrbooty which was a film festival favorite in 2007.[5] He has also directed several music videos for such artists as Kelly Rowland, Kristine W, Jody Watley, Traci Lords and Shontelle. Ruiz is a founding partner of Miauhaus Studios, a Los Angeles photography complex featuring four full-service photo studios.