"If it isn't fun. It's not worth doing."
Mike Ruiz is a world-renowned photographer, who also happens to be a TV personality, former model, actor, spokesperson, creative director and director. With his wide array of experiences and interests, it's no wonder Mike lives by these words.
Mike was born and raised in Montreal, Canada, and at the ripe age of 20, he moved to the States with just $300 bucks in his pocket and a desire to be in the entertainment world. After working for more than a decade as a successful model, his true calling came into focus one Christmas morning, when he received a gift of a lifetime: his first camera. Wide-eyed, he took the camera out of the box, and in the blink of an adept eye, his whole life was about to change. With focused determination, Mike immediately took to his new present--taught himself the intricate mechanics of the camera and to this day, he hasn't stopped clicking away. Perhaps it's only when you might hear him say, "we got it!", that there is but the slightest of pauses to an otherwise very hectic shooting schedule. Sharing with the world the images that he captures is tantamount to poetry. Whether it's Kim Kardashian, Betty White, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry or Prince, Mike has seen and shot them all.
Like everything he touches, Mike is a man who brings to life the fantastical, which in turn, is inspired by his brilliant optimism. His lens has done a lot of zooming in and out, while the world keeps a keen focus on his high-impact, surreal brand of celebrity and fashion photography. He has successfully branded himself across platforms, including print and video, which expands his appeal in the industry. His clients include L'Oreal, Garnier, Jafra and AlfaParf. Mike's work has appeared in Conde Nast Traveller, Elle, Interview, Paper, Flaunt, Spanish & Brazilian Vogue, Citizen K, Vanity Fair, Verve, and other publications. He is also a regular contributor to the following magazines: YRB (USA), Rouge (Russia), Prestige (Hong Kong), Spot (Mexico).
Mike's keen eye and astute entrepreneurial skills have landed him positions in a wide array of fields. He has been named the spokesperson for Me Oko Vodka, as well as Creative Director for the liquor company In 2011, he founded Aardvark Aartists, an agency representing photographers, retouchers, art directors and set designers. Mike will also be partnering up with fashion designer J. Cheikh to create a capsule line of menswear for Spring 2012. The line will be called "Mi