Mike Ruiz

mikeruiz.com
My Biography...... Hailing from Montreal Canada ,New York-based photographer Mike Ruiz is best known for his high-impact, colorful celebrity photography as well as his glossy fashion editorials. Mike has recently directed Rupaul in the independent film "Starrbooty" which has been selling out at film festivals nationwide and is now available on DVD (www.starrbooty.com) . He frequently shoots the hottest new stars for major American and international magazines such as Vanity Fair, Flaunt, Cream, Ocean Drive, Conde Nast Traveler, Interview, Latina, Paper, The Source, XXL, King Magazine, V-Life and Wired Magazine and was a contributor to Dolce and Gabbana's "Hollywood" book and Iman's "The Beauty of Color" beauty book. His work has also appeared in several European magazines including French and Italian Max, Italian Elle, Citizen K, Upstreet, Arena and Dazed and Confused. Mike has shot advertising campaigns for Sean John,MAC Cosmetics, Candies, Donald J. Pliner, Integrity Toys, Jacob the Jeweler, Jafra Cosmetics, Joico Haircare, KMS, Honeycomb, Matrix Essentials, Reebok, Three Musketeers, Wrigleys' and Bongo Jeans. He has also worked alongside Lil Kim to create the image for her "Royalty" watch line. Mike has worked with music giants Arista, Badboy Records, RCA, Interscope, TommyBoy Records, EMI, Universal, Sony, TVT and Warner Bros. Records and Bravo, UPN, USA and SciFi television network. Mike has recently acted as creative director for Duprey Cosmetics new advertising campaign featuring Traci Lords both conceptualizing and directing the commercial . When hair legend Oribe was recently asked to contribute a 30 second fashion clip to Nick Knight's "Show Studio" website he asked Mike to direct it. Recently completed film projects include Kristine W's "I'll Be Your Light" music video, Tony Moran and Zhana's "Waiting for Alegria" music video and XEO3's "Strange Fruit" music video. Some of Mike's latest shoots include Cd packaging for musical artists Kelly Rowland, Cheri Dennis and Yolanda Adams.Oddly enough, the man who has made a career glorifying beauty grew up a self-described ugly duckling. “I was a chubby and unattractive child,” he explains. “I suffered years of having sand kicked in my face. Then one day, I decided I couldn’t take it anymore. I lost my baby fat and began weight training.”His new physique eventually led to Ruiz appearing in local fashion shows at malls around Montreal. At 19, he flew to Paris, France to pursue a professional modeling career. He landed campaigns with Versace and International Male, but found the work uninspiring. “I always felt like I had more to say than wearing buns underwear in fashion catalogs.”He tried acting – starring in the classic cult independent film, Latin Boys Go to Hell – but again, found the work unsatisfying. “After the breakout success of the film, I was asked to audition for several major studio films but my heart wasn’t into it,” he acknowledges. “I wasn’t passionate about acting and it showed.” Discovering one’s passion is a gift that sadly, not everyone receives. Ruiz, however, did and his arrived as a Christmas gift. “At 28, 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.”“I’m lucky now to be at a point in my life where I can concentrate on projects that I find interesting and fun,” he explains. It is the reason he chose to work with RuPaul on the new Starrbooty film. “Rupaul’s irreverent and wacky sense of humor is very similar to mine. In fact, what attracted me most to Starrbooty was that it gave a voice to every inappropriate thought that I have ever had.”Starrbooty marks his feature film directorial debut, but Ruiz is no novice to the medium of film. He has directed several music videos, most notably with Traci Lords, RuPaul and dance superstar Kristine W and recently had top ten video on MTV with Kelly Rowland’s “Like This” featuring Eve.“Many people seem surprised to see my name attached to Starrbooty, but truthfully, I don’t see the film as a far departure from my past work,” continues Ruiz. “Similar to my photography, the film is based in fantasy. I’ve created a life for myself that is in every way an expression of my fantasies. Reality is not really somewhere I want to live so through my work, I try to see everything through rose colored glasses.“That is what art means to me.”Mike Ruiz is a founding partner of Miauhaus, the elite Los Angeles photography complex featuring four full-service photo studios. Mike's list of celebrity clients is extensive... 50 Cent Alejandro Fernandez Alexis Bledel Alyssa Milano Amerie Amy Mann Andy Dick Angela Bettis Azura Sky Backstreet Boys Balthazar Getty Barry Pepper Beau Bridges Beyonce Billy Zane Brian Wilson Britney Spears Brittany Murphy Carey Elwes Charlie Baltimore Chris Klein Christian Bale Christine Taylor Christina Aguilera Christina Saralegui Christopher Gorham Cindy Margolis Daddy Yankee Daisy Fuentes Danny Glover Daryl Hannah Dave Navarro David Boreanaz David Lynch Debbi Mazar Destiny’s Child Dennis Hopper Dita Von Teese Djimon Hounsou Dolly Parton Dominique Swain Emma Roberts Erasure Eric Mabius Erin Daniels Eva Longoria Fabolos Fat Joe Free G-Unit Gabrielle Union Gloria Estefan Golden Brooks Goran Visnjic Guy Torrey Hanson Hayden Panettiere Isabella Rossellini Ivana Milicevic Jackie-O Jadakiss James Coburn James Marsden Jamie Lynn Sigler Jamie Presley Jenna Jameson Jason Behr Jason Biggs Jason Lewis Jason Priestley Jay Mohr Jenna Jameson Jennifer Coolidge Jennifer Garner Jennifer Lopez Jessica Alba Jessica Biel Jill Marie Jones John C. Reilly Jody Watley Jonathan Bennett Joshua Jackson Joy Enriquez Juanes Julian McMahon Julie Delpy Julio Iglesias Jr. Justin Timberlake Karina Lombard Kat DeLuna Kate Beckinsale Katherine Heigl Kimora Lee Simmons Kirsten Dunst Kristen Bell Kristen Johnston Kristen Kreuk Kristine W. Lacey Chabert Laura Prepon Leslie Ann Warren L'il Flip Lil Kim Lindsay Lohan Lloyd Banks Loon Louis Gossett Jr. Ludacris Melissa Joan Hart Mark Wahlberg Megan Good Melissa Geroge Melora Walters Mickey Rourke Michael Rappaport Michelle Rodriguez Mimi Rodgers Myrka Dellanos Nick Nolte Nicole Wray Nina Skye N’Sync Olivia Patricia Clarkson Patricia Velasquez Paulina Rubio Paz Vega Queen Latifah Raven Symone Rebecca Romijn Ricky Martin Rick Yune Robert Patrick Rod Stewart Rosario Dawson Rosie Perez RuPaul Ryan Phillipe Saana Lathan Salma Hayek Sam Rockwell Scott Wolf Sean William-Scott Seth Green Shane West Shannon Dougherty Shawn Ashmore Sir Ian McKellan Sisqo Sofia Vergara Space Hog Sunshine Anderson Sydney Pollack Tara Reid Taylor Dayne Teri Polo Tony Yayo Tracee Ellis Ross Traci Lords Tyra Banks Vanessa Carlton Vanessa Marcil Vin Diesel Willa Ford William H. Macy Woody Harrelson Young Buck Zac Efron Zoe Saldana You can view my work below.
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