Ruby Holland is the type of person you want by your side during those milestone moments. Harnessing a remarkable affinity for capturing beauty through her camera lens, Holland uses a combination of analogue photography and natural light when she shoots. It is this approach that has garnered her recognition within Aotearoa’s creative community as well as collaborations with some of the best local fashion and lifestyle brands.
Tracing back to her origins, it was obvious early on that she would end up in a creative field. Born and raised in a small coastal community in Whangārei Heads, Holland developed an interest in photography during her intermediate and high school years. “I used to take photos of landscapes, get them printed onto cards and sell them at the local fish & chip shop in Whangārei Heads,” explains Holland. Despite showing an interest early on, it took a long time for the creative to view photography as a feasible career. At the end of her schooling years, Holland landed an account management job and made the move to Auckland. It took years working alongside various photographers, stylists, art directors and models in an advertising capacity before she finally began viewing photography as more than a hobby. “When I moved to Auckland, I felt so inspired working alongside a bunch of incredibly talented photographers at .99 (the first creative agency Holland worked for) but I never thought that being a ‘professional’ photographer was a possibility for me,” she says. “I kept shooting for fun, and slowly started taking on small jobs for friends – things just progressed from there.”
Having shot professionally for just over three years now, Holland has already acquired an impressive portfolio. Homegrown favourites like Maggie Marilyn, Baina, Caitlin Crisp and Jasmin Sparrow are just some of the collaborations she’s got under her belt, with a Mother’s Day campaign she shot for Maggie Marilyn being one of her biggest highlights to date. “When I first decided to make the leap into shooting professionally, I wrote down a list of brands who I felt inspired by, and wanted to work for,” explains Holland. “Maggie Marilyn was the very first brand I wrote down. At the time, [it] felt so out of reach. This series is so special to me – a definite pinch me moment.” Shooting a selection of the brand’s favourite maternal muses with their children, the campaign perfectly encapsulates Holland’s love for shooting people in their natural environment. “I love capturing personalities, emotion, and candid moments in time,” she says.
More recently, Holland embarked on a new chapter by relocating from Auckland to Australia’s Gold Coast, prompted by the transformative experience of becoming a mother just over a year ago. “Following the birth of our son and having pushed ourselves, and our careers in New Zealand, we felt it was time for a change – to experience new places and to meet new people,” says Holland. “As Bobby gets older, we knew it was now or never so we just thought… why not?”
Between the warmer weather and overall change of pace, the move has been a refreshing shift for the creative. Having secured a fresh position at a creative agency in the Gold Coast, Holland is continuing to balance her time between project management and photography.
While she’s not quite sure what lies ahead yet, there are a few things in the pipeline for Holland, including an upcoming editorial shoot at her new stomping ground in Burleigh Heads. As for the rest, she gracefully closes off by saying “I am feeling content living in the now, enjoying my new home with my little family, and continuing to learn and grow, working with brands who inspire me.”
Quick-fire questions:
My guilty pleasure is… Binge watching TV shows like Love Island, Below Deck etc.
This season I’m splurging on… A new bag! I have always wanted a beautiful Yu Mei bag – it’s on the wish list!
Best current season fashion purchase… Christopher Esber Redux trouser from Muse Boutique.
The best book I’ve read recently… The only book I have been reading recently is Bobby’s David Attenborough book… about 20 times a day.
The best beauty advice I’ve ever received… Not so much advice, but just something that resonated with me – vulnerability is beautiful. And empathy. And kindness. They shine through more than any physical feature ever could.
Three items I would take to a desert island… Snacks, coffee, camera.
If I could have dinner with any three people on earth, dead or alive, I would choose… My mum, brother and aunty – missing them lots! (my sister and dad are in the same country as me now and I get to see them very soon!)
