Ruth Orkin

(b. 1921, Boston, USA; d.1985, New York City, USA)

Ruth Orkin was the only child of Mary Ruby, a silent movie actress, and Samuel Orkin, a mechanical wizard, and grew up in Hollywood during the heyday of the 1920's and 1930's. She was given a Univex camera when she was 10 and began developing her own photographs at 12. A passionate movie fan, Orkin was an avid autograph hunter, but soon began photographing celebrities instead. At the age of 17, she took a monumental bicycle trip across the country to attend the 1939 World's Fair in New York City. At 21, she became a messenger at MGM Studios, but left because the cinematographer's union did not accept female members.