RICHARD MACKSON

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At home on the sidelines, research lab, board room or machine shop, Richard Mackson is an award-winning sports photographer, inventor/entrepreneur  whose career has spanned close to 40 years, and taken him around the globe.  His professional career began at age 16 at the Santa Monica Evening Outlook, covering general news and sports.  At age 19 he started a continuous relationship with Sports Illustrated, and was under contract to them for 20 years.  He's covered everything from archery to yachting and all sports in between.  Additionally his work has appeared in Time Magazine, People Magazine, Newsweek, National Geographic publications, Volleyball Magazine, NFL publications, and countless other books, magazines and newspapers.    

His photos have appeared on the cover of dozens of issues of Sports Illustrated, and he has photographed World Cup Soccer, America’s Cup Yachting multiple Olympics,  Rose Bowls, the Oscars, Kentucky Derbies, NCAA Final Fours, BCS Championships,  NBA Championships , Superbowls, Stanley Cups,  World Championship Boxing, and countless other national and international sporting events.  One of his pictures from the 1991 World Series was named one of the “sports shots of the century.” He considers photographing Backgammon and Turtle Racing to be his most challenging assignments.

A licensed pilot, Mackson is often called upon for his skill as an aerial photographer, including being one of the photographers chasing O. J. Simpson down the freeways of Southern California during the infamous “slow speed chase.” He was one of the pool photographers granted courtroom access and ever the inventor, he then helped build the remote camera that photographed the Simpson criminal trial.

Richard founded and owned Westside Processing, Inc., a highly successful photo processing lab in Santa Monica, California for over twenty years.  He was the CEO of the business and also invented many of the processing machines for the lab.   

Prior to the days of the Internet, moving images and information was a logistical nightmare. In 1980 with one day’s notice he designed, built, and operated a “flying photo lab” on-board a Lear Jet for Time Magazine to process the color film of Ronald Reagan the night he won the election.  This later led to his ground breaking work in digital photography work-flow by conceptualizing, defining and helping construct the first remote digital transmission and editing system in 1987.

In the early 1990’s he approached Eastman Kodak with a revolutionary idea to re-engineer the venerated Kodachrome process. Many at Kodak said it simply couldn't be done and despite numerous rebuffs at his overtures eventually his work led to the creation of the K-Lab process.  “Many thought Richard was nuts but he not only proved to everyone he was, but also that he was absolutely correct in his approach to solving what were assumed to be insurmountable problems, creating a technological masterpiece,” according to Kodak's Dr. Robert Capple.

In 1996 then CEO George Fisher asked Richard to join Kodak where he was given the challenge to be an “agent of change,” a role with an open ended definition which he retired from in November of 2009.  While at Kodak he helped craft strategy, define new business opportunities and bring a vast range of new products to market spanning traditional films to digital products.  His greatest strength is the unique ability to network across all levels of the organization and get people working together, according to Phil Faraci, Eastman Kodak's President.

He holds numerous patents and most recently was the Director of External Relations and Vice President, Office of the Chief Technical Officer, where he had the responsibility of directing the Technology Analysis, Intellectual Technology, Standards, and Communications groups.   Kodak CEO Antonio Perez refers to Richard as a Renaissance Man because of his wide ranging interests and the ability to combine his creativity with the nitty gritty of the business world. 

Richard is a member of the American Society of Media Photographers, the   National Press Photographers Association, and the Greater Los Angeles Press Photographers Association.   In 2005, he was inducted into the Santa Monica High School’s Hall of Fame, where he graduated in 1972.  He holds an AA degree in Biology from Santa Monica College and a  Bachelor of Arts degree in industrial arts education from California State University,  Long Beach. 

He resides with his family in Pittsford New York, with his wife Joy and daughter Lauren, a high school student and aspiring photographer.

David Boss | Malcolm Emmons | Manny Rubio | Herb Weitman

Darryl Norenberg | Rod Hanna | Richard Mackson | Dick Raphael | Leo Mason | Peter Brouillet | George Long