Ruth Parbel Fine Art Photography

Fine art photography has been Ruth Parbel’s passion since friends and family recognized her innate talent and started asking for copies of her work while she was still in high school. She was excited to learn that arguably the finest photography training in the Midwest was under the direction of Jonathan Russell at Grand Rapids Junior College.

After completing that program with distinction, Ruth went on to complete her fine arts Bachelor degree at the University of New Mexico where she was classically trained as a true black and white photographic artist.

Although her work in all types of artistic photography is outstanding and award winning, Ruth finds people to be the most interesting photographic subjects and it is her exceptionally warm and captivating portrait work for which she is most recognized.

Ruth Parbel Fine Art Photography Studio opened in 1985. Since then, the photographic arts have seen many changes. Ruth has always been on the cutting edge of both artistic and technical innovation. A true master of the photographic arts, from medium format to digital, from true black and white film photography to digital collage composition, Ruth has not only been a true lifelong learner, but has been a leader of her craft through her work as President of the trade organization Professional Photographers f Western Michigan. Some of Ruth’s most interesting recent college coursework has been in platinum and alternative photography and developing.

Ruth Parbel’s work has been accepted into many juried shows including Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts. It has earned Blue Ribbons and Best of Show, awards of excellence from the Professional Photographers of Western Michigan in Portrait and Candid categories. Ruth has also been awarded Top Ten Photographer of Western Michigan from Professional Photographers of Western Michigan in 2005, 2006 & 2007.

Ruth Parbel Fine Art Photography was awarded The Best of Weddings, 2008 award by Grand Rapids area brides in the knot. The pursuit of excellence in fine art photography continues to be Ruth Parbel’s passion and your opportunity for exceptional photography you will be proud to share for generations to come.