The female subject in Ruggiero’s series finds herself lonely in
the void space of an abandoned building – her beauty reflecting the
values of materialism while the building signifies the crumbling
integrity of consumers.
In addition to seeking reprieve from the materialistic values
of general global society, Ruggiero prefers working with amateur
models. He finds that their facial expressions are more refreshing
and honest; unlike professional models, casual models have
not perfected the technique of guarding and controlling their
expressive mannerisms, allowing an air of authenticity to permeate
the relationship between photographer and subject.
“I’m generally skeptical about professional models because I
don’t believe in posing with fake emotions. Critical observers will
feel it in the photograph. I like to work with the ‘girl next door’
type,” Ruggiero confides.
With a background in expressionist painting, Ruggiero’s
discovery of photography was serendipitous. “I found a Kodak
camera for sale for a discount. I bought it just to experiment, to
try something new,” he recalls. Ruggiero began to play with self-
portraiture as a new creative outlet and found a new favourite
medium for unravelling his emotions. “It was by chance that I
stopped painting and devoted myself to photography.”
Currently, Ruggiero is working on a new project, but he’s
keeping mum about it. “I’m a little superstitious,” he admits with
a grin. Set for release in 2018, we’ll certainly be keeping an eye
out for what this artistic photographer has in store.
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inspadesmag.com