NZPhotographer Issue 34, August 2020

Rising Star: Ruby Millard
Ruby is a 17 year old who lives in Paraparaumu and attends Kapiti College. Now
in Year 13 she is working on her Level 3 photography portfolio for NCEA and has a
Canon 60D which she usually pairs with a 50mm lens.
RUBY, WHAT’S YOUR BACKGROUND?
I grew up in Nashville, Tennessee and lived there for
13 years before moving back to New Zealand (where
I was born) about two years ago. This means that
I have had the privilege of experiencing two different
cultures, even if they are both “Western”, Englishspeaking
countries.
I’ve loved taking photos and capturing moments ever
since I was really little. I’d take pictures on anything
I could get my hands on – my parents’ little digital
camera, my iPod Touch, anything! Then, on Christmas
Day 2014 (when I was only 11!) my parents surprised
me with my very first DSLR camera. I was so happy
that I burst into tears! Even though it took me ages to
actually figure out how to use it on any setting other
than ‘automatic,’ the fact that I had a “real” camera
was super exciting to me even though my photos
weren’t very good at first.
I have three younger brothers who have been my
go-to models ever since I first started taking photos.
Lucky for me, they don’t complain too much when
I ask them to hold still while I try to capture the perfect
photo though sometimes I do have to bribe them with
some chocolate!
TELL US ABOUT TAKING PHOTOGRAPHY AS A
SUBJECT AT SCHOOL…
I took my first photography class last year. I really
loved being able to use our school’s studio, because
it gave me a new kind of creative freedom that I had
never had before. I discovered how much easier
it was to take the “perfect” photo with controlled
lighting and props, which I definitely wasn’t used to.
Doing photography through NCEA requires a lot of
planning and using artist models. At first, this was
difficult for me to get used to – I was accustomed
to more spontaneous photo moments. But, while
this sometimes ends up restricting the creative
freedoms of the students that partake, I found that
attempting to recreate images taken by professional
photographers really stretched my abilities and has
ultimately improved my photography skills. It has also
given me a new appreciation for going into a shoot
knowing exactly what shots I’m going to take or at
least what I want the outcome of the shoot to be.
Currently, I’m working on my level 3 photography
portfolio for NCEA. So far, my portfolio is composed
of a mixture of still life and portrait images inspired
by Sara Morris, Leta Sobierajski, and other famous
photographers. I’m super excited to complete the
project next term. One of my favourite parts of doing
photography through NCEA has been seeing the
finished boards and how all the pieces fit together.
WOULD YOU SAY YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE
GENRE OR HAVE FOUND YOUR STYLE?
I love taking photos with simple composition and
colour schemes that help the main subject shine, but
I definitely wouldn’t say I’ve found my style. I am really
enjoying experimenting at the moment, so hopefully
I’ll stumble upon a style or genre that I really love.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY THAT LIGHTS
A FIRE INSIDE YOU?
Photography has given me the opportunity to
capture my experiences in a way that can be
universally translated by many different people
from many different cultures. Beautiful images
can be appreciated all over the world, even if the
viewer doesn’t speak the same language as the
photographer. On top of that, photography is a
wonderful form of expression and a creative outlet.
I love how it gives anyone and everyone a way to
speak their mind with no boundaries and today,
thanks to social media, those messages can spread to
all ends of the earth. That’s super exciting to me!
HOW HAS BEING FEATURED ON THE KAPITI
COLLEGE EXCIO ACCOUNT AND IN NZP
MAGAZINE HELPED YOU?
It has really validated my art and inspired me to
dream bigger about where my photography might
one day lead.
SO, WHAT ARE YOUR DREAMS AND PLANS FOR
THE FUTURE?
I’ve always looked at photography purely as a hobby,
but you never know, right? Next year I am planning
on starting a design degree at Victoria University, so
hopefully I will be able to combine the graphic design
skills I learn with photography to create some really
special stuff.
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE?
www.instagram.com/capturedbyrubymillard