Ruth Orkin (3 September 1921 – 16 January 1985) was an American photographer, filmmaker and a late member of the Photo League. She was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Orkin married photographer and filmmaker Morris Engel.
Orkin is perhaps best known for her photograph, American Girl in Italy, taken in 1951. She died of cancer in New York City at age 63. The subject of the now-iconic photograph was the 23-year-old Ninalee Craig (known at that time as Jinx Allen). The photograph was conceived inadvertently when Orkin noticed the men ogling Allen as she walked down the street. Orkin asked Allen to walk down the street again, to be sure she had the shot.[1][2][3]
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