2025 04 03
Some days you just need a flower. Chicago, Illinois. September, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
Some days you just need a flower. I spiraled last night, attempting to understand how and why we got to where we are; playing the victim and rolling out middle class-ending taxes to somehow level the global playing field? It’s just madness! But the more you pay attention, the madder you get.
Then, my friend reminded me:
Wisconsin voters showed we are not alone in opposition
Give it time and many more voters will see the madness with their own eyes
Of course, economics are wildly complex and I myself am sympathetic to some of the motivations Trump seems to be justifying his actions on — but I can’t help but think the middle class will again pay the price. We paid for globalization through the hollowing out of our cities and now we’ll pay for deglobalization through a complete loss of purchasing power.
It’s impossible to maintain a functioning economy when there’s zero clarity or confidence in what environment you will be navigating a year or two down the road. Should I get into textiles or tech? I have no idea. Maybe you do?
-Clayton
2025 04 02
Allison, wondering how long I will be looking at used photobooks. Powell’s Books. Chicago, Illinois. September, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
Today is officially the day we started a photobook shop. Or, at least, committed to a popup to explore the idea of starting a photobook shop! You gotta pop it up first to gauge interest, learn, and grow into what will hopefully be a physical location one day. More on this soon, hopefully!
-Clayton
2025 03 30
Life finds a way. Wilmette, Illinois. January, 2025. © Clayton Hauck
The birds are chirpin’. Spring is here. Maybe.
-Clayton
2025 03 29
Bridal shop. Chicago, Illinois. January, 2025. © Clayton Hauck
Don’t tell anyone but I added that blurred out person using generative Ai. I snapped this image as I was driving by in my automobile and I kinda liked it… but it needed some mysterious human energy involved.
The recent release of GPT 4o or whatever it’s called has me moving up the expiration date for my job. If anyone is hiring a college dropout, please let me know!
-Clayton
2025 03 26
The city at night. Chicago, Illinois. February, 2025. © Clayton Hauck
Recently I was downtown for an event and afterward, I made an effort to wander a bit. The streets were eerily silent. I dipped into Billy Goat for a burger and a beer along with the three or four other humans (more staff than guests) who seemed to be out, for whatever reason, either running away or towards something.
A great idea then struck my brain: I would get a scooter and ride home like the wind. This led me astray in search of one when the big lights in the distance caught my eyes. “Hooter’s,” it said. Not yet having my fill of adventure, and recalling the news of the likely demise of yet another fine American establishment, I stepped in.
“Seat at the bar okay?” I asked the greeter (again, more staff than guests), and she motioned me inward. The wings came soon after and boy did I wonder why the joint wasn’t full of customers enjoying them. These things are delicious! I kicked myself for being too timid to frequent Hooter’s all my life for the wings alone.
I left as they were locking up. The man alone at the bar turned out to be an undercover security guard or manager, as I suspected (more staff than guests). I guess everyone gets their wings delivered to them from some other chain these days?
Across the street sat a fully charged scooter glowing in the darkness with my name on it. I rode like the wind just as I’d imagined I would, turning here and there into which ever dark street didn’t look familiar. This was an adventure and I had the city to myself. All the way home I rode and contemplated how cool it would be to start a scooter gang. Surely, this must be how the first gang was formed way back before the police cornered the market on gangs.
-Clayton
2025 03 25
Hawk? Chicago, Illinois. February, 2025. © Clayton Hauck
I’ve been seeing this guy around the neighborhood lately.
-Clayton
2025 03 23
Jack and I enjoyed one too many adult beverages. Chicago, Illinois. February, 2025. © Clayton Hauck
Jack and I might be cooking something new up. This year is shaping up to be a transformative one for me in many ways. More soon.
Also, Jack has a new photobook out that is great and you should check it out and buy a copy. We might be able to help you with that soon.
-Clayton
2025 03 22
Armitage Avenue, in need of some new shops. Chicago, Illinois. February, 2025 © Clayton Hauck
Why I’m such a sucker for tiny shops like this one, I don’t fully understand. But this lil spot is so cute that I’ve been dreaming of putting a business inside of it for more years than I can remember. One day, perhaps.
-Clayton
2025 03 21
Good Boy wants to go outside. EZ Inn, Chicago, Illinois. February, 2025. © Clayton Hauck
Open yourself up to chance.
Today I walked to work, as I usually do, and I took a different path than usual, as I always try but usually fail to do. As a reward, I ran into a friend and got to hear about her trip to Europe. I then encountered some animals and made a few photos of scenes I encountered.
Then, as I ate my lunch at the studio, this Alec Soth video (below) played.
Open yourself up to chance as often as you can and rewards will follow.
-Clayton
2025 03 20
Cone in snow. Chicago, Illinois. February, 2025. © Clayton Hauck
Please pardon the dust as I spend my time building yet another new website and prep for a photo talk going down next Thursday, in which I will debut said website.
-Clayton
2025 03 19
Beer. Chicago, Illinois. June, 2023. © Clayton Hauck
Got some shit news today. Imagine taking a test that your life literally depended on. I realize I’m being vague but can’t really get into it more than that (I’m fine).
I’m reminded of that famous joke from The Simpsons. "Beer: the cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems.”
Stay safe and stay healthy, y’all.
-Clayton
2025 03 18
Doggie Day Care. Baltimore, Maryland. September, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
Apologies for the lack of content lately, I’ve been busy starting a new business.
-Clayton
2025 03 09
Sunset on Bloomington. Chicago, Illinois. October, 2025. © Clayton Hauck
Chicago’s weather today was glorious. The first nice weekend day where everyone leaves the house and it makes the city feel alive with energy and humanity. It’s days like these that make me glad to live where I do.
-Clayton
2025 03 08
(Hidden) Busted Car. Chicago, Illinois. October, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
While out celebrating my birthday yesterday, I realized that my driver’s license had expired that day. Needing to drive to St Louis for a photo assignment in a few days, I was worried that getting this renewed in time would not be possible (also considering the state had determined I needed to pass a written test to do so). Fortunately, I spent Saturday afternoon at the DMV and made it happen after an hour or so of sitting in the waiting room listening to numbers being called.
Afterwards, we celebrated with pizza at Barnaby’s up in Northbrook, which has been on our list of spots to check out. The pizza was great and the place was wildly crowded with families enjoying an early Saturday night pizza dinner. As we ate, numbers were called out continuously as orders were ready, which made the whole experience feel appropriate post DMV.
-Clayton
2025 03 06
John aka Crust Fund making another pizza during a fundraiser event at my See You Soon space. Chicago, Illinois. November, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
I’m wildly proud of the things I’ve been able to do at my studio space. That said, I often forget all of the things that have happened here. It’s easy to look at an empty calendar and get sad about how slow or hard things are. Two thoughts on this:
Having just completed my taxes (I secretly like doing them because it’s a nice reminder of all the things you did the previous year), I was left impressed by how busy the studio kept me in a year that I’d kind of summed up as being a bad year (business-wise).
I’m (forcing myself to) finally get a regular newsletter going. We’ll start with the studio, which should go out every month, and eventually (soon) I’ll get one going for my own “personal brand” which will be focused solely on my photography work. I’ve long shunned this habit because: it’s boring and I don’t want to do it; they just get trashed and hardly anyone sees them; I dislike talking about myself (contrary to what this blog may lead you to believe!). That said, it finally hit me that there’s just as much benefit to my own personal mental health in the practice as there is potential benefits from a marketing perspective, and that’s huge!
Set aside some time to look back and reflect on all the amazing things you’ve accomplished and it will likely help bring a smile to your face.
Then, if you don’t tell anyone about all the cool things you’ve done, did they actually happen?
-Clayton
2025 03 04
What’s going on out there? Chicago, Illinois. December, 2025. © Clayton Hauck
We live in wild times. It’s depressing and I’ve made the calculated decision to mostly ignore it, to the best of my abilities, and focus on myself and my work. I’m not certain it will be possible to ignore it much longer at the pace we are moving, but in my experience, engaging does more harm to my mental health than good. Lots of people I know agree with this approach and are attempting to practice it themselves. This also scares me.
Staring at the television this morning in an effort to pay some attention and it leaves me thinking we are swiftly heading for a recession. This thought is a difficult one in that I will likely need to completely rework my own professional career: lose the studio to cut overhead, get a side job, lower my rates, etc, etc. Everything is on the table. It almost feels like the powers that be know this reality and it’s precisely why they are taking the actions they are taking. The bums lost, Lebowski.
Until that day comes we will keep calm and carry on. Good luck, everyone. I’m turning the tv off.
-Clayton
2025 03 03
Night house. Chicago, Illinois. January, 2025. © Clayton Hauck
In the dead of the night, I was awoken and caught a glimpse of what my brain was working on while sleeping. It’s always remarkable to me how busy our brains seem to be while sound asleep. Maybe this isn’t always the case, but it seemed as though mine was working in overdrive. It felt like my brain was rewiring itself, shifting its focus entirely towards video production. I had all sorts of videos playing out, filled with specific concepts, shot ideas, lighting schemes, transitions, edits, experimental techniques, graphics, etc. It was both exciting and daunting, waking up to realize the ideas exist in there but to actualize them will require focus, dedication, and time. That’s the main hurdle that has kept me away from video for a decade now.
I think watching the Oscars and seeing best director Sean Baker’s enthusiastic acceptance speech shamed my subconscious into attempting to make up for a decade of neglecting the artistic passion (filmmaking) that got me started on this journey I am currently on. The challenge will be avoiding decision fatigue and over-analysis, resulting in nothing being accomplished at all. There are a hundred ideas floating around in my brain, which is exciting, but spending each day thinking about them all — dreaming of them — while not doing anything about it will only give me a blog full of mediocre posts that few people see and not much else to show for it.
Enough dreaming. Time to create.
-Clayton
2025 03 01
Yoder and some fine wine. Chicago, Illinois. November, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
We’re doin’ movie night at the studio tonight, which I’ve dubbed Cinema 606 (shoutout Katie!), and I’m very excited about it. I’m on cocktail duty, as always, and Allison is making her amazing tavern pizzas (shoutout John!) and some other tasty stuff. It’s amazing having the space to do stuff like this, and I have no shortage of ideas on other things to do both inside and outside the space…but of course, time. Time is always the constraint. So much so that I find myself overwhelmed with thoughts and ideas to the point that I end up stalling and getting nowhere.
I used a photo of Kenneth today because he’s someone who suffers from the same condition. We should probably start a podcast about it. That’s the answer!
-Clayton