Interview with veteran snapper with third-generation Amanda Hodges Weir set to take over at New Orleans venue
Since 1976, second-generation track photographer Lou Hodges Jr. has captured horse racing at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, and at age 76, he has decided to retire.
Beginning in 1948 when Lou Hodges Sr. became the assistant to Jack Blythe, a member of the Hodges family has served as Fair Grounds’ in-house photographer for 76 years. Hodges Jr. joined his father in 1976 and took over the business in 1978. That tradition will continue as Hodges Jr. passes the baton to his daughter Amanda Hodges Weir.
“Fair Grounds has been lucky to have Lou Hodges,” senior director of racing Jason Boulet said. “Our racetrack, our horses, and our horsemen have come to life through the fantastic photos he has taken.
“We are very grateful for everything he and his family has given us, and we are fortunate to have his highly-respected daughter Amanda take over. Although Lou is retiring, his photos will always be here to tell Fair Grounds’ story.”
A New Orleans native, Hodges Jr. grew up coming to Fair Grounds with his father. “He would go out early in the mornings to deliver pictures to the trainers,” Hodges Jr. said.
“So I would go with him through the barn area and that's where I learned a lot about his relationship to the horsemen. He would walk into the barn to deliver pictures and everybody would always get excited. It was really something. He had a lot of friends on the racetrack. People really respected him.”
Named to the Fair Grounds Press Box Hall of Fame in 2014, Hodges Jr. joined his father in becoming the first father-and-son inductees.
‘Treat everybody like they’re a Vanderbilt’
“My father felt that it was very important to treat everybody with respect,” Hodges Jr. said. “He’d say, ‘You’re going to do business with people who are Vanderbilts and you're going to do business with people who are grooms and hot walkers. But when they come into the office, you treat everybody like they’re a Vanderbilt.’”
Throughout his career Hodges Jr. served as a track photographer at Rockingham Park, Washington Park, Arlington Park,and Louisiana Downs. In that time, he’s seen major shifts in technology, as photography shifted from black and white to color, from film to digital images.
“The technology changes always came along at the right time for me,” Hodges Jr. said. “More than anything that’s what kept me really interested. It allowed me to always try to think of a new way to do a picture, some new angles, something different to shoot.
Working at racetracks across the country, Hodges Jr. has gathered his share of stories.
“Washington Park, that was my first racetrack fire,” Hodges Jr said. “They had not run Thoroughbred racing there for a number of years, but they decided to bring it back, and on Jan. 1 as we rode into town, the temperature dropped below freezing, then below zero.
“On Feb. 5, we had left to go back to our apartment and the track caught fire. All the fire hoses had frozen up and they just watched it burn down – there was nothing they could do.
‘I’ve seen enough racetrack fires’
“Then eight years later there was Arlington,” Hodges Jr. said. “Eight years after that Fair Grounds burned down. So I’ve seen enough racetrack fires.
“When we got back to racing at Fair Grounds and were using tents, Pat Day was in the post-parade and he saw me standing there and said: ‘Just being around you I feel like I should have a fire extinguisher.’”
Hodges Jr.’s grandfather, Samuel Hodges, immigrated from Ireland to New Orleans, bringing with him a love of horse racing.
“He wanted one of his sons to become a jockey,” Hodges Jr. said. “My father had no interest, he was studious and would bring his book. My uncle Sammy Hodges became the jockey.
“I’ve always felt that the jockeys are the real heroes of our industry. They put it on the line. We’ve had some great ones at the Fair Grounds. Pat Day, Randy Romero, Eddie Delahoussaye.”
The love of horse racing has passed down through the family, as Hodges Jr. added his daughter to his operation in 2015.
“Amanda's undergraduate degree from Ole Miss is in Art Education,” Lou said. “She came along with different ways of looking at things. Her computer skills with photoshop are outstanding. I was very fortunate that she decided to come into the business, it made life a lot easier.”
‘Always be creative’
In addition to continuing as the official photographer at Fair Grounds, Hodges Photography also has the contract at Delta Downs and Evangeline Downs.
“I learned from my father to always be creative,” Amanda said. “Never stop learning, never stop trying to find a different way to do things. Even still, he’ll say ‘I want to walk the infield, I have some ideas for a new shot.’ And he’ll come up with a new angle we haven’t done.”
From photos of the dressed-up crowds on Thanksgiving Day to beautiful shots of the boisterous track mid-race as the Thoroughbreds round the first turn, Lou Hodges Jr. has always found a unique way of capturing life and racing at Fair Grounds. With Amanda at the helm, there are still more shots they have in mind.
“Well, there’s this picture that we call the ‘church picture,’” Amanda said. “Basically, if you look down the stretch but you’re standing pretty far into the infield you can get it where the horses line up with the big church that has dome [Our Lady of the Rosary]. We’ve tried at different times but haven’t quite achieved it.”
In retirement, Hodges Jr. and his wife Leslie have plans in mind to travel. But Fair Grounds patrons and horsemen shouldn't be surprised if they spy a familiar bearded figure walking the infield in an Irish cap and sunglasses with a camera draped around his neck.
“My father is still going to come out for the big racedays,” Amanda said. “We joke that he is like the Rolling Stones. Will he ever really officially retire? Who knows.”
• On Sunday, Feb. 2, Fair Grounds will celebrate Lou Hodges Jr.’s retirement, and the fourth race will be run in his honor.
• Visit the Fair Grounds Race Course website
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