Photographer Mike Ruiz is most famous for his dramatic photos of celebrities like Betty White, the girls of "Jersey Shore," and Kathy Griffin, to name a few. But the photographer, who is also a TV regular on shows like "The A-List," "America's Next Top Model," and "RuPaul's Drag Race," most recently turned his attention to a hunky gang of male models for his new book "Pretty Masculine."
Speaking about the book, Ruiz says:
"Pretty Masculine" is the apogee of my latest effort to capture humanity out of context. It is the culmination of my desire to incorporate my hyper-stylized and fantasy-driven style of photography and reinterpret the male ideal from a new perspective. It has been my intention to open a forum of sorts and, in so doing, inspire thought and dialogue with respect to finding alternative ways of looking at the world around us. In this case, to look at masculinity beyond what might be considered the stereotypical man."
As if shooting new books, magazine covers, and ad campaigns and his television career didn't keep him busy enough, Ruiz is also involved in supporting countless organizations like The Trevor Project, Housing Works, It Gets Better Campaign, Live Out Loud, Project Angel Food, The Ali Forney Center, GLAAD, and Gay Men's Health Crisis. In fact, proceeds from "Pretty Masculine" will benefit GMHC, the oldest HIV/AIDS prevention, advocacy and care services provider in the country.
View a slideshow of images from "Pretty Masculine" below and visit Ruiz's official website for more info and to purchase the book.
Read Mike Ruiz and Martin Berusch's blog "Does the LGBT Community Have a 'Peter Pan' Syndrome?" here.
