Jo-Anne MacKenzie, a former newspaper editor from Salisbury, switched from print to photography to document, as she puts it: “New England life as I find it.’’ The 60-year-old is out to prove Instagram isn’t just for millennials, with an account (@jxmack) that features ocean spray, bright-eyed cattle, and her curious grandson Luca.
Q. How did you first get into photography?
A. I worked in newspapers for many years and taking photos was a matter of necessity. One day a friend of mine who is a genuine photographer said, “Hey you oughta try [Instagram],’’ so I did. It was haphazard at first, but I’ve been doing it pretty religiously for a while now. I don’t have any formal training. I think I just like to see the world through a lens.
Q. What makes a good subject?
A. I’m older, and I don’t shoot people very often. Mostly because I’m shy, and I don’t like to invade other people’s spaces. I like looking beyond the obvious. I see normal things very differently through the lens. I’m not a bucolic photographer by any means, so it’s rare that I’ll shoot a sunset or something like that. I’m more apt to shoot a plastic teapot floating down the sidewalk after a rain. I’m also a little obsessed with seagulls. Most people think they’re dirty scavengers, but not me.
Q. How would you characterize your shooting style?
A. I think we all see a frame through our eyes differently. My view is grittier and maybe a little darker than most. I look for subjects that mean something to me or something that affects me somehow. I don’t go out to shoot, but I do walk every day. If I have a camera it makes me see things that I would otherwise overlook. I know there are people who say, “Don’t take pictures or you won’t be focused on having the experience.’’ But for me it’s the reverse.
Q. Why do you use Instagram?
A. It’s nice when a photo seems to touch more people and that’s where Instagram is useful. As a lifelong writer, it’s just another way of storytelling. The people I tend to follow are the people whose perspective on the world I appreciate. One of the people I follow is 91 years old. I like the way she looks at things.
Interview was edited and condensed. Carly Sitrin can be reached at carly.sitrin@globe.com
