The article says she spent many years working in a very similar role: “[She] took a job working as a Kodak model. She became one of the company’s ‘Shirleys’—beautiful women whose images were used to calibrate color film. (The moniker comes from the first woman to hold the position, Shirley Page.)”.
“When I asked her if she had heard anything about the recent controversy around her image, she seemed alarmed at the thought that she could have a part in hurting or discouraging young women. I sent her some articles about the Lenna and later gave her a call to see what she made of them.”
“Lena doesn’t harbor any resentment toward Sawchuk and his imitators for how they appropriated her image; the only note of regret she expressed was that she wasn’t better compensated. In her view, the photograph is an immense accomplishment that just happened to take on a life of its own. ‘I’m really proud of that picture,’ she said.”
Disclaimer: I understand why this image has become a symbol that brings out strong emotions in some people, but I have little emotional comprehension of the actual issue because I rarely interact with anyone that would have cause to feel upset by it. I have met one playgirl in her sixties, at a thanksgiving, and she seemed very happy with her past from the little it came up. I do think how the rest of society is affected by images matters too, not just how the model feels.
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