Despite the problematic origins of the Lena image, I think I speak for many image processing researchers of my generation when I say that I am grateful the USC researchers didn’t choose an image of Richard Nixon, which would have condemned us to gazing at his ugly lying mug for decades.

I hope when I watch the documentary that Lena Forsen doesn’t regret that her face was used in a test image. For better or worse, I came to feel a connection to the young woman in that photo, even though I don’t know her and never will.