2024 02 27
Conversation:
Woman: There was a possum in my yard today.
Man: You mean an opossum?
Woman: No, a possum.
Man: Well, I think the word is actually spelled with an o, therefore for youād say an opossum.
Woman: Yeah, well Iām not an fucking idiot. Itās a possum.
Artist and studio neighbor Emmy Star Brown with her dog Ralphie stop by my See You Soon studio for a chat. Chicago, Illinois. January, 2024 Ā© Clayton Hauck
Conversation:
Woman: There was a possum in my yard today.
Man: You mean an opossum?
Woman: No, a possum.
Man: Well, I think the word is actually spelled with an o, therefore for youād say an opossum.
Woman: Yeah, well Iām not an fucking idiot. Itās a possum.
2024 02 26
Video gets most of the attention these days, however, a well done project using still photography and words is way more impactful in my humble opinion. Video allows the viewer to become passive, while static words and imagery sets the scene and forces the viewer to stay engaged ā allowing their own brain, filled with memories and emotions, to fill in gaps and build a more dense narrative.
Again, in my humble opinion. It takes more effort, though, and distractions are a dime a dozen these days, so we mostly want our content served up to us in video format.
This ProPublica story which popped into my inbox this morning had me floored by its brilliance and tragedy. Such a masterfully done example of the power photojournalism still has when time and energy is dedicated to it. Photographer Stacy Kranitz is forever a favorite of mine and this story is why. Powerful images paired with unvarnished truth, moving us to better understand the world we live in and are a part of.
Please take a moment to take in this project! https://projects.propublica.org/the-year-after-a-denied-abortion/
From the Editorās Note: Mayron said she let journalists document her life in intimate detail because she wanted people to āsee for themselves and feel it in their own livesā her familyās struggles in raising two babies after a traumatic pregnancy and while recovering from a history of addiction.
-Clayton
A High Life bottle sits atop a bar table at Reedās Local, Chicago, Illinois. January, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Video gets most of the attention these days, however, a well done project using still photography and words is way more impactful in my humble opinion. Video allows the viewer to become passive, while static words and imagery sets the scene and forces the viewer to stay engaged ā allowing their own brain, filled with memories and emotions, to fill in gaps and build a more dense narrative.
Again, in my humble opinion. It takes more effort, though, and distractions are a dime a dozen these days, so we mostly want our content served up to us in video format.
This ProPublica story which popped into my inbox this morning had me floored by its brilliance and tragedy. Such a masterfully done example of the power photojournalism still has when time and energy is dedicated to it. Photographer Stacy Kranitz is forever a favorite of mine and this story is why. Powerful images paired with unvarnished truth, moving us to better understand the world we live in and are a part of.
Please take a moment to take in this project! https://projects.propublica.org/the-year-after-a-denied-abortion/
From the Editorās Note: Mayron said she let journalists document her life in intimate detail because she wanted people to āsee for themselves and feel it in their own livesā her familyās struggles in raising two babies after a traumatic pregnancy and while recovering from a history of addiction.
-Clayton
2024 02 25
Theyāre putting laugh tracks on social media videos now.
Streaming services are consolidating back into what cable television was a decade ago.
Politicians are promising to Make America Great Again, again.
New True Detective characters are saying you need to ask the right questions. Time really is a flat circle.
-Clayton
Allison on at the beach, on a super cold day when temperates approach the record low and frost bite would set in within minutes. Chicago, Illinois. January, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Theyāre putting laugh tracks on social media videos now.
Streaming services are consolidating back into what cable television was a decade ago.
Politicians are promising to Make America Great Again, again.
New True Detective characters are saying you need to ask the right questions. Time really is a flat circle.
-Clayton
2024 02 24
When I was a young pretentious film student, American Beauty was my favorite film.
I think this video, by Noah Kalina, is a masterpiece.
-Clayton
The Rock River as it snakes through Grand Detour, Illinois. January, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
When I was a young pretentious film student, American Beauty was my favorite film.
I think this video, by Noah Kalina, is a masterpiece.
-Clayton
2024 02 23
Just wrapped up my taxes and was shocked and amazed to see my commercial photography income was substantially down last year. This led me to think some thoughts about why this is happening. Is it simply a matter of me becoming old and stale? Likely, yes, however thereās a bit more to this shocking development.
Companies needing high quality imagery for whatever reason often donāt like spending money on said high quality imagery. Theyāll reach out and ask if we can do it for free since itās our hobby anyway and usually we say, sure, weād love to help with that, but itās impossible because the pesky talent (you know, the people in the photosāthe models) wonāt agree to it! They demand money every single time ā itās wild! So what happens is we end up producing these projects for money, which allows us to pay bills, eat, and generally function within society. Itās nice, but the companies donāt always love it.
Luckily for the companies, Artificial Intelligence is here to save them from bankruptcy. They are now experimenting ā behind the scenes in their secret tech labs ā with using AI to become their models! With a fully digital human, created from jumbling up hundreds of other humans into a completely new and soulless entity, they can then hire their digital models for zero dollars and weāll finally be able to agree to their requests to produce high quality imagery for our portfolios or for the experience or for a promise of payment on a future project that never materializes.
Iām excited about this! Experience is the most valuable tool in any hobbyist photographerās tool kit and Iām about to have it in excess!
ā Oh, shit, Iām late for my shift at Arbyās.
-Clayton
PS- every blog post thus far has been AI generated. Clayton is on vacation in Montevideo.
Snowy catalpa tree on our corner which I photograph roughly two-hundred times each year. [this image was expanded using generative AI] Chicago, Illinois. January, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Just wrapped up my taxes and was shocked and amazed to see my commercial photography income was substantially down last year. This led me to think some thoughts about why this is happening. Is it simply a matter of me becoming old and stale? Likely, yes, however thereās a bit more to this shocking development.
Companies needing high quality imagery for whatever reason often donāt like spending money on said high quality imagery. Theyāll reach out and ask if we can do it for free since itās our hobby anyway and usually we say, sure, weād love to help with that, but itās impossible because the pesky talent (you know, the people in the photosāthe models) wonāt agree to it! They demand money every single time ā itās wild! So what happens is we end up producing these projects for money, which allows us to pay bills, eat, and generally function within society. Itās nice, but the companies donāt always love it.
Luckily for the companies, Artificial Intelligence is here to save them from bankruptcy. They are now experimenting ā behind the scenes in their secret tech labs ā with using AI to become their models! With a fully digital human, created from jumbling up hundreds of other humans into a completely new and soulless entity, they can then hire their digital models for zero dollars and weāll finally be able to agree to their requests to produce high quality imagery for our portfolios or for the experience or for a promise of payment on a future project that never materializes.
Iām excited about this! Experience is the most valuable tool in any hobbyist photographerās tool kit and Iām about to have it in excess!
ā Oh, shit, Iām late for my shift at Arbyās.
-Clayton
PS- every blog post thus far has been AI generated. Clayton is on vacation in Montevideo.
2024 02 22
So you want to be a thought leader?
Let me preface this by mentioning how much I hate the term āthought leaderā which gets tossed around the web all willy-nilly these days. Itās a smart-sounding way of saying social media influencer, where the quality of the thoughts have far less importance than their reach.
That said, Iām looking to transition from photographer to thought leader. If you know anyone looking for hot-fresh takes and high-quality thoughts, please pass them the URL to this weblog.
Thanks in advance.
-Clayton
Joeās Pizza has some of the best pies in the Chicagoland area. I grew up on these pizza pies. Wheeling, Illinois. January, 2024 Ā© Clayton Hauck
So you want to be a thought leader?
Let me preface this by mentioning how much I hate the term āthought leaderā which gets tossed around the web all willy-nilly these days. Itās a smart-sounding way of saying social media influencer, where the quality of the thoughts have far less importance than their reach.
That said, Iām looking to transition from photographer to thought leader. If you know anyone looking for hot-fresh takes and high-quality thoughts, please pass them the URL to this weblog.
Thanks in advance.
-Clayton
2024 02 21
The ongoing Palestine-Israel war has me thinking of this skit quite a lot lately, for reasons we wonāt get much into on this blog.
Look, itās a complicated, tragic topic and one we could go on about for hours, but Iām doing my best not to turn this space into a geopolitics blog despite my constant temptation to do so.
One thing I do want to briefly discuss is this feeling I have about the war. I think the US and Israel were largely caught off-guard by the massive amount of pushback they have gotten by their own citizens, furious by what we are doing in their names. Itās almost like they dusted off the 9/11 Playbook and used the same script but then were shocked that the multiple years of leeway Americanās gave the Bush Administration before turning their backs on the project were depleted within a few days this time around. Obviously, the situation is not the same, however, I get the sense that this time is different largely for symbolic reasons. Many young Americans relate with the Palestinians in a metaphirc sense. Itās a population being suppressed and dominated by an older, more powerful male-dominated state which they mostly donāt relate with. They have no real opportunity in life, no prospects, unless they go somewhere else and not be a nuisance. Justified or not, I think a lot of young Americans probably look at the Palestinians and relate with them a whole lot more than they do with Israel. Even if siding with Hamas is rooting against your own side, in a sense, itās still rooting for the suppressed underdog you know.
Letās not be the baddies, is all I want to say beyond this.
-Clayton
PS- if you do want to start a Geopolitics Club, hit me up! Been threatening this for a while now, might actually be time to make it happen.
Gene & Judes, a Chicago hot dog institution. River Grove, Illinois. January, 2024.
The ongoing Palestine-Israel war has me thinking of this skit quite a lot lately, for reasons we wonāt get much into on this blog.
Look, itās a complicated, tragic topic and one we could go on about for hours, but Iām doing my best not to turn this space into a geopolitics blog despite my constant temptation to do so.
One thing I do want to briefly discuss is this feeling I have about the war. I think the US and Israel were largely caught off-guard by the massive amount of pushback they have gotten by their own citizens. Itās almost like they dusted off the 9/11 Playbook and used the same script but then were surprised that the multiple years of leeway Americans gave the Bush Administration before turning their backs on the invasion were depleted within a few days this time around. Obviously, the situation is not the same, however, I get the sense that this time is different largely for symbolic reasons. Many young Americans relate with the Palestinians in a metaphirc sense. Itās a population being suppressed and dominated by an older, more powerful male-dominated state which they donāt relate with. Palestinians largely have no real opportunity in life, no prospects, unless they go somewhere else and not be a nuisance. Justified or not, I think a lot of young Americans probably look at the Palestinians and relate with them a whole lot more than they do with Israel. If siding with Hamas is rooting against your own team, in a sense, itās still rooting for the suppressed underdog you know.
Anyway. Letās not be the baddies. Back to photography tomorrow?
-Clayton
PS- if you do want to start a Geopolitics Club, hit me up! Been threatening this for a while now, might actually be time to make it happen.
2024 02 20
Friend and fellow photographer Jack Garland recently posted this great short feature on photographer Matt Black which got me inspired in a number of ways.
Preface: the main reason for this post was to share the piece, which is linked below, so skip ahead and watch that unless you want to also read me rambling about myself for the remainder. It is my therapy session (blog), after all.
Feeling at a crossroads in my own career due to the business of commercial photography being in a confused state, with AI on the rise, less work and lower budgets generally, and becoming older myself, I spend a lot of time scheming on what I should be focusing my time on. This isnāt a very efficient way to get things done, all the thinking, that is, but I tend to go all-in on things once I decide itās the way to go so it is perhaps smart to think a bit before jumping into the deep end.
In no particular order, some thoughts that struck me while watching the video were: I should shoot more black & white. Iām always so drawn to color but itās probably best to expand my horizons and experiment more; traveling and photographing is something I really, really love and maybe should make this more of my focus. Itās a compromise though in many ways (time consuming, being away from people, expensive, no guaranteed success) so I always resist dedicating more time to it and taking it seriously; traveling the entire state of Illinois might be a fun compromise and interesting challenge. Maybe a good photo book project I can put a few yearsā effort into while not being too far from home. It would greatly aide in my eventual run for governor as well; maybe itās time to cut the commercial work off for a while and figure out what most resonates with me as a person. Live as an artist. Make work for myself; do more video work just like this video piece. It was really well done and exactly the kind of thing that inspired me to become a photographer from the start; take the wandering-man-with-camera video angle many people are doing on youtube to much success but elevating it a bit, getting deeper and more artistic with it; write more, like Matt in the video. Write about what Iām experiencing. Maybe this is where Iām already heading with this blog? Maybe it becomes part of a photo book project? Maybe the writing becomes the work?; get more invested into the world of art photography and open a photo book store. Itās an idea Iāve been stewing on for a while now and one I still like. Creating a home for photography-obsessed people such as myself seems like a smart move in many ways, while also being a bit of a vague business model and perhaps less sustainable as it needs to be while sucking up all my time in the process.
Clearly, lots of thinking going on in the old brain of mine. I thought it would be nice to get some of the thoughts down on paper and toss them into the world. Surely I will expand on some of them in the coming weeks.
-Clayton
A tree sits alongside River Rd, slightly illuminated from a passing vehicle. River Grove, Illinois. January, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
This image was extended to accomodate a square crop using AI and was edited in my interpretation of a Matt Black / Jack Garland style.
Friend and fellow photographer Jack Garland recently posted this great short feature on photographer Matt Black which got me inspired in a number of ways.
Preface: the main reason for this post was to share the piece, which is linked below, so skip ahead and watch that unless you want to also read me rambling about myself for the remainder. It is my therapy session (blog), after all.
Feeling at a crossroads in my own career due to the business of commercial photography being in a confused state, with AI on the rise, less work and lower budgets generally, and becoming older myself, I spend a lot of time scheming on what I should be focusing my time on. This isnāt a very efficient way to get things done, all the thinking, that is, but I tend to go all-in on things once I decide itās the way to go so it is perhaps smart to think a bit before jumping into the deep end.
In no particular order, some thoughts that struck me while watching the video were: I should shoot more black & white. Iām always so drawn to color but itās probably best to expand my horizons and experiment more; Traveling and photographing is something I really, really love and maybe should make this more of my focus. Itās a compromise though in many ways (time consuming, being away from people, expensive, no guaranteed success) so I always resist dedicating more time to it and taking it seriously; Traveling the entire state of Illinois might be a fun compromise and interesting challenge. Maybe a good photo book project I can put a few yearsā effort into while not being too far from home. It would greatly aide in my eventual run for governor as well; Maybe itās time to cut the commercial work off for a while and figure out what most resonates with me as a person. Live as an artist. Make work solely for myself; Do more video work just like this video piece. It was really well done and exactly the kind of thing that inspired me to become a photographer from the start; Take the wandering-man-with-camera video angle many people are doing on youtube to much success but elevating it a bit, getting deeper and more artistic with it; Write more, like Matt in the video. Write about what Iām experiencing. Maybe this is where Iām already heading with this blog? Maybe it becomes part of a photo book project? Maybe the writing becomes the work?; Get more invested into the world of art photography and open a photo book store. Itās an idea Iāve been stewing on for a while now and one I still like. Creating a home for photography-obsessed people such as myself seems like a smart move in many ways, while also being a bit of a vague business model and perhaps less sustainable as it needs to be while sucking up all my time in the process.
Clearly, lots of thinking going on in the old brain of mine. I thought it would be nice to get some of the thoughts down on paper and toss them into the world. Surely I will expand on some of them in the coming weeks, months, or years.
-Clayton
Beyond the video above, hereās a link to another great talk featuring wisdom and images from the talented Matt Black.
2024 02 19
A sign of the times.
Photography aināt what it used to be.
Nobody wants a photographer in todayās wintry economic climate.
-Clayton
Woodmanās Grocery Store no longer has a photo department so no longer notes āPHOTOā on the side of their massive structure. Rockford, Illinois. January, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
A sign of the times.
Photography aināt what it used to be.
Nobody wants a photographer in todayās wintry economic climate.
-Clayton
PS- Too much doom & gloom lately. Will bring some positive vibes back again š¤
2024 02 18
Kids love blogs!
This daily photo blog is the professional equivalent to this super slick promotional music video touting the Hillary Clinton for President campaign back in 2007. AKA itās very cool. Hire me for your next project and I will make you proud!
-Clayton
Intense dog awaits owners as they check out at the Center of Order and Experimentation in Chicago. December, 2023. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Kids love blogs!
This daily photo blog is the professional equivalent to this super slick promotional music video touting the Hillary Clinton for President campaign back in 2007. AKA itās very cool. Hire me for your next project and I will make you proud!
-Clayton
2024 02 17
Oh, shit. I signed myself up for another day job. What the fuck was I thinking starting a daily photo blog?! In the year 2024. What kind of bullshit is this? I was high on the āfresh start to a new yearā nonsense and got a bit too ambitious and now itās a fucking Saturday in mid February and Iām sitting here in my underwear at 6am, cold, tired and annoyed, while trying to think up another meaningless thing to peck down on my computer and spam out into the world wide web for my mom to read and post on her facebook page. What. The. Fuck.
Have a great weekend!
-Clayton
Night scenes viewed through the windshield at the corner of Kimball and North Ave. Chicago, Illinois. January, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Oh, shit. I signed myself up for another unpaid job. What the fuck was I thinking starting a daily photo blog?! In the year 2024. What kind of bullshit is this? I was high on the āfresh start to a new yearā nonsense and got a bit too ambitious and now itās a fucking Saturday in mid February and Iām sitting here in my underwear at 6am, cold, tired and annoyed, while trying to think up another meaningless thing to peck down on my computer and spam out into the world wide web for my mom to read and post on her facebook page. What. The. Fuck.
Have a great weekend! š¤
-Clayton
2024 02 16
I donāt have kids, I have a daily photo blogā¦
Also, nobody seems to be having kids these days, which I think goes a long way in explaining why things have gotten so weird. Without kids, people have time to stew on things, discuss vibes in comment sections and on Reddit. Without kids, people turn civil unrest into a hobby and start voting for whoever fans the flames of chaos. Kids are hectic and require massive amounts of attention and, in that, they are also a stabilizing force for society.
But I donāt have a farm to plow and child labor laws are pretty tough these days, so putting little Jimmy to work at the photo studio might be frowned upon, so what does a kid get me other than yet another unpaid-full-time job? Am I being selfish not having kids while my friends who do have children to, you know, keep humanity moving forward, are stuck raising theirs? Honestly, yeah I think we, the childless folks, are being a bit selfish. But are we also being selfish in exploding the global population from a few billion people one hundred years ago to eight billion people today? Also, yes! Elon yells about demographics because itās going to fuck the rich and powerful more than anyone once population growth reverses course and there are fewer people to buy the trinkets being pumped out in Chinese factories (also losing population, so increasingly made by robots).
The takeaway? Shit will continue to be weird for as long as weāre alive. Not having kids is both selfish and thoughtful from an environmental perspective.
They are pretty damn cute, though. I think I might have a few.
-Clayton
The California Clipper, one of Chicagoās great watering holes and where I personally picked up a drinking habit a few decades back, as seen on a cold winterās night. December, 2023. Ā© Clayton Hauck
I donāt have kids, I have a daily photo blogā¦
Also, nobody seems to be having kids these days, which I think goes a long way in explaining why things have gotten so weird. Without kids, people have time to stew on things, discuss vibes in comment sections and on Reddit. Without kids, people turn civil unrest into a hobby and start voting for whoever fans the flames of chaos. Kids are hectic and require massive amounts of attention and, in that, they are also a stabilizing force for society.
But I donāt have a farm to plow and child labor laws are pretty tough these days, so putting little Jimmy to work at the photo studio might be frowned upon, so what does a kid get me other than yet another unpaid-full-time job? Am I being selfish not having kids while my friends who do have children to, you know, keep humanity moving forward, are stuck raising theirs? Honestly, yeah I think we, the childless folks, are being a bit selfish. But are we also being selfish in exploding the global population from a few billion people one hundred years ago to eight billion people today? Also, yes! Elon yells about demographics because itās going to fuck the rich and powerful more than anyone once population growth reverses course and there are fewer people to buy the trinkets being pumped out in Chinese factories (also losing population, so increasingly made by robots).
The takeaway? Shit will continue to be weird for as long as weāre alive. Not having kids is both selfish and thoughtful from an environmental perspective.
They are pretty damn cute, though. I think I might have a few.
-Clayton
2024 02 15
As a young guy, I was obsessed with roller coasters. Iād spend hours drawing and designing them, hours more building them virtually in Roller Coaster Tycoon, and in my spare time beyond this, would travel the country riding them with my fellow coaster nerd friends. At one coaster nerd meetup event, I made a friend named Jack who remains one of my best buds to this day. While we donāt spend nearly as much time obsessing over amusement attractions these days, we still have similar viewpoints on many things, so when I saw his IG story summarizing his thoughts on last nightās Super Bowl festivities, it really hit me. I found myself in a bad mood after the game and wasnāt really sure why but his post made it make some sense.
Reprinted without permission via @JackIsFun on Instagram:
āAnyone else a little revolted by the Super Bowl? Obviously nonstop ads for junk food and soda, crass commercialization of everything to create want and profit off middle and lower class Americans, plus pure BS from the NFL and advertisers about mental health when they are part of the problem by pushing all this junk, consumption, chasing status, etc. And, of course, itās in Las Vegas.
THEN - one by one - the winners all declare that their accomplishment means nothing and itās back to the grind tomorrow. No time to take it in and enjoy the view. A win means nothing. A dynasty is everything. Just work, just dominate, never stop, in a sport that literally kills you. But, hey, oh yeah, mental health is important. America. āļøā
ā Jack
More on this coaster nerd stuff another dayā¦
-Clayton
Abandoned roller coaster. Williams Grove, Pennsylvania. November, 2023. Ā© Clayton Hauck
As a young guy, I was obsessed with roller coasters. Iād spend hours drawing and designing them, hours more building them virtually in Roller Coaster Tycoon, and in my spare time beyond this, would travel the country riding them with my fellow coaster nerd friends. At one coaster nerd meetup event, I made a friend named Jack who remains one of my best buds to this day. While we donāt spend nearly as much time obsessing over amusement attractions these days, we still have similar viewpoints on many things, so when I saw his IG story summarizing his thoughts on last nightās Super Bowl festivities, it really hit me. I found myself in a bad mood after the game and wasnāt really sure why but his post made it make some sense.
Reposted without permission via @JackIsFun on Instagram:
āAnyone else a little revolted by the Super Bowl? Obviously nonstop ads for junk food and soda, crass commercialization of everything to create want and profit off middle and lower class Americans, plus pure BS from the NFL and advertisers about mental health when they are part of the problem by pushing all this junk, consumption, chasing status, etc. And, of course, itās in Las Vegas.
THEN - one by one - the winners all declare that their accomplishment means nothing and itās back to the grind tomorrow. No time to take it in and enjoy the view. A win means nothing. A dynasty is everything. Just work, just dominate, never stop, in a sport that literally kills you. But, hey, oh yeah, mental health is important. America. āļøā
More on this coaster nerd stuff another dayā¦
-Clayton
2024 02 14
Blaze Foley appreciation post.
I donāt have anything to add to the story of Blaze other than appreciation for the music he was able to make before he died at age 39.
I take it most people arenāt familiar with him. If not, take a moment to listen to some of his tunes. āClay Pigeonsā and āOval Roomā are among my favorite all-time songs. If still curious, poke around into his life a bit and meet his friend Townes, another incredible musical talent.
This post was inspired by, of course, a youtube video I stumbled upon which is also worth your time, you Blaze-loving fool, you.
-Clayton
Mundane scene involving birds. Chicago, Illinois. January, 2023. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Blaze Foley appreciation post.
I donāt have anything to add to the story of Blaze other than appreciation for the music he was able to make before he died at age 39.
I take it most people arenāt familiar with him. If not, take a moment to listen to some of his tunes. āClay Pigeonsā and āOval Roomā are among my favorite all-time songs. If still curious, poke around into his life a bit and meet his friend Townes, another incredible musical talent.
This post was inspired by, of course, a youtube video I stumbled upon which is also worth your time, you Blaze-loving fool, you.
-Clayton
āYou donāt always get what you go after, but you do get what you wouldnāt have got if you hadnāt gone after what you didnāt get.ā
2024 02 13
I stumbled on this video over on twitter and it struck me as being great advice on writing. So much so I revisited it, now that I have this daily blog going, to take it in once again.
Teachers read your writing because they are being paid to do so. Once school is over, your writing needs to stand on itās own. The only reason anyone will read your writing is if it has some value to them. Value can be entertainment; value can be information; value can be data mining to guess my bank password; but if itās not valuable to the reader nothing else matters.
So yeah, Iām off to think up with some value for tomorrowās post.
-Clayton
A steaming Lake Michigan as seen from Leone Beach on Chicagoās far north side on a frigid day. January, 2024 Ā© Clayton Hauck
I stumbled on this video over on twitter and it struck me as being great advice on writing. So much so I revisited it, now that I have this daily blog going, to take it in once again.
Teachers read your writing because they are being paid to do so. Once school is over, your writing needs to stand on itās own. The only reason anyone will read your writing is if it has some value to them. Value can be entertainment; value can be information; value can be data mining to guess my bank password; but if itās not valuable to the reader nothing else matters.
So yeah, Iām off to think up with some value for tomorrowās post.
-Clayton
2024 02 12
What makes a city great? Itās the people! Itās always the people.
People are assholes and scammers and criminals and thieves but they are also creative and visionary and hard working and amazing and nothing will happen, bad or good, without them. Sure you can move out to the countryside and have a nice peaceful life but itās only in the city that you can wander down the street and encounter a frantic street performance streamed live to youtube, surrounded by people smiling and remembering that life is in fact amazing and should be enjoyed to its fullest.
Get to know your neighbors. Frequent and support your local businesses. Invite others to live near you. Encourage your local zoning committees to accommodate more people. Weāre all in this together.
-Clayton, a person.
Tribune Tower during conversion from newspaper HQ to fancy condo tower, Chicago. January, 2023. Ā© Clayton Hauck
What makes a city great? Itās the people! Itās always the people.
People are assholes and scammers and criminals and thieves but they are also creative and visionary and hard working and amazing and nothing will happen, bad or good, without them. Sure you can move out to the countryside and have a nice peaceful life but itās only in the city that you can wander down the street and encounter a frantic street performance streamed live to youtube, surrounded by people smiling and remembering that life is in fact amazing and should be enjoyed to its fullest.
Get to know your neighbors. Frequent and support your local businesses. Invite others to live near you. Encourage your local zoning committees to accommodate more people. Weāre all in this together.
-Clayton, a person.
Mark Rebillet yells at me, yes me because I am the main character in this blog, to leave the internet and stop watching youtube
2024 02 11
This frame was made while out wandering with Allison & Haley. Itās one of many images included in the Art Postcard Packs I made last year, which are available to purchase in the Good Things Vending machine in the lobby of the Kimball Arts Center, where my See You Soon studio exists. You can also purchase them on my Instagram shop (no idea how to link to this or even get it to show up š¤·āāļø), which has had one customer at the time of this writing (Iām a failed e-commerce store owner š¤·āāļø).
The Postcard Packs are great and super affordable at only $1each ($15 for 15) and also many of them come with a code for a free Keep it 100 portrait shoot.
Iām basically giving them away and should probably change this approach since perception of value is half the battle when it comes to art.
-Clayton
Redhot Ranch, my go-to local spot for hot dogs and burgers, on a foggy quiet night. Chicago. January, 2023. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Self Promotion Alert!
This frame was made while out wandering with Allison & Haley. Itās one of many images included in the Art Postcard Packs I made last year, which are available to purchase in the Good Things Vending machine in the lobby of the Kimball Arts Center, where my See You Soon studio exists. You can also purchase them on my Instagram shop (no idea how to link to this or even get it to show up š¤·āāļø), which has had one customer at the time of this writing (Iām a failed e-commerce store owner š¤·āāļø).
The Postcard Packs are great and super affordable at only $1each ($15 for 15) and also many of them come with a code for a free Keep it 100 portrait shoot. Please buy some so I can print more with new artworks from different artists!
Iām basically giving them away and should probably change this approach since perception of value is half the battle when it comes to art.
-Clayton
2024 02 10
In my early photographer days, Iād spend 20% of my time making photos and 80% of my time editing (fixing) them.
These days, I spend 25% of my time finding clients to pay me to make photos, 25% of my time making photos, 25% of my time editing, organizing and backing up photos and 25% of my time contemplating my decisions.
-Clayton
Somewhere in rural Pennsylvania. Or maybe it was Ohio? November, 2023. Ā© Clayton Hauck
In my early photographer days, Iād spend 20% of my time making photos and 80% of my time editing (fixing) them.
These days, I spend 25% of my time finding clients to pay me to make photos, 15% of my time making photos, 15% of my time editing, organizing and backing up photos, 15% of my time contemplating my decisions, 10% of my time cleaning the studio, 5% of my time doing accounting and legal, 5% of my time watching youtube tutorials, 5% of my time updating firmware, and 5% of my time on a daily blog post.
-Clayton
2024 02 09
Seeking Spaces Corners.
Before departing Pittsburgh on my way out to New Jersey, I stopped by the Spaces Corners space, however, they were closed, and I didnāt have an appointment, and donāt know them personally, so I just wandered the cute lil neighborhood for a bit (have I mentioned how much I love Pittsburgh?) and snapped a few photos before hitting the road.
Iād been planning to use this entry to pen some thoughts on a new photo book by Ed Panar, one of the Spaces Corners owners, which Iāve been really excited to receive, however, the book hasnāt been delivered yet (I think my order is being help up by the Sofia Coppola book not being in stock so Baltimore Photo Space is waiting for that before shipping). Ed is a favorite photographer of mine and, considering the book features one of my favorite cities, Iāve been super excited to check it out.
I might just be romanticizing it but Pittsburgh seems like a cheat code for making great images. The angles, the textures, the people, the grit, the seasons, the topography. I continue to tell anyone who will listen itās one of the most underrated cities in the country. Another underrated city in my opinion is Baltimore, which is home to the aforementioned bookstore I ordered Edās book from. Since the book hasnāt arrived yet and I canāt talk about it, Iāll instead talk about photo book stores.
Weird transition aside, Iāve been a bit obsessed with the idea of opening up some kind of photo book store for like a year now. The idea, generally, would be to use my existing See You Soon studio location as a home base and open the place up to customers, similar to what BPS does, either by appointment or on limited weekend hours. To make the whole endevour make financial sense, Iād need to do a solid amount of web sales, which is mostly whatās holding me back (packing, shipping, order fulfillment, emails, more shipping, more emails, are not exactly my favorite things to spend my time on). But I love the idea of setting up the space as a bit of a hub for photography, with photo books being a main aspect, in addition to hosting shows, talks, meetups, etc. Chicago is a bit lacking in options for where to buy and browse new photo books (otherwise known as a business opportunity?).
Perhaps writing about the idea and putting it out into the world will somehow help me decide if this idea is worth pursuing or not. If you have thoughts, leave a comment! ā side note: Upon writing this I realized the comment box was not visible on the blog. Iād been getting bummed about nobody leaving comments over a month into this daily posting (each blog ending with a large āComments (0)ā but hadnāt ever noticed there was no way to comment, as the form had been hidden until I switched a setting to enable it. There has to be some kind of extrapolation in this? Focusing on the negatives without assessing the issue. Sure a photo book store will create a lot of unwanted busy work, but perhaps the upside will be a worth the effort: a plethora of new comments, friends, and opportunity!
-Clayton
Troy Hill neighborhood. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. November, 2023. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Seeking Spaces Corners.
Before departing Pittsburgh on my way out to New Jersey, I stopped by the Spaces Corners space, however, they were closed, and I didnāt have an appointment, and donāt know them personally, so I just wandered the cute lil neighborhood for a bit (have I mentioned how much I love Pittsburgh?) and snapped a few photos before hitting the road.
Iād been planning to use this entry to pen some thoughts on a new photo book by Ed Panar, one of the Spaces Corners owners, which Iāve been really excited to receive, however, the book hasnāt been delivered yet (I think my order is being help up by the Sofia Coppola book not being in stock so Baltimore Photo Space is waiting for that before shipping). Ed is a favorite photographer of mine and, considering the book features one of my favorite cities, Iāve been super excited to check it out.
I might just be romanticizing it but Pittsburgh seems like a cheat code for making great images. The angles, the textures, the people, the grit, the seasons, the topography. I continue to tell anyone who will listen itās one of the most underrated cities in the country. Another underrated city in my opinion is Baltimore, which is home to the aforementioned bookstore I ordered Edās book from. Since the book hasnāt arrived yet and I canāt talk about it, Iāll instead talk about photo book stores.
Weird transition aside, Iāve been a bit obsessed with the idea of opening up some kind of photo book store for like a year now. The idea, generally, would be to use my existing See You Soon studio location as a home base and open the place up to customers, similar to what BPS does, either by appointment or on limited weekend hours. To make the whole endevour make financial sense, Iād need to do a solid amount of web sales, which is mostly whatās holding me back (packing, shipping, order fulfillment, emails, more shipping, more emails, are not exactly my favorite things to spend my time on). But I love the idea of setting up the space as a bit of a hub for photography, with photo books being a main aspect, in addition to hosting shows, talks, meetups, etc. Chicago is a bit lacking in options for where to buy and browse new photo books (otherwise known as a business opportunity?).
Perhaps writing about the idea and putting it out into the world will somehow help me decide if this idea is worth pursuing or not. If you have thoughts, leave a comment! ā side note: Upon writing this I realized the comment box was not visible on the blog. Iād been getting bummed about nobody leaving comments over a month into this daily posting (each blog ending with a large āComments (0)ā but hadnāt ever noticed there was no way to comment, as the form had been hidden until I switched a setting to enable it. There has to be some kind of extrapolation in this? Focusing on the negatives without assessing the issue. Sure a photo book store will create a lot of unwanted busy work, but perhaps the upside will be a worth the effort: a plethora of new comments, friends, and opportunity!
-Clayton
2024 02 08
Humans of Pittsburgh dot com? Another one from my quick wanderings in Pittsburgh late last year. Have I mentioned how much I love that city and kinda sorta want to live there? Maybe I could live there part time? The reason I ran into this person was because I was walking around the Lawrenceville neighborhood where Iāve been Zillow surfing and found a building I loved that was also affordableā¦ which got me thinking I could try to pull of a See You Soon Pittsburghā¦ which I realize is insane so I never acted on itā¦ but I enjoy living the dream out in my head.
Iāve long admired Studs Terkel and have thought it would be fun to emulate his career, wandering the land documenting people and their stories through photos and words. This dream, too, remains one I live out mostly in my head, but perhaps some day might pursue. There are some youtubers (this word is so lame and makes this thought lose credibility) who do a great job of living the Studs Terkel Life. Bald And Bankrupt is perhaps my favorite of the bunch, though a polarizing figure. Yes, he posts plenty of clickbait content solely designed to grow his audience, however, some of his wanderings in obscure post-Soviet towns forgotten by time are among my favorite things to watch. They have provided a context to me as I hear these places mentioned on the news as theyāre bombed into oblivion by their neighbors and the rest of the world mostly ignores it. Ho hum.
Slice of Life for life. Itās a big world full of endless slices. When you can enjoy the mundane details, youāre set.
-Clayton
Stranger on the street. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. November, 2023 Ā© Clayton Hauck
Humans of Pittsburgh dot com? Another one from my quick wanderings in Pittsburgh late last year. Have I mentioned how much I love that city and kinda sorta want to live there? Maybe I could live there part time? The reason I ran into this person was because I was walking around the Lawrenceville neighborhood where Iāve been Zillow surfing and found a building I loved that was also affordableā¦ which got me thinking I could try to pull of a See You Soon Pittsburghā¦ which I realize is insane so I never acted on itā¦ but I enjoy living the dream out in my head.
Iāve long admired Studs Terkel and have thought it would be fun to emulate his career, wandering the land documenting people and their stories through photos and words. This dream, too, remains one I live out mostly in my head, but perhaps some day might pursue. There are some youtubers (this word is so lame and makes this thought lose credibility) who do a great job of living the Studs Terkel Life. Bald And Bankrupt is perhaps my favorite of the bunch, though a polarizing figure. Yes, he posts plenty of clickbait content solely designed to grow his audience, however, some of his wanderings in obscure post-Soviet towns forgotten by time are among my favorite things to watch. They have provided a context to me as I hear these places mentioned on the news after theyāre bombed into oblivion by their neighbors. Ho hum.
Slice of Life for life. Itās a big world full of endless slices. When you can enjoy the mundane details, youāve got a lot to live for.
-Clayton