Fashion photography and sustainability-conscious work – a conversation with Ruth Virgo

Sustainability is an important part of Ruth’s work – the "heart of everything [she] photographs." She believes the world has enough fast fashion, and doesn’t want to promote, advertise or encourage its growth. The knowledge that these clothes simply go to landfill when no longer wanted, and are made by people in impoverished working conditions with low pay, is why Ruth chooses conscious and considerate fashion. Her passion and direction to doing her bit to helping the natural environment was infectious.

In September of her third year, Ruth recalls, ‘Everyone was asking each other what they were doing for the final major project’ and it got her thinking. She went through Vogue Photo of the Day, Vogue China, and spent lots of time in the library, gathering broad reference inspiration, which is when she discovered Tim Walker’s fantasy editorials in an East Asian, dark garden style, with models in bold-coloured dress. Ruth discovered a couple of Japanese gardens in Bournemouth and London, where she describes that "walking there feels like being transported" right to Japan. Travelling to Asia herself around this time, Ruth describes the process as "exciting" for her to wait until spring to photograph UK Japanese gardens, where the cherry blossoms begin blooming. I had the joy of visiting a local one with Ruth myself, and the atmosphere helped me to understand exactly what she meant.

For her third and final year at AUB, Ruth chose her specialism of fashion photography. It involved "targeted feedback, and the need to control and stage every part of the composition." For her final major project, Ruth reached out to Norwich-based Jasmine Dawes, an inspiration of hers whose recent collection was "exactly what [she] was looking for." Ruth cold contacted many people, but was fortunate enough to be contacted back by Jasmine Dawes, and arranged a meeting and shoots in London and Bournemouth.

In her free time, with her dedication to her work, Ruth was shooting another editorial with a designer inspired by the Jurassic Coast. She feels inspired by the National Trust protected reserves near us, and she’d still like to visit whilst a student here. She called this project The Traces We Leave, working alongside designer Katy Reilly to reflect the traces of humans and nature on natural space. Katy is a current AUB BA (Hons) Fashion third-year student, whose graduate collection was shot by Ruth as part of her final major project. Birds, for example, known to be migratory and foraging, "aren’t damaging the space; they’re using and giving back." Ruth captures "the circle of life, and the balance of nature," erosion and natural processes in the local landscape. She recalls her visits to sites of abandoned quarries in the Jurassic Coast, saying, "Humans exploit earth for its natural resources, damaging it." Her photographs near these quarries shares a political statement with fashion photography. The shoots were as ecological as possible, limited by budget at times as unfortunately many truly sustainable materials in fashion are few and hard to come by without a high price point.

Ruth loves documentary photography. The story behind each photograph is in her own words, "so important" to her, and there is less control needed over the visual outcome. She mentions lighting, colours in the space, meeting a new person for each shoot, and working on her feet, are all part of this outcome. Amongst her reasons for loving documentary photography, Ruth mentions the joy in "meeting strangers, and having conversations with them you wouldn’t have expected to have."

She also describes how documentary photography can continue throughout any stage of life as "a personal pursuit" alongside professional work, whereas fashion photography "made more sense to start now due to the good connections, facilities and support from technicians at our university." Ruth especially enjoys the production and pre-production aspects – scouting locations, styling models and shaping the visual direction of shoots. Collaboration was also a significant part, including fittings, mood-boards and discussing ideas in creative terms.

Ruth’s recent project involved photographing a range of individuals from Bournemouth University’s international student community in their traditional cultural clothing for fashion editorials. They were photographed with small items of culture they brought to Bournemouth with them. The photography shoot was "staged, but had an element of story in the clothing." Ruth also took charge of the hair and makeup for the shoot. Indian, Chinese and Zimbabwean cultures were brought to life through her photography.

Throughout her time at AUB, Ruth has developed a personal style and identity that makes her work vibrant and distinctive. My own experiences of witnessing Ruth’s dedication and passion speaks volumes about the potential she has within the photography industry.

Her work for AUB’s new prospectus is currently displayed in TheGallery and is well worth a visit.