Exclusive Interview With Photographer Mike Ruiz

Even though you may not know it yet, there's an extremely high chance that you're jealous of Mike Ruiz. The sexy celebrity photographer (pictured above) doesn't just look great all by himself! He's been blessed with a gift to make other people look and feel fabulous, and the number of people who've benefited from his talents is growing by the minute.

Just take a look at his website for his portfolio and list of clients. What do Sir Ian McKellen and Ludacris have in common? Other than being totally bad-ass, they've both posed for a shoot with Mike Ruiz. Have you ever seen RuPaul's mind-blowing film Starrbooty? Say hello to the man who directed it.

Obviously, we were a bit starstruck when given an opportunity to chat with this handsome fellow, but we managed to gain our composure and come up with a few questions. Ruiz shared his views on everything from pushing celebrities out of the closet to who should have won RuPaul's Drag Race. And for the record, he's not currently single. You know we couldn't resist asking!

– Dewitt

Photo credit: Mike Ruiz

To read our interview and see more pics, follow the JUMP:

In case you didn't notice, you're extremely attractive. Are you single?

I was happily single for four years until recently. I was completely swept off my feet by an amazing man. He was dazzling from the minute I saw him walk up to me. He is intelligent, funny, articulate, super hot and so incredibly kind. JACKPOT!

Your photo shoot with Lance Bass got a lot of buzz on the blogs. What was the inspiration for the "grunge" look?

Actually, my inspiration was Glam rock for my shoot with Lance Bass.

Our bad! Out of all the wonderful folks you've photographed, who was the most fun to work with? Were there any complete duds or divas?

The fondest memories are usually from the most recent shoot, which was a music video I directed for Erika Jayne. She is such an amazing performer and unbelievable in front of the camera. The video is super sexual in nature and is so freaking hot!

We loved seeing you on the premiere of RuPaul's Drag Race! Based on your time on set, who would you pick to win the competition?

I really liked Morgan McMichaels, but she got the boot already.

Given your extensive list of celebrity clients, it's clear that you're pretty awesome. But how do you react to the people who don't appreciate your style of photography?

At this stage in my career, people know what they are getting when they come to me. If my aesthetic is not what they had in mind, they don't come-a-callin'! My work is my voice, and I need to speak it… but not everyone has to listen.

Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Britney Spears, Betty White… Your list of clients is like a gay man's wet dream! Who are you dying to add to the list?

I'd love to work Lady Gaga of course. In my fantasies, I would have loved to have had the opportunity to work with Joan Crawford back in her day.

Some stars you’ve worked with have done some time in the closet, and a few are rumored to still be stuck in there. What are your thoughts on the media “outing” certain celebrities?

Being out is a personal choice, and one's comfort being out usually comes with self acceptance. Being gay is only a part of what defines me, so I have no problem just being myself. Some people just haven't reached that point, and only they can make that decision for themselves. Personally, I don't think it's a big deal either way, so I don't quite understand why the media needs to make people's sexuality open to public scrutiny. Everyone should be given the opportunity to come out when they are ready.

While we’re touching upon this topic, what was your own coming out experience like?

I was out and proud at seventeen. It was the most organic and natural thing for me and everyone around me, probably because everyone already assumed I was a homo! I have assumed the responsibility of easing that process for others by bringing awareness to organizations like The Trevor Project, who help LGBTQ youth deal with their sexual identity.

We heard that you were working on a pilot for a television show a while back? Has there been any progress on that front?

The one show I was involved with called Velvet Mafia didn't get picked up, but now I'm working on another show with Tex-Mex Entertainment and Relativity Real which I would be an executive producer on, along with hosting it. That project is looking very promising, but it's too early to say for sure.

Beyond all of that, what else do you have on your plate? What's "next" for Mike Ruiz?

I'm currently working on music for my good friend, Traci Lords. I'm collaborating with Sylvia Tosun and Anton Bass from Sea to Sun Records on that project. I'm also directing more, along with all of the photography stuff I constantly have going on.