2024 11 09
Came across an interesting discussion with author Cormac McCarthy (shown below) in which he discusses his thoughts on the subconscious (it speaks in code because language is, evolutionarily-speaking very new). They also discuss āThe Night Shiftā being the time, while sleeping, when your brain is working and processing thoughts and problems.
The Night Shift is fascinating to me, and I do my best to stay in touch with it (though admittedly Iām not very well connected to it and want to get better). Iāll remember dreams only if Iām awoken during them (normal, I think). Maybe it was Dali who would set elaborate contraptions to wake him up mid sleep at varying times in order to allow his waking brain to capture buts of what his sleeping brain was working on. This is fascinating!
This morning, I woke up to a dream I often have but with a twist. I regularly have what I call āset dreamsā which are basically just me working on a photo production. The difference this time was that the set was a motion set, signaling to me that Iām finally embracing my reluctant pivot to video. These dreams are usual banal, however, I love the idea that Iām running scenarios and gaining āexperienceā while I sleep to better prepare myself for the often stressful days that I go through in my day job as a professional photographer.
Last night, I was awoken in the middle of the night by a song I had been creating(?) in my sleep. This is another reoccurring dream scenario I have, which makes me wonder if perhaps I do have worthwhile music in me that wants to get out (Iāll often have the urge to start a band despite the fact I canāt play any instruments). Iāve never been able to remember one of these dream songs well enough in my waking hours to know if they are any good, however, the same sort of thing happens with movies I am ācreatingā in my dream state and those are typically far less amazing in the sobriety of the waking life.
-Clayton
Mysterious alley. Cleveland, Ohio. August, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Came across an interesting discussion with author Cormac McCarthy (shown below) in which he discusses his thoughts on the subconscious (it speaks in code because language is, evolutionarily-speaking very new). They also discuss āThe Night Shiftā being the time, while sleeping, when your brain is working and processing thoughts and problems.
The Night Shift is fascinating to me, and I do my best to stay in touch with it (though admittedly Iām not very well connected to it and want to get better). Iāll remember dreams only if Iām awoken during them (normal, I think). Maybe it was Dali who would set elaborate contraptions to wake him up mid sleep at varying times in order to allow his waking brain to capture buts of what his sleeping brain was working on. This is fascinating!
This morning, I woke up to a dream I often have but with a twist. I regularly have what I call āset dreamsā which are basically just me working on a photo production. The difference this time was that the set was a motion set, signaling to me that Iām finally embracing my reluctant pivot to video. These dreams are usual banal, however, I love the idea that Iām running scenarios and gaining āexperienceā while I sleep to better prepare myself for the often stressful days that I go through in my day job as a professional photographer.
Last night, I was awoken in the middle of the night by a song I had been creating(?) in my sleep. This is another reoccurring dream scenario I have, which makes me wonder if perhaps I do have worthwhile music in me that wants to get out (Iāll often have the urge to start a band despite the fact I canāt play any instruments). Iāve never been able to remember one of these dream songs well enough in my waking hours to know if they are any good, however, the same sort of thing happens with movies I am ācreatingā in my dream state and those are typically far less amazing in the sobriety of the waking life.
-Clayton
2024 11 08
Thereās this thing that happens when you (or, me, I should clarify) walk into any bar in rural Illinois. Itās the stereotypical record scratch you see on television. An instantaneous recognition from everyone inside that an outsider has entered. Things go quiet for a brief moment, which can feel like eternity depending on your level of anxiety, as you make your way inside, assessing which seat might be least awkward to claim for yourself.
My goal is to eventually embody a presence that goes largely unnoticed in these situations. Currently, my city-slicker outsider vibe is far too strong to go unnoticed, which is a bit unfortunate because I take blending in to my environment very seriously. Iāve long thought observation to be one of, if not my most important strengths. I can use it to my advantage in my pursuits of photography, and now writing.
A week ago I drove down south with Lincoln, Illinois in my crosshairs. I spent the day wandering and photographing various towns along the way. Itās endlessly remarkable to me how many towns exist which feel completely lost to time.
Two larger takeaways occurred to me on this day:
One: my still-vaguely defined āIllinois Projectā photobook was the main motivator for this trip. I havenāt been putting enough time into it and Iāve hit some snags in the process. Iām finding much of the work Iāve made has been too wide. Landscapes, mostly, devoid of people and any intimacy. One goal on this specific day was to involve humans in my work. The challenge was finding people ā any people. There just arenāt many people out here wandering these towns and rural places, meaning the images I have forming in my head would likely require me to āproduceā them by bringing people along with me. Iām not sure this is the route I want to take. Perhaps, I should lean into the desolation and capture a more true-to-life portrait of a place? The worry is that much like these empty towns themselves, most people will not be interested in seeing this work, and thatās the opposite of my goal. I want people to see the beauty in these places, and therefore Iām thinking I should instead begin to share the work more widely as I make it, instead of squirreling it away on hard drives for some hypothetical future date when I will do a show or release a book. My inbox helped me come to this conclusion after getting another gem of a piece from Meaghan Garveyās substack Scary Cool Sad Goodbye, in which she so beautifully captures the spirit of the Midwest through her adventures. Now, Iām thinking a more ongoing web presence, in some form, is a better way to go about this project, as I learn what this project even is. Ill Wandering.
Two: I have a vision in my head of a Plan For a New Illinois. This plan, while likely an impossible pipe dream, would see massive resources and money directed at Central Illinois with the goal of increasing the regionās population to three times what it is now, at roughly 2 million people. Perhaps I will post the Plan here for my tens of readers to check out! Maybe one of yāall knows the governor and can send it along to him. While itās clear Illinois is broken in many ways, it also gets a lot of over-dramatic hate tossed its way. That said, Iām not sure an influx of more people is the fix we need. Places like Austin, Texas lose what made them great as a glut of tech money and influence bros move in and completely change the dynamic of a place. This weekās election has muddied my vision as well. I get frustrated seeing places that are so clearly past their prime, and my instinct is to shine a light on them and figure out ways to help them prosper once again. But now, Iām not sure more people or more attention is what these places want. Itās likely the exact opposite (worth exploring in this project of mine, perhaps!).
-Clayton
Majestic Theater. Past its prime. Streator, Illinois. November, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Thereās this thing that happens when you (or, me, I should clarify) walk into any bar in rural Illinois. Itās the stereotypical record scratch you see on television. An instantaneous recognition from everyone inside that an outsider has entered. Things go quiet for a brief moment, which can feel like eternity depending on your level of anxiety, as you make your way inside, assessing which seat might be least awkward to claim for yourself.
My goal is to eventually embody a presence that goes largely unnoticed in these situations. Currently, my city-slicker outsider vibe is far too strong to go unnoticed, which is a bit unfortunate because I take blending in to my environment very seriously. Iāve long thought observation to be one of, if not my most important strengths. I can use it to my advantage in my pursuits of photography, and now writing.
A week ago I drove down south with Lincoln, Illinois in my crosshairs. I spent the day wandering and photographing various towns along the way. Itās endlessly remarkable to me how many towns exist which feel completely lost to time.
Two larger takeaways occurred to me on this day:
One: my still-vaguely defined āIllinois Projectā photobook was the main motivator for this trip. I havenāt been putting enough time into it and Iāve hit some snags in the process. Iām finding much of the work Iāve made has been too wide. Landscapes, mostly, devoid of people and any intimacy. One goal on this specific day was to involve humans in my work. The challenge was finding people ā any people. There just arenāt many people out here wandering these towns and rural places, meaning the images I have forming in my head would likely require me to āproduceā them by bringing people along with me. Iām not sure this is the route I want to take. Perhaps, I should lean into the desolation and capture a more true-to-life portrait of a place? The worry is that much like these empty towns themselves, most people will not be interested in seeing this work, and thatās the opposite of my goal. I want people to see the beauty in these places, and therefore Iām thinking I should instead begin to share the work more widely as I make it, instead of squirreling it away on hard drives for some hypothetical future date when I will do a show or release a book.
My inbox helped me come to this conclusion after getting another gem of a piece from Meaghan Garveyās substack Scary Cool Sad Goodbye, in which she so beautifully captures the spirit of the Midwest through her adventures. Now, Iām thinking a more ongoing web presence, in some form, is a better way to go about this project, as I learn what this project even is. Ill Wandering.
Two: I have a vision in my head of a Plan For a New Illinois. This plan, while likely an impossible pipe dream, would see massive resources and money directed at Central Illinois with the goal of increasing the regionās population to three times what it is now, at roughly 2 million people. Perhaps I will post the Plan here for my tens of readers to check out! Maybe one of yāall knows the governor and can send it along to him. While itās clear Illinois is broken in many ways, it also gets a lot of over-dramatic hate tossed its way. That said, Iām not sure an influx of more people is the fix we need. Places like Austin, Texas largely lose what made them great, as a glut of tech money and influence bros move in and completely change the dynamic of the place.
This weekās election has muddied my vision as well. I get frustrated seeing places that are so clearly past their prime, and my instinct is to shine a light on them and figure out ways to help them prosper once again. But now, Iām not sure more people or more attention is what these places want. Itās likely the exact opposite (worth exploring in this project of mine, perhaps!).
-Clayton
2024 11 07
Things change. When I was a kid, my dad brought us downtown and I vividly remember the awe inspired by this building as we entered its public atrium. This, in part, made me want to become an architect when I got older. Instead, I eventually became obsessed with video shooting and ended up pursuing that as a career as I entered my young adult years. The video obsession eventually morphed into a still photography obsession, largely because it was easier for me to make work by myself, and didnāt need to rely on others to get things done. Candidly, I was an introverted shy kid and navigating the necessity of forming a big crew to make video productions happen seemed daunting to me at the time. When I found some traction as a photographer, it was a no brainer to shift my attention to that.
Now, I find myself an older guy and the Thompson Center is underground a tech-funded transformation (along with our country, it turns out). This morning, I woke up excited about video for the first time in a long time. It was an interesting observation and one that has gotten me excited! Iāve never lost my love for video and filmmaking, however, itās been firmly in the back seat for my entire adult life. New cameras and accessories are now being released, which are making me giddy to get my hands on them. Iām in the early days of a documentary project that is getting me excited, and Iām planning on collaborating on a bunch of test shoots this winter with a talented DP friend to showcase what we can do with beverage and food.
More to come as I make steps towards a new and exciting pivot in my professional career.
-Clayton
The Thompson Center, undergoing a transformation. Chicago, Illinois. July 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Things change. When I was a kid, my dad brought us downtown and I vividly remember the awe inspired by this building as we entered its public atrium. This, in part, made me want to become an architect when I got older. Instead, I eventually became obsessed with video shooting and ended up pursuing that as a career as I entered my young adult years. The video obsession eventually morphed into a still photography obsession, largely because it was easier for me to make work by myself, and didnāt need to rely on others to get things done. Candidly, I was an introverted shy kid and navigating the necessity of forming a big crew to make video productions happen seemed daunting to me at the time. When I found some traction as a photographer, it was a no brainer to shift my attention to that.
Now, I find myself an older guy and the Thompson Center is underground a tech-funded transformation (along with our country, it turns out). This morning, I woke up excited about video for the first time in a long time. It was an interesting observation and one that has gotten me excited! Iāve never lost my love for video and filmmaking, however, itās been firmly in the back seat for my entire adult life. New cameras and accessories are now being released, which are making me giddy to get my hands on them. Iām in the early days of a documentary project that is getting me excited, and Iām planning on collaborating on a bunch of test shoots this winter with a talented DP friend to showcase what we can do with beverage and food.
More to come as I make steps towards a new and exciting pivot in my professional career.
-Clayton
2024 11 05
Itās election day. Please make sure you vote! I wonāt get into the politics beyond this, aside to say this will be a historic day in American history, regardless the outcome.
Be safe, be kind, and good luck to all.
-Clayton
Trump fan on the roll during the RNC in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. July, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Itās election day. Please make sure you vote! While far from a perfect candidate, I think Kamala is the clear choice for the top job. I wonāt get into the politics beyond this, aside to say this will be a historic day in American, regardless the outcome.
Be safe, be kind, and good luck to all.
-Clayton
2024 10 30
Previously, I wrote about the Rick Rubin book on creativity (see: 2024 03 27).
Today, a quote from the book popped into my feeds and I thought it was worth posting as a reminder to myself the sole reason I put time into this here blog.
āLiving life as an artist is a practice. You are either engaging in the practice Or youāre not.
It makes no sense to say youāre no good at it. Itās like saying, āIām not good at being a monk.ā You are either living as a monk or youāre not.
We tend to think of the artistās work as the output. The real work of the artist is a way of being in the world.ā
ā Rick Rubin
-Clayton
Randyland. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. August, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Previously, I wrote about the Rick Rubin book on creativity (see: 2024 03 27).
Today, a quote from the book popped into my feeds and I thought it was worth posting as a reminder to myself the sole reason I put time into this here blog.
āLiving life as an artist is a practice. You are either engaging in the practice Or youāre not.
It makes no sense to say youāre no good at it. Itās like saying, āIām not good at being a monk.ā You are either living as a monk or youāre not.
We tend to think of the artistās work as the output. The real work of the artist is a way of being in the world.ā
-Clayton
2024 10 29
Thereās an evolving observation I have that so many of us are doing our best job focusing on filling up our daily schedule, thinking that equates to being productive. Itās not a new idea, The Busy Trap. But my observation is more recent and revolves around talking with people. Nobody picks up the phone and calls each other anymore. Instead, we send out a message and spend the time we wouldāve spent simply talking on the phone, going back and forth figuring out a mutually-agreed upon time to then pick up the phone and call each other some hours later.
I resist this approach the best I can. My brain works best when itās free and clear to think whatever thoughts pop into it, without the constant stress and anticipation of preparing for an upcoming engagement, as big or small as it may be. I long for the days of my childhood, a free and open calendar, allowing me to live in the moment and navigate with ease. Improvise. Go with the flow. Instead, I have a constant barrage of push notifications informing me of an upcoming meeting or conversation. Some days, when an afternoon meeting is an important one, I can hardly function throughout the morning just knowing this future event exists and is approaching.
Time is an ever-flowing river and the journey is more enjoyable when itās a lazy river, not roaring rapids (this sentence might be the nerdiest Iāve ever written for reasons I refuse to explain).
-Clayton
Dancing in the streets of Cleveland, Ohio. August, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Thereās an evolving observation I have that so many of us are doing our best job focusing on filling up our daily schedule, thinking that equates to being productive. Itās not a new idea, The Busy Trap. But my observation is more recent and revolves around talking with people. Nobody picks up the phone and calls each other anymore. Instead, we send out a message and spend the time we wouldāve spent simply talking on the phone, going back and forth figuring out a mutually-agreed upon time to then pick up the phone and call each other some hours later.
I resist this approach the best I can. My brain works best when itās free and clear to think whatever thoughts pop into it, without the constant stress and anticipation of preparing for an upcoming engagement, as big or small as it may be. I long for the days of my childhood, a free and open calendar, allowing me to live in the moment and navigate with ease. Improvise. Go with the flow. Instead, I have a constant barrage of push notifications informing me of an upcoming meeting or conversation. Some days, when an afternoon meeting is an important one, I can hardly function throughout the morning just knowing this future event exists and is approaching.
Time is an ever-flowing river and the journey is more enjoyable when itās a lazy river, not roaring rapids (this sentence might be the nerdiest Iāve ever written for reasons I refuse to explain).
-Clayton
2024 09 29
Up against the deadline, yet again. Iād love for this space to be a bit more photo-centric, to give me a break from writing something each and every day, even though that was sort of the reason for doing this in the first place. Maybe we take the website in a new direction next year. I was thinking wordpress might be the move, however, apparently wordpress is a mess these days as well. The internet is really losing its charm, isnāt it? I miss the days of pageview counters and blogrolls and animated gifs. Simpler times.
Iāll get back to posting things maybe worth reading one of these daysā¦
-Clayton
A night scene. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. July, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Up against the deadline, yet again. Iād love for this space to be a bit more photo-centric, to give me a break from writing something each and every day, even though that was sort of the reason for doing this in the first place. Maybe we take the website in a new direction next year. I was thinking wordpress might be the move, however, apparently wordpress is a mess these days as well. The internet is really losing its charm, isnāt it? I miss the days of pageview counters and blogrolls and animated gifs. Simpler times.
Iāll get back to posting things maybe worth reading one of these daysā¦
-Clayton
2024 09 24
Sometimes the accidental shots are the best shots. I made this one while strolling through the farmerās market practicing zone focusing on the Ricoh. Yes, itās out of focus, and blurry, and full of sensor dust (most of which I removed in post), but I still enjoy the image. Itās got a bit of rizz. Not much, but a touch of rizz.
This lesson in zone focusing was sort of the nail in the coffin for this camera, which Iāve been abusing for two or so years. Most of the images posted to this blog have been made using it. The problem, now, is that I canāt shoot with it unless the aperture is wide ass open, otherwise all the sensor dust fills the frame. Luckily, when you shoot wide open, you can make things invisible, allowing me to continue using the camera longer. Just not with zone focusing. Anyhoo.
Iām still months behind on photo editing and life bureaucracy. We have our wedding documents tho, finally, so thatās official and off the to do list!
-Clayton
Dogs on the prowl. Logan Square Farmers Market. Chicago, Illinois. July, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Sometimes the accidental shots are the best shots. I made this one while strolling through the farmerās market practicing zone focusing on the Ricoh. Yes, itās out of focus, and blurry, and full of sensor dust (most of which I removed in post), but I still enjoy the image. Itās got a bit of rizz. Not much, but a touch of rizz.
This lesson in zone focusing was sort of the nail in the coffin for this camera, which Iāve been abusing for two or so years. Most of the images posted to this blog have been made using it. The problem, now, is that I canāt shoot with it unless the aperture is wide ass open, otherwise all the sensor dust fills the frame. Luckily, when you shoot wide open, you can make things invisible, allowing me to continue using the camera longer. Just not with zone focusing. Anyhoo.
Iām still months behind on photo editing and life bureaucracy. We have our wedding documents tho, finally, so thatās official and off the to do list!
-Clayton
2024 09 21
Street photography is hard. Itās been on my to do list all year to get myself downtown to make some street photos. Instead, Iāve settled for a few organic moments which came to me, while listing reasons why Iām unable to get to the street photos. I need a new camera is the main reason. Sure, I donāt really need a new camera, but much like why I no longer go to music festivals, once you get a peek at the good life (VIP access, photo pits, free tickets, free drinks, etc), itās hard to go back to slumming it as a normal person. My Ricoh sensor is fucked so canāt shoot beyond f2.8. My Canons are too bulky for street. My Nikon FM2 might work but film is expensive and I havenāt really used the thing in twenty years. My iPhone would work but you canāt be a professional using a phone to make photos.
Anyway.
Itās still on the list of things Iāll get to. Or maybe itās best I donāt?
Partly why I havenāt gotten around to it is my personal life has been busy. While our wedding was a week ago now, Iām still having stress dreams about the wedding. Weirdly, while the event has come and gone, it all still feels like a blur of time; like it is still something to look forward to and not an event which has already happened which I should be posting a recap about instead of blogging about street photography.
Maybe Iāll get back to the street photography. Or maybe Iāll get the house back in order so we can feel like normal people again. Maybe thereās still time to make it to Riot Fest this weekend, after all.
-Clayton
Setting up a tent. Chicago, Illinois. July, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Street photography is hard. Itās been on my to do list all year to get myself downtown to make some street photos. Instead, Iāve settled for a few organic moments which came to me, while listing reasons why Iām unable to get to the street photos. I need a new camera is the main reason. Sure, I donāt really need a new camera, but much like why I no longer go to music festivals, once you get a peek at the good life (VIP access, photo pits, free tickets, free drinks, etc), itās hard to go back to slumming it as a normal person. My Ricoh sensor is fucked so canāt shoot beyond f2.8. My Canons are too bulky for street. My Nikon FM2 might work but film is expensive and I havenāt really used the thing in twenty years. My iPhone would work but you canāt be a professional using a phone to make photos.
Anyway.
Itās still on the list of things Iāll get to. Or maybe itās best I donāt?
Partly why I havenāt gotten around to it is my personal life has been busy. While our wedding was a week ago now, Iām still having stress dreams about the wedding. Weirdly, while the event has come and gone, it all still feels like a blur of time; like it is still something to look forward to and not an event which has already happened which I should be posting a recap about instead of blogging about street photography.
Maybe Iāll get back to the street photography. Or maybe Iāll get the house back in order so we can feel like normal people again. Maybe thereās still time to make it to Riot Fest this weekend, after all.
-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
Little Egg Boy in Atlanta, Georgia. May, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
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 26
This picture is only interesting because it was taken in July. To me, a humorous observation, does not translate to you, an unknowing viewer, without a written explanation of why the thing is worth looking at. This is, I think, an unbreakable rule of how to make good art: the art has to be immediately understood at a fundamental level by the observer. Sure, the interpretation may vary but there canāt be a blog blurb explaining why itās worth looking at. Photo fail.
I was busy working all day today in Ocean City, Maryland so didnāt have the time for a more robust post. I did, however, ride a roller coaster as part of my work, so a decades-long dream has been fulfilled; since my days working as a ride operator at Six Flags Great America, I have not been paid to ride roller coasters. Until today.
-Clayton
Christmas in July. Chicago, Illinois. July, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
This picture is only interesting because it was taken in July. To me, a humorous observation, does not translate to you, an unknowing viewer, without a written explanation of why the thing is worth looking at. This is, I think, an unbreakable rule of how to make good art: the art has to be immediately understood at a fundamental level by the observer. Sure, the interpretation may vary but there canāt be a blog blurb explaining why itās worth looking at. Photo fail.
I was busy working all day today in Ocean City, Maryland (have you been here?!) so didnāt have the time for a more robust post. I did, however, ride a roller coaster as part of my job, so a decades-long dream has been fulfilled; since my days working as a ride operator at Six Flags Great America, I have not been paid to ride roller coasters. Until today. Life win.
-Clayton
2024 08 22
Iām literally falling asleep as I post this. Iām running on two hours of sleep. I just watched Kamalaās acceptance speech. Itās KamalOāclock. Goodnight!
-Clayton
Riding a bike down the block during a beautiful sunset. Chicago, Illinois. May, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Iām literally falling asleep as I post this. Iām running on two hours of sleep. I just watched Kamalaās acceptance speech. Itās KamalOāclock. Goodnight!
-Clayton
2024 08 21
āNo treeā
If only life were as simple as printing out a sign and clipping it to your fence.
Iām sitting on the couch watching the DNC and this photo, which I find amazing, popped into my preview. I stumbled across the sign while scooting home from a Sox game this summer. I was a bit drunk off ballpark beers and my first instinct upon seeing this, the tree lover I am, was to get a job in the city using whatever connections I could muster up, then use my newfound power to plant two trees on this fellaās parkway. That will teach him, the concrete-loving son of aā
Anyway, back to the politics beauty pageant.
-Clayton
No tree, declares home owner. Chicago, Illinois. July, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
āNo treeā
If only life were as simple as printing out a sign and clipping it to your fence.
Iām sitting on the couch watching the DNC and this photo, which I find amazing, popped into my preview. I stumbled across the sign while scooting home from a Sox game this summer. I was a bit drunk off ballpark beers and my first instinct upon seeing this, the tree lover I am, was to get a job in the city using whatever connections I could muster up, then use my newfound power to plant two trees on this fellaās parkway. That will teach him, the concrete-loving son of aā
Anyway, back to the politics beauty pageant.
-Clayton
2024 08 19
Itās DNC Day One in Chicago. This town has a storied history with political conventions, having played host to more future presidents than any other American city by far. Once the shit hit the fan in sixty-eight, the parties have mostly steered clear of the windy city, aside from one mostly non-exciting affair nominating Bill Clinton to a second term in office.
This year, we may have a more historic convention should Harris go on to become the first female president of these fine states. Gerald Ford largely predicted the outcome playing out today, which is both impressive and a reminder that while this country is a democratic one, our choices are in fact quite limited and managed by those in power.
Stay safe, Chicago. And stop by my space tonight for some hot political fun!
-Clayton
The Chicago Picasso. July, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Itās DNC Day One in Chicago. This town has a storied history with political conventions, having played host to more future presidents than any other American city by far. Once the shit hit the fan in sixty-eight, the parties have mostly steered clear of the windy city, aside from one mostly non-exciting affair nominating Bill Clinton to a second term in office. But this is also the town that invented the smoke-filled back room deal and you just know things are indeed happening in many rooms this week.
This year, we may have a more historic convention should Harris go on to become the first female president of these fine states. Gerald Ford largely predicted the outcome playing out today, which is both impressive and a reminder that while this country is a democratic one, our choices are in fact quite limited and managed by those in power.
Stay safe, Chicago. And stop by my space tonight for some hot political fun!
-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 busted car. Atlanta, Georgia. May, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
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 15
Hello. Iāve been quite busy lately and itās largely due to my studio and photography projects taking up all of my time. Canāt complain, just a little note to myself to make me feel less bad about neglecting my side projects, like this here blog. Anyway, hereās a dinosaur I spotted recently while working in my studio. Sometimes I donāt even need to leave the room and I can still make beautiful award-winning images (joke).
-Clayton
PS - Iāve got some really fun events coming up at the studioā¦ the place that is taking all of my time from me. Come out and hang, why donāt you?!
Dinosaurs walk amongst us, on The 606 Trail. Chicago, Illinois. July, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Hello. Iāve been quite busy lately and itās largely due to my studio and photography projects taking up all of my time. Canāt complain, just a little note to myself to make me feel less bad about neglecting my side projects, like this here blog. Anyway, hereās a dinosaur I spotted recently while working in my studio. Sometimes I donāt even need to leave the room and I can still make beautiful award-winning images (joke).
-Clayton
PS - Iāve got some really fun events coming up at the studioā¦ the place that is taking all of my time from me. Come out and hang, why donāt you?!
2024 08 01
I canāt believe itās August. This year has just flown by, I think likely due to the fact that weāre still planning a wedding thatās going down in about a month and a half now. I can only hope time will slow back down once the wedding is behind us, but likely this wonāt be the case.
I had been thinking that work was slow this year but I think it was largely a mirage and Iāve kind of been busier than ever. Previously, Iād have fewer large jobs with more downtime in between the shoots. Lately it has been more small jobs and a feeling of constant hustle. Iām also reworking my career a bit to focus more on video, which is time consuming in itself, while also contemplating a fully new and different endeavor on top of it all. Itās no surprise my hairs have been rapidly desaturating lately.
-Clayton
A break in the clouds through a reflection in the window of a house. Chicago, Illinois. April, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
I canāt believe itās August. This year has just flown by, I think likely due to the fact that weāre still planning a wedding thatās going down in about a month and a half now. I can only hope time will slow back down once the wedding is behind us, but likely this wonāt be the case.
I had been thinking that work was slow this year but I think it was largely a mirage and Iāve kind of been busier than ever. Previously, Iād have fewer large jobs with more downtime in between the shoots. Lately it has been more small jobs and a feeling of constant hustle. Iām also reworking my career a bit to focus more on video, which is time consuming in itself, while also contemplating a fully new and different endeavor on top of it all. Itās no surprise my hairs have been rapidly desaturating lately.
-Clayton
2024 07 31
While handwriting my morning pages (see: 2024 07 06) this morning, NPR played an audio recap of the month of July. What an insane time we are living in! Itās like thereās just such an endless amount of insanity that it all blends together and starts to feel normal. I donāt have any profound takeaway to follow this up with, but have been finding it helpful to ignore the outside chaos and stay focused on my own tasks and goals. Previously, I wouldāve judged myself for this behavior, thinking it irresponsible to not know about the world Iām living in. Iād spend endless hours pouring over The Economist, twitter, The New Yorker, taking in as much information as possible to give myself an āinformed opinionā on current events. These days, as an older, more experienced, and slightly wiser man, I know itās not possible to understand the world and knowing things is essentially just another form of entertaining myself.
Stay safe out there, yāall!
-Clayton
Another day, another busted car. Chicago, Illinois. May, 2024.
While handwriting my morning pages (see: 2024 07 06) this morning, NPR played an audio recap of the month of July. What an insane time we are living in! Itās like thereās just such an endless amount of insanity that it all blends together and starts to feel normal. I donāt have any profound takeaway to follow this up with, but have been finding it helpful to ignore the outside chaos and stay focused on my own tasks and goals. Previously, I wouldāve judged myself for this behavior, thinking it irresponsible to not know about the world Iām living in. Iād spend endless hours pouring over The Economist, twitter, The New Yorker, taking in as much information as possible to give myself an āinformed opinionā on current events. These days, as an older, more experienced, and slightly wiser man, I know itās not possible to understand the world and knowing things is essentially just another form of entertaining myself.
Stay safe out there, yāall!
-Clayton
PS - this reminds me of one of the greatest comedic skits of our timeā¦
2024 07 26
Iāve always been a picture taker. Expanding on some thinking from yesterdayās post (2024 07 25), picture taking requires me to always be on the hunt for the image. Itās a never-ending collection of moments that pile up on hard drives until I am buried in them. Lately I have been contemplating what might happen if I were to mix a bit of making with a bit of taking.
Peter McKinnon just posted this great video (below) about photographer Matt Barnes, who takes picture making to the extreme. I know I could never take this approach myself as I live for the chance occurrence and feel like my skill is in knowing it when I see it. That said, in my professional role of photographer, we are constantly mixing the candid and natural moments with the styled and manipulated. Itās on these shoots that Iāll have an entire crew of people and props and lights and whatever else is needed.
What I donāt do, however, is use this approach in my personal work. Those moments are mostly always fully candid and happenstance. The image above, for example, isnāt a great image but it has some stuff working for it. One or two more fun details, however, and it might be elevated to something more special and unique. Where I struggle is in knowing what my true identity is as an artistic photographer. Thatās partly what this blog is here to help me discover. Am I the guy who strictly finds moments? A true and dedicated street photographer. Or am I the guy who uses my creativity to produce artistic work via whatever path is needed to get there?
The idea that Matt Barnes is able to put all of this time, effort, and energy into creating a moment, then make two or three images and call it a wrap, and then print (I assume?) and DELETE-FROM-HIS-HARD-DRIVES the digital files once he is done with it is something I both love and will never be able to understandā¦ which reminds me, I have thirty-five hard drives I need to back up *visualizes tossing them all into the lake*.
-Clayton
Itās the subtle details. Nashville, Tennessee. April, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Iāve always been a picture taker. Expanding on some thinking from yesterdayās post (2024 07 25), picture taking requires me to always be on the hunt for the image. Itās a never-ending collection of moments that pile up on hard drives until I am buried in them. Lately I have been contemplating what might happen if I were to mix a bit of making with a bit of taking.
Peter McKinnon just posted this great video (below) about photographer Matt Barnes, who takes picture making to the extreme. I know I could never take this approach myself as I live for the chance occurrence and feel like my skill is in knowing it when I see it. That said, in my professional role of photographer, we are constantly mixing the candid and natural moments with the styled and manipulated. Itās on these shoots that Iāll have an entire crew of people and props and lights and whatever else is needed.
What I donāt do, however, is use this approach in my personal work. Those moments are mostly always fully candid and happenstance. The image above, for example, isnāt a great image but it has some stuff working for it. One or two more fun details, however, and it might be elevated to something more special and unique. Where I struggle is in knowing what my true identity is as an artistic photographer. Thatās partly what this blog is here to help me discover. Am I the guy who strictly finds moments? A true and dedicated street photographer. Or am I the guy who uses my creativity to produce artistic work via whatever path is needed to get there?
The idea that Matt Barnes is able to put all of this time, effort, and energy into creating a moment, then make two or three images and call it a wrap, and then print (I assume?) and DELETE-FROM-HIS-HARD-DRIVES the digital files once he is done with it is something I both love and will never be able to understandā¦ which reminds me, I have thirty-five hard drives I need to back up *visualizes tossing them all into the lake*.
-Clayton
2024 07 22
What are you looking at?
-Clayton
Mr Peepers (cat). Chicago, Illinois. May, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
What are you looking at?
-Clayton