2024 11 01
Another one of Paulie Bās great Walkie Talkie videos dropped and itās Chicago street photographer Amando de Leon so I have to shout it out! Peep the video belowā¦ a few fun standout moments for me were:
Amando says: 35mm in Chicago, 28mm in NYC are the perfect focal lengths and that feels so right. I love the sentiment.
āI love flash. You look like youāre just having a party!" Being out here [photographing on the street] is like being at a partyā
He wants to publish more DIY zines and get a website up to sell them to fund his photo projects ā¦ Iām aiming to create a lil web shop on my see you soon site for this exact kind of thing. Hopefully early next year itāll be a reality. Itās been stewing in my brain for a long time now, itās just finding the time to make it a reality that has been the challenge. Ideally, I would love to help in my own tiny way to support these photographers who are out there putting in the time making their art. Iād also love to be out there myself more but know that realistically it will probably never happen, at least as much as Iād like it to.
Amando likes to photograph in bars. This was my life for a while! I think Amado and I need to meet and I need to buy the guy a couple beers! Hit me up, Amado!
Gary Stochl and Vivian Maier doing it themselves without a community or social media to keep pushing them.
Why do you take photos? ābecause it makes me feel like Iām here, Iām present.ā
-Clayton
Hyde Park and downtown through the trees of South Shore, Chicago. September, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Another one of Paulie Bās great Walkie Talkie videos dropped and itās Chicago street photographer Amando de Leon so I have to shout it out! Peep the video belowā¦ a few fun standout moments for me were:
Amando says: 35mm in Chicago, 28mm in NYC are the perfect focal lengths and that feels so right. I love the sentiment.
āI love flash. You look like youāre just having a party!" Being out here [photographing on the street] is like being at a partyā
He wants to publish more DIY zines and get a website up to sell them to fund his photo projects ā¦ Iām aiming to create a lil web shop on my see you soon site for this exact kind of thing. Hopefully early next year itāll be a reality. Itās been stewing in my brain for a long time now, itās just finding the time to make it a reality that has been the challenge. Ideally, I would love to help in my own tiny way to support these photographers who are out there putting in the time making their art. Iād also love to be out there myself more but know that realistically it will probably never happen, at least as much as Iād like it to.
Amando likes to photograph in bars. This was my life for a while! I think Amado and I need to meet and I need to buy the guy a couple beers! Hit me up, Amado!
Gary Stochl and Vivian Maier doing it themselves without a community or social media to keep pushing them.
Why do you take photos? ābecause it makes me feel like Iām here, Iām present.ā
-Clayton
2024 10 31
In the waning days of covid lockdowns, I drove out west for work. Afterwards, I connected with my sister and we headed to Sequoia National Park for a little exploration and visit with the famous General Sherman. It turned out to be a perspective-changing experience, as we arrived right at open and had the entire park to ourselves for hours! Standing alone among the worldās largest living creatives was an experience I will never forget and this image is one of the favorites Iāve ever made.
Lately Iāve been spending a bunch of time printing photos at the studio, so I was excited to release another limited edition on my ongoing series dubbed The Camera You Have. This image looks great printed and can be yours for free if you win my giveaway or if you simply purchase one via my online print shop. Itās a perfect time to get your holiday shopping started!
To enter, simply leave a comment on this post (make sure your email is accurate!) and/or like, comment, reshare the Instagram post on my @claytonhauck IG account. Good luck!
-Clayton
The Camera You Have #0015 āHuman For Scaleā General Sherman. Sequoia National Park, California. January, 2021. Ā© Clayton Hauck
In the waning days of covid lockdowns, I drove out west for work. Afterwards, I connected with my sister and we headed to Sequoia National Park for a little exploration and visit with the famous General Sherman. It turned out to be a perspective-changing experience, as we arrived right at open and had the entire park to ourselves for hours! Standing alone among the worldās largest living creatives was an experience I will never forget and this image is one of the favorites Iāve ever made.
Lately Iāve been spending a bunch of time printing photos at the studio, so I was excited to release another limited edition on my ongoing series dubbed The Camera You Have. This image looks great printed and can be yours for free if you win my giveaway or if you simply purchase one via my online print shop. Itās a perfect time to get your holiday shopping started!
GIVEAWAY! To enter, simply leave a comment on this post (make sure your email is accurate!) and/or like, comment, reshare the Instagram post on my @claytonhauck IG account. Good luck!
-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 10 28
Recently I stumbled upon a tweet that really resonated with me. Someone had posted some clips of basketball games in Europe, with wildly enthusiastic fans, loud chanting, dancing, yelling, etc. The poster was wondering why NBA games in the US have nowhere near the same level of enthusiasm. Youād think that the worldās premiere league, in the country basketball was invented, being played by the worldās best players, would inspire fans to raise their level of enthusiasm to match. Brilliantly, someone responded with the most eloquently-simple reply that completely summed up the sole reason crowds in the US are often tame: a screen shot of ticket prices for an NBA game; each seat costing hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.
Back in 2016, I was fortunate enough to be a dedicated Cubs fan. That season, I attended a few dozen games at Wrigley Field (including game five!) and the atmosphere was usually incredible. Of course, the Cubs went on to win the World Series to conclude their storybook season. I recall a few days after they beat Cleveland, while coming off a massive life hangover with Trump winning the election to become president, I had a realization that really cheered me up. The Cubs roster was young and all of the contracts had many years remaining on them. The idea that the Cubs might be a new baseball dynasty, providing me with entertaining ball for years to come, really cheered me up.
As it played out, the Cubs did not maintain their level of excellence and the team ownership pulled their games from television (unless you subscribed to their own service), so I was no longer even able to watch games. I havenāt been much of a Cubs fan since then, but I bring all of this up because perhaps the even bigger reason I lost interest in maintaining my fandom was that going to games was no longer fun! After the team won their first Series in a century, the tickets become hot. Everyone wanted to hang out at Wrigley to watch the lovable no-longer-losers. As a result, ticket prices went way up. Ownership was thrilled and making tons of money, surely. Vast sections of the stadium, once open to anyone, got roped off and turned into special-access sections at elevated prices. All of this change severely rubbed off on the vibe inside the stadium. You could clearly feel it, if you were paying attention, as many people filling the seats no longer were. The wild enthusiasm from the previous season was severely muted and the team struggled to win games.
This idea that expensive things are obviously better is something that I have rejected, thankfully, my entire life. In fact, expensive things are often far worse than whatever you can grab in the discount bin. While my concept of how and why money ruins things is still quite vague and undefined, I do think it goes a long way in explaining why this country, specifically, is going through some shit right now (to put it lightly). Too many people have far too much money. And this is not to say I think socialism is the answer, because I donāt. But clearly you canāt buy taste and right now weāve got thousands of people out there thinking their money can buy whatever influence they want it to without realizing it doesnāt quite work like that.
-Clayton
Busted car, creative decoration. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. July, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Recently I stumbled upon a tweet that really resonated with me. Someone had posted some clips of basketball games in Europe, with wildly enthusiastic fans, loud chanting, dancing, yelling, etc. The poster was wondering why NBA games in the US have nowhere near the same level of enthusiasm. Youād think that the worldās premiere league, in the country basketball was invented, being played by the worldās best players, would inspire fans to raise their level of enthusiasm to match. Brilliantly, someone responded with the most eloquently-simple reply that completely summed up the sole reason crowds in the US are often tame: a screen shot of ticket prices for an NBA game; each seat costing hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.
Back in 2016, I was fortunate enough to be a dedicated Cubs fan. That season, I attended a few dozen games at Wrigley Field (including the game five!) and the atmosphere was usually incredible. Of course, the Cubs went on to win the World Series to conclude their storybook season. I recall a few days after they beat Cleveland, while coming off a massive life hangover with Trump winning the election to become president, I had a realization that really cheered me up. The Cubs roster was young and all of the contracts had many years remaining on them. The idea that the Cubs might be a new baseball dynasty, providing me with entertaining ball for years to come, really cheered me up.
As it played out, the Cubs did not maintain their level of excellence and the team ownership pulled their games from television (unless you subscribed to their own service), so I was no longer even able to watch games. I havenāt been much of a Cubs fan since then, but I bring all of this up because perhaps the even bigger reason I lost interest in maintaining my fandom was that going to games was no longer fun! After the team won their first Series in a century, the tickets become hot. Everyone wanted to hang out at Wrigley to watch the lovable no-longer-losers. As a result, ticket prices went way up. Ownership was thrilled and making tons of money, surely. Vast sections of the stadium, once open to anyone, got roped off and turned into special-access sections at elevated prices. All of this change severely rubbed off on the vibe inside the stadium. You could clearly feel it, if you were paying attention, as many people filling the seats no longer were. The wild enthusiasm from the previous season was severely muted and the team struggled to win games.
This idea that expensive things are obviously better is something that I have rejected, thankfully, my entire life. In fact, expensive things are often far worse than whatever you can grab in the discount bin. While my concept of how and why money ruins things is still quite vague and undefined, I do think it goes a long way in explaining why this country, specifically, is going through some shit right now (to put it lightly). Too many people have far too much money. And this is not to say I think socialism is the answer, because I donāt. But clearly you canāt buy taste and right now weāve got thousands of people out there thinking their money can buy whatever influence they want it to without realizing it doesnāt quite work like that.
So many of us are clinging to our cash, willing to overlook whatever traces of morals we have left after decades of excess, in a desperate attempt to continue to attend bland sporting events.
-Clayton
2024 10 27
Proof of life. Should I become a self-portrait photographer? Probably not. Nice to document the addition of grey hairs, though. Surely I will cherish these moments when all of my hairs are grey. Happy Sunday! Back soon with moreā¦ content.
-Clayton
Itās me. Chicago, Illinois. July, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Proof of life. Should I become a self-portrait photographer? Probably not. Nice to document the addition of grey hairs, though. Surely I will cherish these moments when all of my hairs are grey. Happy Sunday! Back soon with moreā¦ content.
-Clayton
2024 10 26
This weekend, at my studio we:
Hosted a Creative Mornings event with 80 people in attendance
Hosted a honky tonk show for The Bobcat Boys with fifty or so people in attendance
Hosted a party for Show & Tell Me More, an early childhood development online course which films in our space.
Hosted a party for our neighbors to celebrate their childās one-year birthday
I am tired. Good thing itās almost Monday and Iām definitely not posting this a day late after just having watched the Bears lose an otherwise great game (second half, at least) on a bonehead hail mary defense. Having so much programming at the studio is fun but itās very much a full-time job.
-Clayton
Behind the camera during a portrait session at my See You Soon studio. Chicago, Illinois. July, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
This weekend, at my studio we:
Hosted a Creative Mornings event with 80 people in attendance
Hosted a honky tonk show for The Bobcat Boys with fifty or so people in attendance
Hosted a party for Show & Tell Me More, an early childhood development online course which films in our space
Hosted a party for our neighbors to celebrate their childās one-year birthday
I am tired. Good thing itās almost Monday and Iām definitely not posting this a day late after just having watched the Bears lose an otherwise great game (second half, at least) on a bonehead hail mary defense. Having so much programming at the studio is fun but itās very much a full-time job.
-Clayton
2024 10 25
Todayās picture comes from the future! This is because I posted it the day after I was supposed to. Donāt tell anyone.
Depending on how you look at it, though, it was actually early. People seeing this post from a far-away galaxy wonāt have access for it for perhaps millions of years.
My audience is huge on Planet Clayborg in the Zxx3 system.
-Clayton
Star-filled night sky over St Germain, Wisconsin. July, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Todayās picture comes from the future! This is because I posted it the day after I was supposed to. Donāt tell anyone.
Depending on how you look at it, though, it was actually early. People seeing this post from a far-away galaxy wonāt have access for it for perhaps millions of years.
My audience is huge on Planet Clayborg in the Zxx3 system.
-Clayton
2024 10 24
I live at my studio now. I donāt sleep there, but I live there. Itās a nice space and people ask me all the time if I live there. I do, I just happen to leave late at night to go to my second home to sleep before waking up early and returning to the studio. Itās, perhaps, not the most economically-sensible approach to life, but itās what I do.
See you at 7:30am (soon)!
-Clayton
Some filming going on at my studio space. Chicago, Illinois. May, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
I live at my studio now. I donāt sleep there, but I live there. Itās a nice space and people ask me all the time if I live there. I do, I just happen to leave late at night to go to my second home to sleep before waking up early and returning to the studio. Itās, perhaps, not the most economically-sensible approach to life, but itās what I do.
See you at 7:30am (soon)!
-Clayton
2024 10 23
Something that always fascinates me is how fragile life on Earth is. We are doing our best to disrupt the planetās fragile ecosystems, and we do a great job of it, but beyond our own stupidity, itās remarkable that life on Earth exists at all! We would not be here without the moon, for example, which stabilizes and calms our planetās orbit and allows for the seasons, giving us time to grow crops and smell the flowers.
This morning, I read another fascinating bit of information that would also be a deal-breaker for us had science decided to act just a bit differently. That is ā ice.
Most of the time, when an element in a liquid state transforms into its solid state, it gets much smaller and more dense. Water (H20), on the other hand, expands when it solidifies. This scientific anomaly is another in many that allow us humans to exist at all. Had ice followed the rules and shrunk as it formed, it wouldnāt float. If ice were to sink, the worldās oceans wouldāve fully solidified and life on Earth would not be possible, or at the very least, would have been a whole lot more difficult and we would probably be single-cell organisms, frolicking in the ice while attempting to figure out how to migrate to land.
-Clayton
Chased a waterfall. Starved Rock State Park, Illinois. March, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Something that always fascinates me is how fragile life on Earth is. We are doing our best to disrupt the planetās fragile ecosystems, and we do a great job of it, but beyond our own stupidity, itās remarkable that life on Earth exists at all! We would not be here without the moon, for example, which stabilizes and calms our planetās orbit and allows for the seasons, giving us time to grow crops and smell the flowers.
This morning, I read another fascinating bit of information that would also be a deal-breaker for us had science decided to act just a bit differently. That is ā ice.
Most of the time, when an element in a liquid state transforms into its solid state, it gets much smaller and more dense. Water (H20), on the other hand, expands when it solidifies. This scientific anomaly is another in many that allow us humans to exist at all. Had ice followed the rules and shrunk as it formed, it wouldnāt float. If ice were to sink, the worldās oceans wouldāve fully solidified and life on Earth would not be possible, or at the very least, would have been a whole lot more difficult and we would probably be single-cell organisms, frolicking in the ice while attempting to figure out how to migrate to land.
-Clayton
2024 10 22
Here is another film image made this summer. I must say, film does have a little way with making mundane images just that much better. This same angle as seen from a digital camera would likely not make it to this here blog. The on-camera flash also adds an interesting element while mixed with the nice end-of-day light in the background.
I wish I hadnāt fully given up on film a decade ago and only now re-started shooting some film, now that it is a trendy and expensive way to make mundane images just a smidge more interesting.
-Clayton
An alley tree. Chicago, Illinois. July, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Here is another film image made this summer. I must say, film does have a little way with making mundane images just that much better. This same angle as seen from a digital camera would likely not make it to this here blog. The on-camera flash also adds an interesting element while mixed with the nice end-of-day light in the background.
I wish I hadnāt fully given up on film a decade ago and only now re-started shooting some film, now that it is a trendy and expensive way to make mundane images just a smidge more interesting.
-Clayton
2024 10 21
Lately Iāve been doing too much. Or, better put, Iāve been trying to do too much. Spreading myself too thin. The blog has suffered as a result, nearly missing some days and putting in bare minimum effort others. Iāve missed writing my Morning Pages more days than not. I find Iām most successful in life when I focus my attention into one or two things. This blog isnāt a thing because Iām trying to make it into a business, but it is a thing because Iām using it to focus my attention on something. Get my thoughts down onto digital paper. And to keep me motivated to make and share new images. It has been successful at times and less so at others.
There are a few more in-depth posts I will make a priority to share this week when Iām not busy doing my ārealā jobs. Today, we are filming a documentary project as part of my slow and reluctant pivot towards video. Wednesday I am photographing a different project. Otherwise I am printing, working on art, working on a book shop, studio managing, event planning, life planning, invoicing, catching up on my personal life. Itās all too much, really. Iām starting to get the sense that if I continue to try and carry all of these bags, Iām going to drop them.
We recently lost a few photography jobs because we were too expensive. Today, we took a call with a prospective client who is looking for someone cheaper then their existing photographer partner. It all feels a bit too on the nose. Itās like life is delivering me a clear choice and I need to decide which path I will go down. Work for less or work less.
-Clayton
Eve of Funeral Potatoes in the kitchen at Moonflower. Chicago, Illinois. July, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Lately Iāve been doing too much. Or, better put, Iāve been trying to do too much. Spreading myself too thin. The blog has suffered as a result, nearly missing some days and putting in bare minimum effort others. Iāve missed writing my Morning Pages more days than not. I find Iām most successful in life when I focus my attention into one or two things. This blog isnāt a thing because Iām trying to make it into a business, but it is a thing because Iām using it to focus my attention on something. Get my thoughts down onto digital paper. And to keep me motivated to make and share new images. It has been successful at times and less so at others.
There are a few more in-depth posts I will make a priority to share this week when Iām not busy doing my ārealā jobs. Today, we are filming a documentary project as part of my slow and reluctant pivot towards video. Wednesday I am photographing a different project. Otherwise I am printing, working on art, working on a book shop, a bar, a creative studio, studio managing, event planning, life planning, invoicing, catching up on my personal life. Itās all too much, really. Iām starting to get the sense that if I continue to try and carry all of these bags, Iām going to drop them.
We recently lost a few photography jobs because we were too expensive. Today, we took a call with a prospective client who is looking for someone cheaper than their existing long-term photographer partner. It all feels a bit too on the nose. Itās like life is delivering me a clear choice and I need to decide which path I will go down. Work for less or work less.
Allison & I had a very nice dinner at Houndstooth last week. While the food was delicious, my biggest takeaway was how calm and orderly the kitchen prepared our food while we sat and watched at the chefās counter. It was inspiring! It made me dream of a life so structured and orderlyā¦ being able to do something youāre passionate about in a calm and sustaining manner. But as is always the case in life, thereās so much more going on behind the scenes, for the better and for the worse, in order to be able to get to a place of such stability.
-Clayton
2024 10 20
I love wandering this vast country by car but dislike the complete compartmentalization of out society. Everything is a brand and a logo, high up on a stick to grab your attention as you whizz by in your mass produced metal box on wheels. At night, the stray cats come out and live a life of freedom and adventure while the truck drivers nap in their cabs. Tomorrow, they will get the boxes filled with SKUs to the big box shops to refill the shelves and keep society lubricated.
-Clayton
No pets. Somewhere in Pennsylvania. July, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
I love wandering this vast country by car but dislike the complete compartmentalization of our society. Everything is a brand and a logo, high up on a stick to grab your attention as you whizz by in your mass produced metal box on wheels. At night, the stray cats come out and live a life of freedom and adventure while the truck drivers nap in their cabs. Tomorrow, they will get the boxes filled with SKUs to the big box shops to refill the shelves and keep society lubricated.
-Clayton
2024 10 19
While out on a short getaway this week, I came to a realization that in the near future, everyone will be have a bed & breakfast. Itās really the perfect job for participants in todayās manic economy. You have not one measly job but quite literally all of the jobs, while being fully responsible for participating them twenty-four hours a day, three-hundred and sixty-five days a year (you get one day off every four years on February 29th).
I joke, but the joke it deeply rooted in my own reality. Photographers first and foremost need to be skilled not in the act of making nice images but in sales and marketing (along with finance, studio managing, tax accounting, law, etc). They donāt teach you this in art school, of course. The fun stuff (making photos) is a shockingly small portion of the time you spend being a photographer. If you are good enough at sales, you can get enough paid jobs to save up enough money, buy a dilapidated building in a small but charming midwest town, and then live the good life as full-time inn operator.
-Clayton
Photographers wear many hats. See You Soon. Chicago, Illinois. July, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
While out on a short getaway this week, I came to a realization that in the near future, everyone will be have a bed & breakfast. Itās really the perfect job for participants in todayās manic economy. You have not one measly job but quite literally all of the jobs, while being fully responsible for participating in them twenty-four hours a day, three-hundred and sixty-five days a year (you get one day off every four years on February 29th).
I joke, but the joke is deeply rooted in my own reality. Photographers first and foremost need to be skilled not in the act of making nice images but in sales and marketing (along with client relations, finance, studio managing, tax accounting, law, etc). They donāt teach you this in art school, of course. The fun stuff (making photos) is a shockingly small portion of the time you spend being a photographer. If you are good enough at sales, you can get enough paid jobs to save up enough money, buy a dilapidated building in a small but charming midwest town, and then live the good life as full-time inn operator.
-Clayton
2024 10 18
Missed another post yesterday. The excuse is that my wife and I were out and about all dang day! We started the morning in Douglas, Michigan where we had a fabulous dinner the night before. This was followed by Saugatuck, Benton Harbor, St Joseph, Sawyer, and rural destinations in between. Iāve always been more of a Wisconsin guy, largely because my family is from there, however we both loved and kinda fell for Michigan. The sunset over the lake is an added bonus that is hard to beat for someone used to living across the pond. Silly analogies aside, the natural landscapes and charming towns in the Saugatuck area really had me feeling like we have a little slice of Europe right here in America.
-Clayton
Cool ride, bro. Chicago, Illinois. July, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Missed another post yesterday. The excuse is that my wife and I were out and about all dang day! We started the morning in Douglas, Michigan where we had a fabulous dinner the night before. This was followed by Saugatuck, Benton Harbor, St Joseph, Sawyer, and rural destinations in between. Iāve always been more of a Wisconsin guy, largely because my family is from there, however we both loved and kinda fell for Michigan. The sunset over the lake is an added bonus that is hard to beat for someone used to living across the pond. Silly analogies aside, the natural landscapes and charming towns in the Saugatuck area really had me feeling like we have a little slice of Europe right here in America.
-Clayton
2024 10 17
I like this image but hadnāt posted it, mostly because there was a sliver of a personās head poking out behind the woman and it really annoyed me. Figuring I would scrap it, I gave Photoshopās generative fill a chance to remove the face, thinking it wouldnāt do a great job because of all the hair and building texture involved. It was nearly perfectly removed on the first try.
I continue to have complicated feelings towards Ai, however, it is clear itās not going away. Itās also clear many jobs will be going away as a result (I still think, while the creative job losses are most obvious now, it will be the non-creative job losses that will really change society in ways we canāt yet imagine). Iām not making any profound statements here. Everyone knows this, but figured Iād post it as a quiet little reminder that I need to get my ass some better Ai training to help me āfixā my commercial photos.
-Clayton
Two people pose for a portrait in Pilsen. Chicago, Illinois. June, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
I like this image but hadnāt posted it, mostly because there was a sliver of a personās head poking out behind the woman and it really annoyed me. Figuring I would scrap it, I gave Photoshopās generative fill a chance to remove the face, thinking it wouldnāt do a great job because of all the hair and building texture involved. It was nearly perfectly removed on the first try.
I continue to have complicated feelings towards Ai, however, it is clear itās not going away. Itās also clear many jobs will be going away as a result (I still think, while the creative job losses are most obvious now, it will be the non-creative job losses that will really change society in ways we canāt yet imagine). Iām not making any profound statements here. Everyone knows this, but figured Iād post it as a quiet little reminder that I need to get my ass some better Ai training to help me āfixā my commercial photos.
-Clayton
2024 10 16
Sadly, Iām here to announce the end of this here blog. While we didnāt quite hit our goal of one year of continuous daily blogging, I think we should be proud of the two-hundred and eighty some odd days we did complete!
For those of you who are curious about why the sudden end is necessary, let me explain. Today I was offered a job I couldnāt say no to. The Listerine company has a viral marketing division and Iāve accepted the role of clandestine marketer for the Chicago region. Basically, my job will be to attend six to ten karaoke events nightly and sing Bushās hit song āGlycerineā, while humorously swapping out the title word for that of my new employer, Americaās best mouthwash brand, Listerine. Perks of the job include free mouth mash and one draft beer at each location to help me blend in with the crowd. Iām excited for the opportunity to push the Listerine brand forward and help America keep our teeth looking sparkly clean. Also, if youād be so kind to follow my TikTok account @BushMegaFanG, I would super appreciate it. If I get a post to go viral, I get really nice job perks, such as lunch with the CEO at Applebeeās or additional drink tickets, which I can also trade in for their cash value if I decide not to consume the alcohol and instead sneak a decoy beer container into the bar to appear like a regular customer.
Anyway. Thanks so much for stopping by and Iāll see you at karaoke!!
-BushMegaFanG
Bar whoopsie. Ocean City, Maryland. September, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Sadly, Iām here to announce the end of this here blog. While we didnāt quite hit our goal of one year of continuous daily blogging, I think we should be proud of the two-hundred and eighty some odd days we did complete!
For those of you who are curious about why the sudden end is necessary, let me explain. Today I was offered a job I couldnāt say no to. The Listerine company has a viral marketing division and Iāve accepted the role of clandestine marketer for the Chicago region. Basically, my job will be to attend six to ten karaoke events nightly and sing Bushās hit song āGlycerineā, while humorously swapping out the title word for that of my new employer, Americaās best mouthwash brand, Listerine. Perks of the job include free mouth mash and one draft beer at each location to help me blend in with the crowd. Iām excited for the opportunity to push the Listerine brand forward and help America keep our teeth looking sparkly clean. Also, if youād be so kind to follow my TikTok account @BushMegaFanG, I would super appreciate it. If I get a post to go viral, I get really nice job perks, such as lunch with the CEO at Applebeeās or additional drink tickets, which I can also trade in for their cash value if I decide not to consume the alcohol and instead sneak a decoy beer container into the bar to appear like a regular customer.
Anyway. Thanks so much for stopping by and Iāll see you at karaoke!!
-BushMegaFanG
2024 10 15
Relying on any one source for a majority of your information intake is never a good idea, no matter how fair and balanced that source is. Yesterday morning, on twitter, I read a demoralized tweet from a buddy about how Kamalaās campaign was focusing way too much on catering to Jeb Bush Republicans. Reading this plunged me into a hole of despair. He was right, thereās no enthusiasm and she is not doing enough to get out there and convince new voters she can be the change candidate or excite existing voters to actually show up to the polls! Or so I thought, likely because all of the shit Iāve been reading on twitter has seeped into my brain and caused me to believe the situation is as grim as it is.
Iāve always been someone who likes to explore all sides to a story, to see every perspective. Iām strong enough not to allow clear narrative manipulation to rub off on me, right?
Later that night, while working late at the studio, I got a push notification from WSJ about how drones have been flying over military installations for weeks now and The Pentagon has no idea where they are coming fromāpossibly from space (!!!). This is the kind of headline that a decade ago wouldāve made people very curious to learn more but now usually gets completely ignored. It was exciting to think about how, when I got home, I could open up what has become a mecca for conspiracy theorists (twitter) to get all the ātakesā on what is actually going on. Surely if the mainstream media and US military are openly reporting on it, there has to be a ton of people looking into it. I shut down the computer and headed home.
Arriving home, I was distracted with dinner waiting for me and Bobās Burgers so forgot about the drone attack report for a few hours. Then, we switched on CNN and they were doing a big segment on the election. Immediately, I was releived. The coverage of Kamalaās campaign was far more positive than twitter (of course) but it also seemed like she was doing well and saying the right things. Positive and enthusiastic. Their campaign strategy is clearly less traditional, and likely for good reason, however, it seems to be giving the appearance to some of us (me!) that sheās not out there enough ā front-and-center. The problem is, front-and-center is now inside our pockets and different for everyone. You can run an entire presidential campaign from your basement (Joe Biden proved it!) and probably win if youāre hitting the right podcasts and youtube channels.
Finally, I remembered the push notification and opened the twitter app, excited to hear more. It was crickets. Nothing. I had to search and still had a hard time finding anyone talking about the mysterious surveillance drones circling military bases. Crazy allegations about Tim Walz were plentiful, however. Brutal fights and car crashes and gun battles plentiful. People dying right in front of my eyes. Twitter has become the gnarly video repository to show everyone the proof that everything Trump and Fox News says is true. They are eating the cats. They are destroying the cities. They are controlling the weather and stealing our land. They are killing and sex trafficking the children. Of course, some of this stuff is happening (shoutout Diddy!) but if you spend too much time on twitter, as I do, you start to feel like itās happening all around you. It seeps into your brain, even if you know what theyāre doing and think youāre strong enough to combat it.
-Clayton
Where we are headed. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. September, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Relying on any one source for a majority of your information intake is never a good idea, no matter how fair and balanced that source is. Yesterday morning, on twitter, I read a demoralized tweet from a buddy about how Kamalaās campaign was focusing way too much on catering to Jeb Bush Republicans. Reading this plunged me into a hole of despair. He was right, thereās no enthusiasm and she is not doing enough to get out there and convince new voters she can be the change candidate or excite existing voters to actually show up to the polls! Or so I thought, likely because all of the shit Iāve been reading on twitter has seeped into my brain and caused me to believe the situation is as grim as it is.
Iāve always been someone who likes to explore all sides to a story, to see every perspective. Iām strong enough not to allow clear narrative manipulation to rub off on me, right?
Later that night, while working late at the studio, I got a push notification from WSJ about how drones have been flying over military installations for weeks now and The Pentagon has no idea where they are coming fromāpossibly from space (!!!). This is the kind of headline that a decade ago wouldāve made people very curious to learn more but now usually gets completely ignored. It was exciting to think about how, when I got home, I could open up what has become a mecca for conspiracy theorists (twitter) to get all the ātakesā on what is actually going on. Surely if the mainstream media and US military are openly reporting on it, there has to be a ton of people looking into it. I shut down the computer and headed home.
Arriving home, I was distracted with dinner waiting for me and Bobās Burgers so forgot about the drone attack report for a few hours. Then, we switched on CNN and they were doing a big segment on the election. Immediately, I was releived. The coverage of Kamalaās campaign was far more positive than twitter (of course) but it also seemed like she was doing well and saying the right things. Positive and enthusiastic. Their campaign strategy is clearly less traditional, and likely for good reason, however, it seems to be giving the appearance to some of us (me!) that sheās not out there enough ā front-and-center. The problem is, front-and-center is now inside our pockets and different for everyone. You can run an entire presidential campaign from your basement (Joe Biden proved it!) and probably win if youāre hitting the right podcasts and youtube channels.
Finally, I remembered the push notification and opened the twitter app, excited to hear more. It was crickets. Nothing. I had to search and still had a hard time finding anyone talking about the mysterious surveillance drones circling military bases. Crazy allegations about Tim Walz were plentiful, however. Brutal fights and car crashes and gun battles plentiful. People dying right in front of my eyes. Twitter has become the gnarly video repository to show everyone the proof that everything Trump and Fox News says is true. They are eating the cats. They are destroying the cities. They are controlling the weather and stealing our land. They are killing and sex trafficking the children. Of course, some of this stuff is happening (shoutout Diddy!) but if you spend too much time on twitter, as I do, you start to feel like itās happening all around you. It seeps into your brain, even if you know what theyāre doing and think youāre strong enough to combat it.
-Clayton
2024 10 14
Lee Friedlander is a favorite of mine. I stumbled upon this nice video, linked below, while avoiding watching football on Sunday afternoon. While Iāve always been attracted to Friendlanderās images, I havenāt put much effort into getting to know the man. Thatās the case for me, generally, when it comes to historic photographer figures. I think a part of it is a worry that getting to know them as people will take away a bit of the magic. Perhaps itās that Iām lazy and making excuses.
āArt is too big a word for me. It has too many letters in it.ā
ā Lee Friedlander
Lee was a bit of a rascal, it seems, which shows in his work and gives it personality. I often wonder what it is that gives talented photographers an edge and makes their work stand out. I also often wonder if my special skills arenāt accidental and knowing more about the craft and its masters will only reveal me as a fraud. As I get older, Iām coming to realize this is self-sabotage and I would be better served knowing, learning from, and embracing the people I am most impressed with.
āIt seems to me if you had the answer why ask the question? The thing is there are so many questions. I wonder what it is going to look like if I stand here or if I stand there. I donāt know. If fifty years of doing it meant that every time you picked up the camera you made a good one you wouldnāt have to take many. I make a lot of stupid pictures. Most of them are stupid because Iām trying to figure where to be or where to focus. I donāt think the problems area any different now. I grow wiser as time passes only because I know a little bit more about what is possible, only because Iāve done it for so long. I am used to being a craftsman. But maybe itās not that. Maybe itās infatuation. Age has no patent on infatuation.ā
ā Lee Friedlander
It would be smart of me to start a casual little series of posts investigating works of other photographers. This youtube channel is a great starting point, as Graeme is clearly full of knowledge and has a great eye for strong images. I previously wrote about his video covering another favorite, Nadav Kander (see: 2024 04 01). Now I just need to make some better images to go along with these posts about the all-time greats.
Additionally, this interview was where I pulled the two quotes and is worth a read.
-Clayton
Another busted car. Chicago, Illinois. May, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Lee Friedlander is a favorite of mine. I stumbled upon this nice video, linked below, while avoiding watching football on Sunday afternoon. While Iāve always been attracted to Friendlanderās images, I havenāt put much effort into getting to know the man. Thatās the case for me, generally, when it comes to historic photographer figures. I think a part of it is a worry that getting to know them as people will take away a bit of the magic. Perhaps itās that Iām lazy and making excuses.
āArt is too big a word for me. It has too many letters in it.ā
Lee was a bit of a rascal, it seems, which shows in his work and gives it personality. I often wonder what it is that gives talented photographers an edge and makes their work stand out. I also often wonder if my special skills arenāt accidental and knowing more about the craft and its masters will only reveal me as a fraud. As I get older, Iām coming to realize this is self-sabotage and I would be better served knowing, learning from, and embracing the people I am most impressed with.
āIt seems to me if you had the answer why ask the question? The thing is there are so many questions. I wonder what it is going to look like if I stand here or if I stand there.Ā I donāt know. If fifty years of doing it meant that every time you picked up the camera you made a good one you wouldnāt have to take many. I make a lot of stupid pictures. Most of them are stupid because Iām trying to figure where to be or where to focus. I donāt think the problems area any different now. I grow wiser as time passes only because I know a little bit more about what is possible, only because Iāve done it for so long. I am used to being a craftsman. But maybe itās not that. Maybe itās infatuation. Age has no patent on infatuation.ā
It would be smart of me to start a casual little series of posts investigating works of other photographers. This youtube channel is a great starting point, as Graeme is clearly full of knowledge and has a great eye for strong images. I previously wrote about his video covering another favorite, Nadav Kander (see: 2024 04 01). Now I just need to make some better images to go along with these posts about the all-time greats.
Additionally, this interview was where I pulled the two quotes and is worth a read.
-Clayton
2024 10 13
Off day today. That said, I woke up early and watched the worldās largest rocket launch and then immediately land back on the tower it launched from. Space X is truly game-changing technology and, I think, far less appreciated (for better or for worse) than it should be. The things they are now making routine will change the world in ways we canāt yet imagine, far beyond simply putting things into space or going to Mars.
-Clayton
Chilling on the lake. St Germain, Wisconsin. July, 2024. Ā© Clayton Hauck
Off day today. That said, I woke up early and watched the worldās largest rocket launch and then immediately land back on the tower it launched from. Space X is truly game-changing technology and, I think, far less appreciated (for better or for worse) than it should be. The things they are now making routine will change the world in ways we canāt yet imagine, far beyond simply putting things into space or going to Mars.
-Clayton