Ruiz, who is of French Canadian and Spanish Filipino ancestry,[1] was born in Montreal in 1964, but raised in Repentigny, Quebec, Canada.

[5][6] In 2002 he moved from Los Angeles into an old friend's (Peel & Tracy James) SOHO apartment in New York City to pursue his career in photography.

[5] His work has appeared in numerous American and international magazines such as Vanity Fair, Flaunt, Condé Nast Traveler, Interview, Paper, Citizen K, Dazed and Confused, Arena, Italian Elle, Spanish and Brazilian Vogue and was a contributor to Dolce & Gabbana's Hollywood book and Iman's The Beauty of Color beauty book.

[8] In addition to his advertising and celebrity clients, Ruiz has branched out as a director doing music video for artists such as Vanessa Williams, Kelly Rowland, Jody Watley, Traci Lords, Kristine W and Shontelle.

Ruiz has appeared on several reality shows, including Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, America's Next Top Model, and RuPaul's Drag Race ("RuPaullywood or Bust"), as a celebrity photographer and guest judge.