2024 11 18
While editing photos (that will be used in social media ads) at the studio until 10pm tonight, this gem of a video popped into my feed. It sort of perfectly sums everything up, doesnāt it? Between social media feeling like a job, my actual job feeling largely impossible lately, and our political reality feeling absolutely insane, itās no wonder Iāve been finding joy in venturing to rural Illinois to escape and make images of whatever I find interesting, like this plexiglass Paul Bunyan statue which looks rather terrifying as well, now that I think about it.
If you havenāt seen the video below, watch it on repeat like I have been tonight (healthy!).
-Clayton
While editing photos (that will be used in social media ads) at the studio until 10pm tonight, this gem of a video popped into my feed. It sort of perfectly sums everything up, doesnāt it? Between social media feeling like a job, my actual job feeling largely impossible lately, and our political reality feeling absolutely insane, itās no wonder Iāve been finding joy in venturing to rural Illinois to escape and make images of whatever I find interesting, like this plexiglass Paul Bunyan statue which looks rather terrifying as well, now that I think about it.
If you havenāt seen the video below, watch it on repeat like I have been tonight (healthy!).
-Clayton
2024 09 01
I took an afternoon off to wander Atlanta and make some photos. Really, I wanted to explore a bit and see some new sights. Take in the scenery. I hopped a Lime-brand scooter and ended up in a cute neighborhood off the Belt Line, filled with charming streets and proud houses with character. Being a photographer out hunting for details, my senses were alerted to a strange man who seemed to be following me. Clearly this man wanted to steal my backpack full of expensive electronics. I zigged and I zagged and I detoured away from the man so I didnāt have to continually look over my shoulder and be on guard.
The scooter took me up and down Atlantaās hills at a rapid rate. One thing I dislike about driving in a car is all of the photos you catch a glimpse of but are forced to miss. One thing I dislike about driving in car is all the fine details that canāt be observed like they can while walking. Utilizing a scooter is sort of a compromised approach to both maximizing your exploration time when youāre on a tight schedule and want to fit it all in, while also having the ability to hop off at a momentās notice to grab some photos.
Rounding a corner of this charming neighborhood, the strange man from earlier came into view up ahead. Now I was stalking him. As I gained a better perspective, it became clear that this strange man was being so strange because he was just like me! He was out wandering and exploring the neighborhood. He held a film camera in his hand and was making photos. An immediate sense of shame washed over my body which could only be alleviated by stopping the scooter to say hello.
āIām Little Egg Boy,ā he informed me. He was out making photos. We swapped instagram handles and became digital friends, forever bonded by beautiful images we both made of a dusty old red car parked across the street. Those images have twice made appearances on this here blog (2024 08 17, 2024 06 23) and today, the third time is the charm. Little Egg Boy is an interesting man, not a strange man, and that day he was a nice reminder to me that itās usually best to keep an open mind and allow yourself to have the mysterious encounters that all too often tend to shut us down and make us afraid.
-Clayton
I took an afternoon off to wander Atlanta and make some photos. Really, I wanted to explore a bit and see some new sights. Take in the scenery. I hopped on a Lime-brand scooter and ended up in a cute neighborhood off the Belt Line, filled with charming streets and proud houses with character. Being a photographer out hunting for details, my senses were alerted to a strange man who seemed to be following me. Clearly this man wanted to steal my backpack full of expensive electronics. I zigged and I zagged and I detoured away from the man so I didnāt have to continually look over my shoulder and be on guard.
The scooter took me up and down Atlantaās hills at a rapid rate. One thing I dislike about driving in a car is all of the photos you catch a glimpse of but are forced to miss. One thing I dislike about driving in car is all the fine details that canāt be observed like they can while walking. Utilizing a scooter is sort of a compromised approach to both maximizing your exploration time when youāre on a tight schedule and want to fit it all in, while also having the ability to hop off at a momentās notice to grab some photos.
Rounding a corner of this charming neighborhood, the strange man from earlier suddenly came into view up ahead. Now I was stalking him. As I gained a better perspective, it became clear that this strange man was being so strange because he was just like me! He was out wandering and exploring the neighborhood. He held a film camera in his hand and was making photos. An immediate sense of shame washed over my body which could only be alleviated by stopping the scooter to say hello.
āIām Little Egg Boy,ā he informed me. He was out making photos. We swapped instagram handles and became digital friends, forever bonded by beautiful images we both made of a dusty old red car parked across the street. Those images have twice made appearances on this here blog (2024 08 17, 2024 06 23) and today, the third time is the charm. Little Egg Boy is an interesting man, not a strange man, and that day he was a nice reminder to me that itās usually best to keep an open mind and allow yourself to have the mysterious encounters that all too often tend to shut us down and make us afraid.
-Clayton
2024 08 28
Squarespace just sent me an email saying that prices are going up. Immediately, then, the whole gallery page got fucked up because of bad hotel wifi. Iām starting to think that doing a big blog website on the squarespace platform was a bad idea, esp if this project continues for a number of years. Iāll be stuck! My big idea was to get off of social media and create a website I could control myself, however, I likely made a poor decision in choosing the convenience of the squarespace platform over the freedom of doing it myself on my own server with my own back end, Wordpress, or whatever.
You live, and you learn, and sometimes you forget and need to re-learn. But usually all of your money eventually ends up in the hands of the tech companies.
Iāll get back to posts with more purpose asap! Busy photographing on the beach and boardwark the next two daysā¦ going to be an exhausting shootā¦ need to use that sunscreen! Will get more into that, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh once I have a bit more downtime. Maybe.
-Clayton
Squarespace just sent me an email saying that prices are going up. Immediately, then, the whole gallery page got fucked up because of bad hotel wifi. Iām starting to think that doing a big blog website on the squarespace platform was a bad idea, esp if this project continues for a number of years. Iāll be stuck! My big idea was to get off of social media and create a website I could control myself, however, I likely made a poor decision in choosing the convenience of the squarespace platform over the freedom of doing it myself on my own server with my own back end, Wordpress, or whatever.
You live, and you learn, and sometimes you forget and need to re-learn. But usually all of your money eventually ends up in the hands of the tech companies.
Iāll get back to posts with more purpose asap! Busy photographing on the beach and boardwark the next two daysā¦ going to be an exhausting shootā¦ need to use that sunscreen! Will get more into that, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh once I have a bit more downtime. Maybe.
-Clayton
2024 08 17
Another day, another busted car image. This one is maybe my favorite yet, discovered while wandering Atlanta during a half-day off while on production.
Wandering is my favorite. Iāve long wanted to do a podcast called The Wanderer. Maybe it would be a video series. Maybe both. The list of things I want to do is long. Instead, I watch Bears preseason games and blog about my feelings. Canāt have it all.
-Clayton
Another day, another busted car image. This one is maybe my favorite yet, discovered while wandering Atlanta during a half-day off while on production.
Wandering is my favorite. Iāve long wanted to do a podcast called The Wanderer. Maybe it would be a video series. Maybe both. The list of things I want to do is long. Instead, I watch Bears preseason games and blog about my feelings. Canāt have it all.
-Clayton
2024 08 04
Yes, lately I have been becoming far more open-minded towards the spiritual or ambiguous side of things I mightāve previously scoffed at. This quote stood out yesterday while listening to The Artistās Way. I think as a pro photographer itās my job to āremove chanceā from the equation to āget the shotā at all costs, however, clearly we canāt control everything and embracing the things we canāt control is a far better strategy than blaming yourself for them when they donāt work out. If this makes any sense?
āNo matter how slow the film, spirit always stands still long enough for the photographer it has chosen.ā
ā Minor White
-Clayton
Yes, lately I have been becoming far more open-minded towards the spiritual or ambiguous side of things I mightāve previously scoffed at. This quote stood out yesterday while listening to The Artistās Way. I think as a pro photographer itās my job to āremove chanceā from the equation to āget the shotā at all costs, however, clearly we canāt control everything and embracing the things we canāt control is a far better strategy than blaming yourself for them when they donāt work out. If this makes any sense?
-Clayton
2024 07 16
Politics again. I know, I know. I just canāt get over how insane that Trump assassination attempt was. The entire thing feels like it was perfectly scripted to benefit the person who was almost dead as a result. The useful idiot or the brilliant marketer, depending on your views. Iām not at all saying that I think it was scripted, but as often is the case, fact is crazier than fiction. One inch, one slight turn of the head, seemingly changed the course of history in such a direct way. While I canāt even begin to predict what mightāve happened had Trump been killed that afternoon, it sure feels like heās now destined to become president once again and take this country down whatever path he personally deems appropriate.
Iām not much one to believe in things like god or destiny or fate or angels or any of this but the fact that even I am now simply considering these things leads me to think many tens of millions of Americans will full on believe them.
Itās also remarkable to consider how much of an effect assassinations have had on the history of this nation (and the world). Entire timelines change. Tides turn. Itās no wonder our leaders have used assassination as an official tool of governing forever. These are grim and depressing thoughts and I wish I could spend less time thinking about them, but the way things are heading now, it seems like weāre trending back towards a time when these tools were used more regularly. I only hope Iām wrong.
The arc of the moral universe may in fact bend towards justice, but it is, indeed, a long and gradual bend. Iām going for a run to hopefully think about something else.
-Clayton
Politics again. I know, I know. I just canāt get over how insane that Trump assassination attempt was. The entire thing feels like it was perfectly scripted to benefit the person who was almost dead as a result. The useful idiot or the brilliant marketer, depending on your views. Iām not at all saying that I think it was scripted, but as often is the case, fact is crazier than fiction. One inch, one slight turn of the head, seemingly changed the course of history in such a direct way. While I canāt even begin to predict what mightāve happened had Trump been killed that afternoon, it sure feels like heās now destined to become president once again and take this country down whatever path he personally deems appropriate.
Iām not much one to believe in things like god or destiny or fate or angels or any of this but the fact that even I am now simply considering these things leads me to think many tens of millions of Americans will full on believe them.
Itās also remarkable to consider how much of an effect assassinations have had on the history of this nation (and the world). Entire timelines change. Tides turn. Itās no wonder our leaders have used assassination as an official tool of governing forever. These are grim and depressing thoughts and I wish I could spend less time thinking about them, but the way things are heading now, it seems like weāre trending back towards a time when these tools were used more regularly. I only hope Iām wrong.
The arc of the moral universe may in fact bend towards justice, but it is, indeed, a long and gradual bend. Iām going for a run to hopefully think about something else.
-Clayton
2024 07 12
Iāve got a bigger post in the works but itās not done yet, so here I am stalling again. Get it?
Whatās the deal with airplanes lately? I have no joke here, I am legitimately concerned and terrified. As someone who loves travel, I must admit Iāve been quite comfortable staying at home for most of the last few years.
Somehow, while going through one of the slower periods of my commercial photography career, I have been seemingly busier than ever. Itās probably the never-ending stream of tasks I have given myself. This daily blog, for starters. On that note, Iām attempting an actual vacation next week, so apologies ahead of time if the posts are limited. I know yāall are paying good money for this #content so Iāll do my best to provide you with some entertainmentākidding, but do you remember when blogs were hot and all the writers were ditching their real jobs to write paywalled blogs? Perhaps I shouldāve went with The Daily Clay instead of Pointing at Stuff.
Jumping right along to the next bad segue, Iāve been coming up with a whole lot of ideas for web domain names I should buy lately. Iām not quite sure why Iām all of a sudden living back in 2007 but surely there is something that explains this behavior.
I couldnāt help but wonder: can women have sex like men?
-Clayton
Iāve got a bigger post in the works but itās not done yet, so here I am stalling again. Get it?
Whatās the deal with airplanes lately? I have no Seinfeld-style joke here, I am legitimately concerned and terrified. As someone who loves travel, I must admit Iāve been quite comfortable staying at home for most of the last few years.
Somehow, while going through one of the slower periods of my commercial photography career, I have been seemingly busier than ever. Itās probably the never-ending stream of tasks I have given myself. This daily blog, for starters. On that note, Iām attempting an actual vacation next week, so apologies ahead of time if the posts are limited. I know yāall are paying good money for this #content so Iāll do my best to provide you with some entertainmentākidding, but do you remember when blogs were hot and all the writers were ditching their real jobs to write paywalled blogs? Perhaps I shouldāve went with The Daily Clay instead of Pointing at Stuff.
Jumping right along to the next bad segue, Iāve been coming up with a whole lot of ideas for web domain names I should buy lately. Iām not quite sure why Iām all of a sudden living back in 2007 but surely there is something that explains this behavior.
I couldnāt help but wonder: can women have sex like men?
-Clayton
2024 07 04
Iāve been kinda bumming since that presidential debate, Iām not going to lie. Itās probably a bit old school of me to think that a nationās mood and direction can be set from a single person at the top. But I do think, at least for people like myself that pay attention to things as I do, that leadership starts at the top. When the guy currently in charge is so out of it he shouldnāt be there, let alone running for another four year term(!), and the other guy running actively hates the things you believe in and stand for as he slips deeper into a state of dementia, it kind of leaves you with little hope for the future.
Iām really not trying to get political here and make this about which side is right or wrong or whatever, but I think the shitshow playing out at the top is allowing me to see things around me in a different light. This light is not at all a good thing. Itās like blasting a high-powered blacklight into a musty motel room and unveiling all the previous schenanigans which have taken place in this room over the years. Social media becomes far more toxic than it already is and every post becomes hard evidence of the rotten state of our society. The world has lost some of its magic and Iām not seeing my photos like maybe I had in the recent past. Theyāre all just a bit bland and uninspired, like whatās the point of me wandering around snapping pictures of these things anyway?
Yikes, okay mister. Depressed, much? Surely, connecting my current mental downswing to national (er, global) politics might be a stretch, but I do very much think this shit weighs on us. I think itās only natural to have swings of high and low mental states, and instead of shunning the hard times by pretending everything is fine, itās better to notice the causes and to think deeper on them and try to better understand why you might be having these negative feelings. Is my work really this shit or am I just in a bad mood? Is it really all the Supreme Court of the United Statesā fault or am I projecting here?
One piece of advice I would give myself is not to stew on it too much. In this regard, having this daily blog doesnāt much help ā forcing myself to think and write about why Iām bummed in a public forum that can easily be misinterpreted. That said, a big part of why I started this blog was as a home for my creations. What makes me less bummed is getting out into the world, doing things, making things, experiencing things.
The other day I texted my friend some political thoughts while venting about the SCOTUS ruling, allowing presidents to act as kings, more or less. His response, along with a photo of his kids playing in a creek: Log off Twitter!
This is good advice. Enjoy the 4th.
-Clayton
Iāve been kinda bumming since that presidential debate, Iām not going to lie. Itās probably a bit old school of me to think that a nationās mood and direction can be set from a single person at the top. But I do think, at least for people like myself that pay attention to things as I do, that leadership starts at the top. When the guy currently in charge is so out of it he shouldnāt be there, let alone running for another four year term(!), and the other guy running actively hates the things you believe in and stand for as he slips deeper into a state of dementia, it kind of leaves you with little hope for the future.
Iām really not trying to get political here and make this about which side is right or wrong or whatever, but I think the shitshow playing out at the top is allowing me to see things around me in a different light. This light is not at all a good thing. Itās like blasting a high-powered blacklight into a musty motel room and unveiling all the previous schenanigans which have taken place in this room over the years. Social media becomes far more toxic than it already is and every post becomes hard evidence of the rotten state of our society. The world has lost some of its magic and Iām not seeing my photos like maybe I had in the recent past. Theyāre all just a bit bland and uninspired, like whatās the point of me wandering around snapping pictures of these things anyway?
Yikes, okay mister. Depressed, much? Surely, connecting my current mental downswing to national (er, global) politics might be a stretch, but I do very much think this shit weighs on us. I think itās only natural to have swings of high and low mental states, and instead of shunning the hard times by pretending everything is fine, itās better to notice the causes and to think deeper on them and try to better understand why you might be having these negative feelings. Is my work really this shit or am I just in a bad mood? Is it really all the Supreme Court of the United Statesā fault or am I projecting here?
One piece of advice I would give myself is not to stew on it too much. In this regard, having this daily blog doesnāt much help ā forcing myself to think and write about why Iām bummed in a public forum that can easily be misinterpreted. That said, a big part of why I started this blog was as a home for my creations. What makes me less bummed is getting out into the world, doing things, making things, experiencing things.
The other day I texted my friend some political thoughts while venting about the SCOTUS ruling, allowing presidents to act as kings, more or less. His response, along with a photo of his kids playing in a creek: Log off Twitter!
This is good advice. Enjoy the 4th.
-Clayton
Update: per always, Tim Kreider summed up much of my grumpy thoughts far better than I even could in his substack today, which you can and should read here.
2024 06 29
Another quick entry today as I have a day filled with social activity (and some work, of course).
More words another time. Enjoy the weekend!
-Clayton
Another quick entry today as I have a day filled with social activity (and some work, of course).
More words another time. Enjoy the weekend!
-Clayton
2024 06 28
Tonight we witnessed the death of a Living American President. Quite a sight, really.
Itās hard to comprehend how the Democratic party could get so far down the road to re-election while firmly believing the idea that Biden is fit for office today, let alone for another four years.
The debate was a reckoning. Now we all know itās over. The only thing left to find out is if the people in control of the government agree with the rest of us.
This is by no means an endorsement of the man attempting to become president again, after throwing the country under the bus in favor of himself. Neither should be up on the debate stage. The entire CNN telecast felt like a subtle hit job orchestrated by shadowy figures on the sidelines without the power, currently, to make the changes themselves. Iād be shocked if both Biden and Trump are the final two candidates come election day. Something is cooking. My money is on a Harris-Newsom stew.
When I was down in Atlanta recently, I noticed I was near the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library. The man was a bit before my time but Iāve always appreciated his level of authenticity, esp for someone who ended up in charge of the nation. Figuring I owed him an hour of my time, I ventured over to the museum only to realize they were scheduled to close thirty minutes after my arrival. Upon entering the well-manicured facilities, the room was empty and I set on a path towards the entrance, thinking Iād just walk in and do a quick lap. Just as I neared, a uniformed-employee made herself visible and asked if I was looking to purchase a ticket.
āIs it worth it, for thirty minutes?ā I asked, not wanting to spend the money.
āNot in my opinion!ā she snapped back.
Well, alright then! Off I went. Laughing with myself about how all that history, time, money, and effort that went into all of this could be so easily disregarded by someone actively being paid money to support it.
The measure of a person is not made by what they can accomplish alone, itās the effect we can have on others. Eventually, even the best of us become dead and gone. Clinging to power because we think we deserve it or think we can provide investors the best return are neither valid reasons when the stakes are as high as they are, for duty of country. Unfortunately, the system we have puts us in the predicament we are in. The next three months will not be fun, but the result, whatever it is, will have massive consequences for the entire world.
-Clayton
Tonight we witnessed The Death of a Living American President. Quite a sight, really.
Itās hard to comprehend how the Democratic party could get so far down the road to re-election while firmly believing the idea that Biden is fit for office today, let alone for another four years. But really, what choice did they have? Itās his call.
The debate was a reckoning. Now we all know itās over. The only thing left to find out is if the people in control of the government agree with the rest of us.
This is by no means an endorsement of the man attempting to become president again, after throwing the country under the bus in favor of himself. Neither dudes should even be up on the debate stage. The entire CNN telecast felt like a subtle hit job orchestrated by shadowy figures on the sidelines without the power ā currently ā to make the changes themselves. Iād be shocked if both Biden and Trump are the final two candidates come election day. Something is cooking. My money is on a Harris-Newsom stew.
When I was down in Atlanta recently, I noticed that I was near the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library. The man was a bit before my time but Iāve always appreciated his level of authenticity, esp for someone who ended up in charge of the nation. Figuring I owed him an hour of my time, I ventured over to the museum only to realize they were scheduled to close thirty minutes after my arrival. Upon entering the well-manicured facilities, the room was empty and I set on a path towards the museum entrance, thinking Iād walk in and do a quick lap. Just as I neared, a uniformed-employee appeared out of nowhere and asked if I was looking to purchase a ticket.
āIs it worth it, for thirty minutes?ā I asked, not wanting to spend the money.
āNot in my opinion!ā she snapped back.
Well, alright then! Off I went. Laughing with myself about how all the history, time, money, and effort that went into all of this could be so easily disregarded by someone actively being paid money to support it.
That response felt like the debate tonight. Whatās the point of any of this? What are we doing here?
The measure of a person is not made by what they can accomplish alone, itās the effect they have on everyone. Eventually, even the best of us become dead and gone. Clinging to power because we think we deserve it or think we can provide investors the best return are neither valid reasons when the stakes are as high as they are ā for duty of country. Itās not crazy to think Biden believes heās still the best person for the fight, but had he made the choice to step aside, his affect wouldāve been far more positive than what is unraveling now. Clearly, Joe is someone who cares about lists made by experts as he brought it up multiple times last time. His place on these lists will be lower the longer he remains in this race.
Unfortunately, the system we have puts us in the predicament we are in, with two candidates who should not be running at the top of each of their partiesā ticket. The next three months will not be fun but the result, whatever it is, will have massive consequences for the entire world.
Buckle up, Chicago.
-Clayton
2024 06 26
Itās been too long since Iāve posted a quote. This one popped up while stuffing wedding invitations:
āWe are drowning in information, while starving for wisdom. The world henceforth will be run by synthesizers, people able to put together the right information at the right time, think critically about it, and make important choices wisely.ā
ā E.O. Wilson, Biologist/Naturalist
-Clayton
Itās been too long since Iāve posted a quote. This one popped up while stuffing wedding invitations:
-Clayton
2024 06 23
Itās summer raining out, which is lovely. We just got back from food at cocktails at the bar. Iām figuring out the next few months. Many things to do. A wedding, for example. Documenting life. Opening a bar, perhaps? Running a studio in a constant state of disrepair. Yes, my brain is everywhere these days.
My parents, lovely as they are, are also older folks who donāt fully understand the value of money these days. Things are expensive. I tell my mom Biden may not be president soon because things are expensive. She doesnāt understand how itās possible that a hotel room costs as much as it does; how a wedding photographer costs as much as it does. Her son is a photographer, yet the numbers donāt make sense from her perspective. If only she knew what I pay in rent each month.
These things weigh on me, too. Why Iām busting my butt so hard just to make it to another day. As you get older, the pulling yourself up by the bootstraps gets harder. The straps are frayed and your arms are sweaty and weak and youāre a bit drunk to numb the pain, so you forget to tug one day, then another.
The car sits outside, collecting dust. The tire goes flat. The oil dries out. Problems compound and transform into an insurmountable task. Better to forget it exists and put it out of your head. In a few more days time, youāll have the capacity to deal with it, you tell yourself. The days come and go. More excuses pile up and it becomes easier to bury them deeper than to confront them.
Upstairs, your partner yells to make sure you didnāt doze off on the couch as you typically might. The rain tapping rhythmically doesnāt help. The buzzing alerts on your phone and computer and watch take your focus away.
I think the biggest trick in life is maintaining focus, despite the constant distractions. Finding the flow state and living in it as long as you can. Obviously, this will create other problems for you, such as automobile maintenance and relationship stability. Off to bed, I go.
-Clayton
Itās summer raining out, which is lovely. We just got back from food at cocktails at the bar. Iām figuring out the next few months. Many things to do. A wedding, for example. Documenting life. Opening a bar, perhaps? Running a studio in a constant state of disrepair. Yes, my brain is everywhere these days.
My parents, lovely as they are, are also older folks who donāt fully understand the value of money these days. Things are expensive. I tell my mom Biden may not be president soon because things are expensive. She doesnāt understand how itās possible that a hotel room costs as much as it does; how a wedding photographer costs as much as it does. Her son is a photographer, yet the numbers donāt make sense from her perspective. If only she knew what I pay in rent each month.
These things weigh on me, too. Why Iām busting my butt so hard just to make it to another day. As you get older, the pulling yourself up by the bootstraps gets harder. The straps are frayed and your arms are sweaty and weak and youāre a bit drunk to numb the pain, so you forget to tug one day, then another.
The car sits outside, collecting dust. The tire goes flat. The oil dries out. Problems compound and transform into an insurmountable task. Better to forget it exists and put it out of your head. In a few more days time, youāll have the capacity to deal with it, you tell yourself. The days come and go. More excuses pile up and it becomes easier to bury them deeper than to confront them.
Upstairs, your partner yells to make sure you didnāt doze off on the couch as you typically might. The rain tapping rhythmically doesnāt help. The buzzing alerts on your phone and computer and watch take your focus away.
I think the biggest trick in life is maintaining focus, despite the constant distractions. Finding the flow state and living in it as long as you can. Obviously, this will create other problems for you, such as automobile maintenance and relationship stability. Off to bed, I go.
-Clayton
2024 06 20
Soon, the tallest building in the United States will be in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (pop. 700,000).
Soon, the tallest building in the world will be in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (pop. 4,000,000), surpassing the current tallest building in the world located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (pop. 3,400,000).
Iām not sure what, exactly, the meaning is, but there has to be a correlation between late-stage-capitalism and the rise of inequality to the locations of the worldās tallest buildings. It would be interesting to see a graph of the tallest buildings in the world per capita.
List of skyscrapers per capita, as found on a random page on reddit:
UAE - 36.09
Monaco - 25.61
Qatar - 19.58
Singapore - 16.39
Panama - 15.45
Bahrain - 12.05
Malaysia - 8.72
Australia - 5.82
South Korea - 5.37
Kuwait - 3.64
One thing I learned about the UAE by going there is that nobody wants to be outside, so it kind of makes sense to build upwards. That said, Iāll bet that within one hundred years, many of these buildings which have popped up like weeks in Dubai will need to be demolished as it will be cheaper than maintaining them.
-Clayton
Soon, the tallest building in the United States will be in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (pop. 700,000).
Soon, the tallest building in the world will be in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (pop. 4,000,000), surpassing the current tallest building in the world located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (pop. 3,400,000).
Iām not sure what, exactly, the meaning is, but there has to be a correlation between late-stage-capitalism and the rise of inequality to the locations of the worldās tallest buildings. It would be interesting to see a graph of the tallest buildings in the world per capita.
List of skyscrapers per capita, as found on a random page on reddit:
UAE - 36.09
Monaco - 25.61
Qatar - 19.58
Singapore - 16.39
Panama - 15.45
Bahrain - 12.05
Malaysia - 8.72
Australia - 5.82
South Korea - 5.37
Kuwait - 3.64
One thing I learned about the UAE by going there is that nobody wants to be outside, so it kind of makes sense to build upwards. That said, Iāll bet that within one hundred years, many of these buildings which have popped up like weeks in Dubai will need to be demolished as it will be cheaper than maintaining them.
-Clayton
2024 06 15
Gone Shootinā
Iām out today exploring Illinois and making photos for a personal project I havenāt said much about on here yet. None of the images Iāve made thus far have been posted here, or anywhere, and likely wonāt be until I figure out whatever this project is going to become. Itās just a vague idea at this point and Iām seeing where it takes me. Really, the only guiding restriction is that images must be made within the state of Illinois and outside of Cook County (Chicago).
As I make images, I have been printing out any selects as 4x6ā working prints to get a better feel for how they work, or donāt work. This has been a really enjoyable process, as the images hit so much harder when you can hold them in your hands.
Iām so far getting quite a lot of wide landscape images, which are nice, but am lacking more impactful human moments. Realistically, this project will drag on for years, which I think Iām fine with. Itās also a nice excuse to explore areas I havenāt previously explored.
More on all this in the coming months (or years).
-Clayton
Gone Shootinā
Iām out today exploring Illinois and making photos for a personal project I havenāt said much about on here yet. None of the images Iāve made thus far have been posted here, or anywhere, and likely wonāt be until I figure out whatever this project is going to become. Itās just a vague idea at this point and Iām seeing where it takes me. Really, the only guiding restriction is that images must be made within the state of Illinois and outside of Cook County (Chicago).
As I make images, I have been printing all my selects as 4x6ā working prints to get a better feel for how they work, or donāt work. This has been a really enjoyable process, as the images hit so much harder (and different) when you can hold them in your hands. Also, I donāt need to apply a 10% Gaussian blur just to get the file size small enough, like here on this blog!
Iām so far getting quite a lot of wide landscape images, which are nice, but am lacking more impactful human moments. Certain photobooks are becoming a clear inspiration as to how this project takes shape. I will write more about those specific books to better understand what I like, or donāt like, about them. Realistically, this project will drag on for years, which I think Iām fine with. Itās also a nice excuse to explore areas I havenāt previously explored.
More on all this in the coming months (or years).
-Clayton