https://www.youtube.com/w...sJkPJr-UDM

Mike was chosen by Prince to shoot his Ebony cover - and then P continued calling him to Paisley Park to shoot for lots of projects - Welcome 2 America tour, Essence magazine, fallinlove2nite, etc etc etc

Mike talks all about what it was like to work with him, the time he called him on stage at MSG and a private show he did for an audience of 3 at Paisley Park... WILD!!!

I first heard of Ruiz because he was a judge on RuPaul's Drag Race in the early days. They'd have photography challenges at the first challenge of the season, and Ruiz would be the on-set photographer.

He was also on one of those reality shows or something. So he's been in my peripheral vision for a long time. But I never knew he photographed Prince all those times.

Steve Parke was and is the best tho'....just sayin'

7801AudobanRoad said:

Steve Parke was and is the best tho'....just sayin'

Yes!
I'd rank AS as the least (IMO) because most of those shots were just weird. I don't know if that's how P wanted to lok or if AS was so tall that P was looking up at him strangely, always.

TrivialPursuit said:

I first heard of Ruiz because he was a judge on RuPaul's Drag Race in the early days. They'd have photography challenges at the first challenge of the season, and Ruiz would be the on-set photographer.

He was also on one of those reality shows or something. So he's been in my peripheral vision for a long time. But I never knew he photographed Prince all those times.

that's right! mike talks about that in this chapter from the same channel

https://www.youtube.com/w...A&t=1s

[Edited 8/9/24 21:44pm]

7801AudobanRoad said:

Steve Parke was and is the best tho'....just sayin'

Steve Park fitted the area he worked for Prince.

But Mike Ruiz gave that new, fresh, more contemporary feel Prince was looking for.

That's why Prince chose him.

I deffinately like Ruiz's photography above anyone else for that matter.

Look at it all, it's flawless and makes Prince looks so unearthly great.

Vannormal said:

7801AudobanRoad said:

Steve Parke was and is the best tho'....just sayin'

Steve Park fitted the area he worked for Prince.

But Mike Ruiz gave that new, fresh, more contemporary feel Prince was looking for.

That's why Prince chose him.

I deffinately like Ruiz's photography above anyone else for that matter.

Look at it all, it's flawless and makes Prince looks so unearthly great.

totally agree! i love all the photographers prince worked with, but mike shot him in way that was modern yet timeless. everything felt so iconic but also really current. http://mrnmister.com/ente...sley-park/

There's a great story in Parke's book of photos about the Notorious magazine cover. They were getting it all together, and it came up to write "FREE" in gold paint on Prince's stomach. Prince finally pointed to Parke and said, "he can do it." And that was the cover - Parke's handwriting literally on Prince.

He shot Prince!!! lol

wish i was that girl behind him (on the cover)

i would rrrrrrrrip his pants off!

and demand him to dance naked

in front of me

he can keep the waiste chain on