Mike Ruiz knows how to transform a lady into a queen. The celebrity photographer turned Kelly Clarkson into a glam queen for her latest album. He made Kathy Griffin a prom queen for the cover of her book and most recently, his lens turned rocker Adam Lambert into a Freddie Mercury inspired goth queen. OK, well, Lambert already was a queen, but Ruiz added that extra glitter to make him shine.

All of Mike Ruiz’s work has been behind-the-lens, until now. In the past year, he has been tapped to appear as a celebrity judge on several popular competition shows including Tyra Bank’s “America’s Next Top Model” and Jay Manuel’s “Canada’s Next Top Model.” But it’s his stint on the surprise hit series, “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” that has made gay men across the country take notice of the muscle-bound photog. With arms like that, can you blame us?

We spoke to Ruiz about stepping out in front of the camera, how he’s handling the adoration of gay fans, and what he is looking for in America’s Next Top Drag Queen.

Gay & Lesbian Times: Who is going to win this season’s “RuPaul’s Drag Race?”

Mike Ruiz: We’re looking for the whole package: looks, talent, and presence. They have to be dazzling on every level.

GLT: Bebe Zahara Benet won season one. What made her stand out?

MR: Bebe is articulate, poised, funny, and she performs like Ann Margaret on crack.

GLT: When you first saw the batch of queens for season 2, was there one who immediately stood out?

MR: Morgan McMichaels. It was completely aesthetic. She had the most “realness” going on for me.

GLT: What led to Morgan loosing the race?

MR: She didn’t have the fashion capabilities that some of the others did. I still love her, though.

GLT: If RuPaul was competing in the race today, would RuPaul win?

MR: Are you kidding? Rupaul is the standard for which all other queens are measured. Of course RuPaul would win.

GLT: Will there ever be another RuPaul?

MR: RuPaul was the first queen. She broke so much ground for all others that I’m not sure any queen will ever reach that level of notoriety but you never know. I’d love to see a drag queen win an Oscar!

GLT: Have you ever done drag?

MR: Are you kidding, again? My brother does hair and make-up in San Diego. He used to dress me in the full regalia every time I’d visit and then he would take pictures! I have an album full of drag photos of me.

GLT: How did you become an expert on drag queens?

MR: It’s what I do for a living. I dress people up with outrageous hair, make-up and wardrobe and then I photograph them.

GLT: Do you purposely surround yourself with glamour?

MR: It’s my drug. It is how I make all of my delusional fantasies come to life. The coolest thing is that I get paid to do it.

GLT: Do you regard your muscles as a form of drag?

MR: I never thought of it that way but I guess it is a kind of drag. It’s all part of my self expression, just like my wardrobe. So that would make it drag, wouldn’t it?

GLT: What lies beneath that body of steel?

MR: (Laughs) I’m a little kid having fun while trying to be a decent human being along the way.

GLT: Are you and RuPaul friends off-camera?

MR: Close friends! We hang out whenever our schedules permit. RuPaul is such a beautiful, warm and loving human being.

GLT: Any fun personal RuPaul stories you wanna share?

MR: One of my favorite stories is when RuPaul brought me to Jumbo’s Clown Room, a female strip club in Los Angeles. We were howling like two giddy school girls at the edge of the stage watching the strippers perform.

GLT: Your American fans might be surprised to learn you also host the Canadian version of “America’s Next Top Model.”

MR: My good friend, Jay Manuel, is the executive producer of the show. He brought me on board. I love it. We have so much fun judging the girls.

GLT: Who are the bigger divas? The ladies of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” or “Canada’s Next Top Model?”

MR: Oh, the queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race are by far the biggest divas around!

GLT: What’s next for you?

MR: I have so much stuff in the works: a TV show in development, a million shoots and music video projects, plus I’m co-writing music. But my biggest project and the one I’m having the most fun with these days is mentoring kids. I’m traveling to high schools and colleges and encouraging kids to follow their dreams. I followed mine and I’m having the time of my life.