Clayton Hauck 4/25/24 Clayton Hauck 4/25/24

2024 04 25

When it comes to making photos, I’ve tended to be pretty vanilla throughout my professional career. Basically, whatever the most recent pro-level Canon SLR body is on the market is what I’ve used with little to no variation. Sure, I love their cameras (hit me about about a sponsorship!) and they do pretty much exactly what I need them to do, however, this was a mistake. Thankfully, I’ve been fully embracing using different tools for different jobs lately. After purchasing my first Ricoh and basically carrying it with me in my pocket everywhere I go, my horizons have been expanded and I’ve seen the light. Even now, after over a year of constant use and abuse, that the camera has an ever noticeable layer of dust lining the sensor, I’m finding myself not much annoyed about it. The dust, while yes maybe not ideal in most situations, also adds a bit of uniqueness to each image, like the imperfections of film or making a photograph through a window or reflective surface. Basically, finding ways to turn otherwise ordinary images into something that has a bit more character.

It’s been a trend for a few years now that photojournalists covering boring political assignments will use fun optical tricks to spice up otherwise bland photos of old, white, male politicians standing up on a stage in front of a mic. Using an iphone to add a mirrored reflection; shooting through sparkley stuff to add visual interest. Soon, I imagine, you’ll see presidential press conferences (if we ever have those again) covered by the New York Times using a busted Holga with funky light leaks because, why not? It’s different.

-Clayton

When it comes to making photos, I’ve tended to be pretty vanilla throughout my professional career from an equipment perspective. Basically, whatever the most recent pro-level Canon SLR body is on the market is what I’ve used with little to no variation, aside from mixing up my editing style. Sure, I love their cameras (reach out about about sponsorship opportunities!) and they do pretty much exactly what I need them to do, however, this was a mistake. Thankfully, I’ve been fully embracing using different tools for different jobs lately. After purchasing my first Ricoh (reach out about about sponsorship opportunities!) and basically carrying it with me in my pocket everywhere I go, my horizons have been expanded and I’ve seen the light! Even now (after over a year of constant use and abuse) that the camera has an ever noticeable layer of dust lining the sensor, forcing me to shoot everything at f2.8, I’m finding myself not much annoyed about it. The dust, while yes maybe not ideal in most situations, also adds a bit of uniqueness to each image, like the imperfections of film or making a photograph through a window or reflective surface. Basically, finding ways to turn otherwise ordinary images into something that has a bit more character.

It’s been a trend for a few years now that photojournalists covering boring political assignments will use fun optical tricks to spice up otherwise bland photos of old, white, male politicians standing on a stage in front of a mic. Using an iphone to add a mirrored reflection; shooting through sparkley stuff to add visual interest; greasing up your lens with a bit of spray tan. Soon, I imagine, you’ll see presidential press conferences (if we ever have those again) covered by the New York Times using a busted Holga (reach out about about sponsorship opportunities!) with funky light leaks because, why not? It’s different.

-Clayton

Clayton Hauck 2/2/24 Clayton Hauck 2/2/24

2024 02 02

So why Pointing at Stuff, anyway?

The name hit me as being quite a brilliant way of looking at photography. “Photography is like pointing at things you see in life,” as observed by Richard Avedon and noted by myself while reading What Becomes a Legend Most, a biography of Avedon by Philip Gefter. Pointingatthings.com was not available but this domain was, so I went with stuff.

More recently, I came across another bit of Avedon wisdom via the great podcast A Small Voice: Conversations With Photographers. In episode 195 Ben talks with photographer Aaron Schuman about a time when Aaron wrote to Richard Avedon, inviting him to his simple college exhibition. Avedon wrote back, apologizing for being too busy to attend, but added:

“The only advice I have is that you do something connected to photography every day of your life and you’ll be surprised what happens.”

— Richard Avedon

Aaron took this advice to heart, saturating his life with things connected to photography (reading about it, attending exhibitions, talking with friends, studying, interning, assisting, etc) opposed to “constantly making pictures without reflecting on them.”

Admittedly, I tend to be the guy constatnly making pictures without reflecting on them. This blog is a small way to expand my photography vision into things beyond the act of making pictures.