Photojournalists Host Seminar At Harwich Cultural Building

HARWICH – If a picture is worth a thousand words, a lifetime of pictures is something immeasurable. At an upcoming seminar, a local artist is offering a chance to venture within three careers and boundless stories.

On May 9, inside The 204 Cultural Arts Municipal Building’s Library Gallery, Heather MacKenzie, a former photojournalist for ABC News in Los Angeles, will host a seminar alongside two other photojournalists, Henry D. Moore and Chris Szwedo. The event will be a discussion about their careers, complete with video of their coverage of some of the most recognizable events from the past 30 years. MacKenzie said she thought the three could offer an interesting view of the profession.

 “I thought it would be a nice thing to have a seminar on the backstories and some interesting information of what having a career as a camera person would be,” said MacKenzie. 

MacKenzie’s career took her around the world. She said that in her work she covered the Iranian hostages release, Israel’s first Holocaust survival reunion, Romanian orphanages, the riots in Los Angeles, the trials of O.J. Simpson, Michael Jackson’s trials, 29 years of Academy Awards coverage, and the summer and winter Olympics, among many natural events in Los Angeles. 

Of the events MacKenzie covered, one that she said she found meaningful was Princess Diana’s funeral. As she explains it, the day started off normal. Yet, once she was at work, she was told she was leaving for London in an hour. They had already packed her a bag of gear and booked her a hotel. When she got to the United Kingdom, she said her crew was at work for days. Across that period of time, MacKenzie said, it was interesting to watch the outpouring over Diana’s passing.

 “It was interesting to watch how the sidewalks grew with flowers and pictures and everybody started crowding around at Buckingham Palace,” said MacKenzie. “It was to the point where you could — there were so many flowers — they were thigh deep and they spilled out across the sidewalks and out into the street.”

Another event MacKenzie reflected on was her 29 years of Academy Awards coverage. She had multiple roles during the event. She would start off the evening working the red carpet, but once the program started, she would be backstage as part of the press pool, getting interviews of award-winners when they came off the stage. As she was representing the local ABC affiliate, she would often serve as the feed camera for other affiliates and programs, all of which had different requirements.

 “Some people just wanted a sound bite. Other people, they wanted to see the gowns, and I would have a wide shot and I'd go into the dress or the outfit, and people loved that because you have to be super smooth,” said MacKenzie. “You were just on one shot constantly, so you have to be thinking about what the needs of everybody that's getting the feed.”

As someone who has spent a career behind the lens, MacKenzie said she looks for love in every shot.

 “If you can't feel the story or can't listen to what's going on, what somebody's saying and how they're saying it and the nuances, I think those are the things that make you an outstanding photographer,” she said.

In addition to the seminar, MacKenzie will host an exhibit from May 2 through May 30 that will showcase her work alongside the work of Szwedo and Moore.

The seminar on May 9 will run from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. with a reception from 4:30. to 6:30 p.m. immediately following the event. There’s no charge for admission and there will be a question and answer session at the end of the seminar.