Iconic Track Photographer, Bill Mochon, Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from PPAGLA

Photos by Terry Miller

Bill Mochon, wanders the Paddock before a race recently. Mochon, who always wears a photo-vest is truly an inspiration to photographers all over the world. -Photo by Terry Miller

By Terry Miller

On April 2, the Press Photographers’ Association of Greater Los Angeles bestowed the Lifetime Achievement Award upon eminent photographer Bill Mochon during its annual awards luncheon in Alhambra.
A virtual fixture at Santa Anita Race Track in Arcadia, Mochon for years has been mentoring young and green photographers and helping us all understand horse racing photography’s dos and don’ts – i.e. like the first time I met Bill in the late 1990’s he advised me it was not good protocol to stand in front of the automatic camera at the finish line…true story.
After a few more sessions at the track I got to know not only Mochon’s immeasurable sense of history and knowledge of the horse racing business but also his absolute passion for the art of black and white photography. His well-documented deep caring for his colleagues and wonderful family of three ‘kids’ and one ‘terrific wife’ Joan truly elects Mochon into a rare club of individuals who genuinely is one of a kind.
Hanging out with Mochon at trackside is an experience every photographer needs, in fact it should be mandatory for any budding shutterbug. He’ll make you laugh, and just usually make the day at the races unforgettable. Man, this chap has some amazing stories of not only famous horses, jockeys and owners/trainers but also of celebrities past and present. This celebrated shooter has a million yarns to tell… “ some of them are even true…”, Mochon quips.
Mochon is well known by those regulars at the track for his uncompromising sense of humor and ever-willing mentoring nature.
Mochon is the only credentialed photographer I know of who shoots exclusively in black and white and has not converted to the digital side of life as most of the rest of the press corps. You can see him with his trusty Nikon F5. He even develops and prints his own images in his North Hollywood home. It’s still magic to Mochon…” there’s nothing more beautiful than a black and white print on archival paper,” Mochon says with a wry smile. If you’ve even seen or held a print Mochon made, you’ll know what I mean.
Bill Mochon, a Providence, Rhode Island native, started his career as a photographer during 1960, in the Marine Corps at Quantico, Virginia, where he learned the basics by working in the photo laboratory darkroom mixing chemistry, loading film holders, developing film and making prints for the base newspaper.

He also assisted the base’s official photographer on various assignments, covering activities on the base from retirement ceremonies, visiting dignitaries, promotions and awards, and even football games. Upon his discharge, Bill came to California and started working with a commercial photographer in 1964, doing advertising and industrial and corporate reports. Two years later, he started in motion picture work at a lab where he developed films of the aerospace program which led to still and high speed camera work covering the rocket launches at Cape Kennedy, including Apollo XV and the Saturn V program.

He married Joan in 1967 and his breakthrough into Thoroughbred racing came when the couple visited Santa Anita Park in 1973.
Bill then started contributing to California Thoroughbred magazine by taking photos at the racetracks, breeding farms, etc. Retirement is not a word Mochon knows or even understands, he can be found shooting horses just about every day the track is open. Often if he’s not on the track, you can find him in the Press Box eating Prime Rib!
Congratulations, Bill. I’m honored to know you and call you a friend and colleague.

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