Ruth Virgo is a final-year BA (Hons) Commercial Photography student at Arts University Bournemouth, specialising in portraiture through both fashion and documentary storytelling. Her work explores themes of identity, creative expression and sustainability, with a focus on amplifying underrepresented voices and communities.

Ruth enjoys creating dynamic images on location, often photographing in natural environments across both fashion and documentary contexts. Her interests in textiles, colour and craft traditions lead her to see clothing as more than simply fabric stitched together, but as a form of self-expression that carries personal weight and cultural meaning. Her project, Making Spaces, which documented artists in their studios across Dorset and South West Ireland, led to a university commission to photograph The Archetypes for AUB's 2026–27 Prospectus.

Raised in South East Asia and frequently returning to the region, Ruth’s work is informed by cross-cultural experiences and textiles heritage. These influences shape her visual storytelling, combining bold colour with thoughtful narratives around culture, identity and connections to nature.

Ruth will be moving to London to do freelance work, particularly interested in the production and logistics that go into photoshoots and film.

Images 1–2: Fish out of Water

Images 3–4: Searching for Home

Images 5–8: The Traces We Leave