2024 05 10
Someone posted that Steve Albini had more effect on Chicago than most mayors do, and thatâs probably true. I never knew Steve, never met him, was aware of his existence and importance but vastly under-appreciated it until yesterday, when he sadly died far too soon. The entirety of my social feeds were flooded with Albini stories and memories, which was a joy to take in.
Albini most recently lived in the Ravenswood Gardens neighborhood. He told the Columbia College blog âIn the Loopâ why he stayed in Chicago in a 2017 interview:
âThereâs not a lot of bloodthirsty competition in Chicago. In places like New York and L.A. the cost of living is so high and the the notion of âindustryâ is much more cemented. In L.A. there is a pop music industry, in New York there is a pop music industry, and thereâs competition to be part of that. The competition to beat other people to the brass ring or whatever, and I never get that feeling in Chicago.â
I loved this take about why Steve chose to stay in Chicago after finding fame in recording massively successful rock albums and I think it helps summarize why Chicagoans hold Steve in such high regard. He was a complex figure who did not take bullshit from anyone and was not afraid to call people out for anything he deemed wrong, which is not a personality type that tends to do well within the power structures of big time America among the coastal elites.
If you, like me, were not well versed in Albini and his brain, do yourself a favor and dig into him some more. Listen to his albums. Read some of his thoughts.
This Baffler piece, for example, written in 1993 is an epic takedown of the extreme power structures which built up around mainstream music, designed to suck as much money out of the artists as it possibly could. His writing style is direct, strong, and punchy! đ
The official Nirvana twitter account posted the 4-page letter he wrote to the band before recording In Utero with them and itâs an incredible read illustrating a wonderful piece of history. Check it out via the tweet linked below.
Rest in noise, Steve. Thanks for being you.
-Clayton
Old van that sits by my house collecting parking tickets. Chicago, Illinois. March, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
Someone posted that Steve Albini had more effect on Chicago than most mayors do, and thatâs probably true. I never knew Steve, never met him, was aware of his existence and importance but vastly under-appreciated it until yesterday, when he sadly died far too soon. The entirety of my social feeds were flooded with Albini stories and memories, which was a joy to take in.
Albini most recently lived in the Ravenswood Gardens neighborhood. He told the Columbia College blog âIn the Loopâ why he stayed in Chicago in a 2017 interview:
âThereâs not a lot of bloodthirsty competition in Chicago. In places like New York and L.A. the cost of living is so high and the the notion of âindustryâ is much more cemented. In L.A. there is a pop music industry, in New York there is a pop music industry, and thereâs competition to be part of that. The competition to beat other people to the brass ring or whatever, and I never get that feeling in Chicago.â
I loved this take about why Steve chose to stay in Chicago after finding fame in recording massively successful rock albums and I think it helps summarize why Chicagoans hold Steve in such high regard. He was a complex figure who did not take bullshit from anyone and was not afraid to call people out for anything he deemed wrong, which is not a personality type that tends to do well within the power structures of big time America among the coastal elites.
If you, like me, were not well versed in Albini and his brain, do yourself a favor and dig into him some more. Listen to his albums. Read some of his thoughts.
This Baffler piece, for example, written in 1993 is an epic takedown of the extreme power structures which built up around mainstream music, designed to suck as much money out of the artists as it possibly could. His writing style is direct, strong, and punchy! đ
The official Nirvana twitter account posted the 4-page letter he wrote to the band before recording In Utero with them and itâs an incredible read illustrating a wonderful piece of history. Check it out via the tweet linked below.
Rest in noise, Steve. Thanks for being you.
-Clayton
2024 05 09
Iâm taking a break from listening to Kendrick Lamarâs âNot Like Usâ diss track on repeat to post this blog entry. The song is incredible and so full of detail, things are still emerging after a few dozen listens. My dumb brain, prone to overthinking, interpreted the âA-minorâ line as an insult that Drake likes to use the same key all the time (yeah, Iâm dumb, and also not really familiar with Drakeâs music). The song is a layered art piece that evolves over time and seemingly has the whole world talking about it.
Further detail about this line from genius:
Lastly, on a piano, both the A-Minor chord and scale donât have any black keys, only white ones. Additionally, the A-Minor scale is considered to be the easiest scale to learn as a beginner in music theory.
At the very end of the line, the main beat cuts out and switches to a jazz tune for a few secondsâthis might be a reference to this popular tweet by comedian Zack Fox:
@zachfox: kendrick bout to call him a pedophile over some free jazz
Also, how crazy is it that this beef has already led to someone getting shot and how little people seem to care. Did the shooting even happen? Iâm not sure. And if it did, it doesnât matter. Nothing matters. There are way too many distractions and shit happening for us to collectively care about almost anything anymore, so when a song breaks through the clutter to catch the attention of the world, itâs a big deal.
Some artists are motivated by hate. It seems like Kendrick is at his best when heâs being attacked. Some of my best motivation has come from people not believing in me. It makes me wonder if this is why Iâm usually drawn to darker themes and embrace negativity, acknowledging itâs real and natural, opposed to portraying the world only though a bright, colorful, and optimistic lens. When you embrace the darkness, it makes the light moments all the more profound.
Am I making any sense here?
-Clayton
Woman finds the light in downtown Chicago, Illinois. April, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
Iâm taking a break from listening to Kendrick Lamarâs âNot Like Usâ diss track on repeat to post this blog entry. The song is incredible and so full of detail, things are still emerging after a few dozen listens. My dumb brain, prone to overthinking, at first interpreted the âA-minorâ line as an insult that Drake likes to use the same key all the time (yeah, Iâm dumb, and also not really familiar with Drakeâs music). Then, when it clicked, the song sizzled a little bit more! Itâs a layered art piece that evolves over time and seemingly has the whole world talking about it.
âŠFurther detail about this line from genius:
Lastly, on a piano, both the A-Minor chord and scale donât have any black keys, only white ones. Additionally, the A-Minor scale is considered to be the easiest scale to learn as a beginner in music theory.
At the very end of the line, the main beat cuts out and switches to a jazz tune for a few secondsâthis might be a reference to this popular tweet by comedian Zack Fox:
@zachfox: kendrick bout to call him a pedophile over some free jazz
Also, how crazy is it that this beef has already led to someone getting shot and how little people seem to care. Did the shooting even happen? Iâm not sure. And if it did, it doesnât matter. Nothing matters. There are way too many distractions and shit happening for us to collectively care about almost anything anymore, so when a song breaks through the clutter to catch the attention of the world, itâs a big deal.
Some artists are motivated by hate. It seems like Kendrick is at his best when heâs being attacked. Some of my best motivation has come from people not believing in me. It makes me wonder if this is why Iâm usually drawn to darker themes and embrace negativity, acknowledging itâs real and natural, opposed to portraying the world only though a bright, colorful, and optimistic lens. When you embrace the darkness, it makes the light moments all the more profound.
Am I making any sense here? Probably not. Back to listening, I go.
-Clayton
2024 05 04
This blog post is being written from my studio office, which is inside the Kimball Arts Center. Before I signed the lease on this space, I spent a few years searching, scheming, and dreaming about buying a building which Iâd then convert into my own space. This building, pictured here for sale off Elston Avenue, is kind of exactly what I was looking for. The problem was, anything I could find that fit what I needed was either a) well over a million dollars and out of my budget or b) so far away from anywhere I wanted to be that it didnât make sense.
One building popped up and looked promising, however, I knew it would need some work (as they all do) so hired a brick guy to come out and look at the space with me. Upon arrival, he told me heâd crossed the street to avoid walking next to said building because the condition was so bad he figured the top my topple over at any moment. I got the point and didnât make an offer on the $400,000 property, which seemed like a great deal at the time.
Before we got to this point, Iâd gone to scout out the building and the surrounding area myself. While wandering the nearby alley, a man yelled to get my attention from a dark rear vestibule. Clearly a man down on his luck, sleeping on the floor with a wheel chair next to him, my suspicions were high but I nonetheless approached him cautiously. He asked me to help him get up into his chair. This is when I noticed he didnât have any legs and the only way he was going to get back into his chair was with the help of someone passing by, such as myself in this moment.
What do you do at this point? Your only choices are to make some jumbled excuse and leave the man helpless on the ground or do your best to get him back up into his chair, so that is what I did. Thatâs the story of how I held a homeless man in my arms while trying to scout some cheap real estate to fulfill my professional photography career dreams.
Fellow photographer Noah Kalina recently joked on social media that the only ways to get rich in photography these days are to either win a copyright infringement lawsuit or buy real estate in Soho in the 1980âs. So funny, sad, and true.
That building is still standing, however, the ornate stone crown atop the structure, which my inspector was worried would collapse, was nowhere to be seen the last time I drove past. Be careful where youâre walking.
-Clayton
A man walks down Elston Avenue. Chicago, Illinois. March, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
This blog post is being written from my studio office, which is inside the Kimball Arts Center. Before I signed the lease on this space, I spent a few years searching, scheming, and dreaming about buying a building which Iâd then convert into my own space. This building, pictured here for sale off Elston Avenue, is kind of exactly what I was looking for. The problem was, anything I could find that fit what I needed was either a) well over a million dollars and out of my budget or b) so far away from anywhere I wanted to be that it didnât make sense.
One building popped up and looked promising, however, I knew it would need some work (as they all do) so hired a brick guy to come out and look at the space with me. Upon arrival, he told me heâd crossed the street to avoid walking next to said building because the condition was so bad he figured the top might topple over at any moment. I got the point and didnât make an offer on the $400,000 property, which seemed like a great deal at the time.
Before we got to this point, Iâd gone to scout out the building and the surrounding area myself. While wandering the nearby alley, a man yelled to get my attention from a dark rear vestibule. Clearly a man down on his luck, sleeping on the floor with a wheel chair next to him, my suspicions were high but I nonetheless approached him cautiously. He asked me to help him get up into his chair. This is when I noticed he didnât have any legs and the only way he was going to get back into his chair was with the help of someone passing by, such as myself in this moment.
What do you do at this point? Your only choices are to make some jumbled excuse and leave the man helpless on the ground or do your best to get him back up into his chair, so that is what I did. Thatâs the story of how I held a homeless man in my arms while trying to scout some cheap real estate to fulfill my professional photography career dreams.
Fellow photographer Noah Kalina recently joked on social media that the only ways to get rich in photography these days are to either win a copyright infringement lawsuit or buy real estate in SoHo in the 1980âs. So funny, sad, and true.
That building is still standing, however, the ornate stone crown atop the structure, which my inspector was worried would collapse, was nowhere to be seen the last time I drove past. Be careful where youâre walking.
-Clayton
2024 05 03
Iâve returned from my big job in Atlanta and catching up on things. Maybe Iâll write more about photographing big production assignments sometime. Itâs a fairly fascinating job. We took over an $800,000,000 airplane for the day, brought 40 people and a dozen trucks filled with endless stuff onto the busy airport tarmac, placed our âsunâ lights onto a giant lift platform to get them high into the sky, and then ran through seven scenarios as if we were enjoying a flight 30,000 ft in the sky when in fact we were safely down on earth. While everything is being faked, I pride myself on making everything feel as real and authentic (creative director buzz word alert!) as we possibly can.
Speaking of creative directors on big production assignments: this is Zach skateboarding at Slappy Curb outside my See You Soon studio. We met last year on a big production job and one fun fact about him is he does not have any social media accounts. How amazing is that?!?
-Clayton
Slappy Curb in late afternoon sunlight. Chicago, Illinois. March, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
Iâve returned from my big job in Atlanta and am catching up on things. Maybe Iâll write more about photographing big production assignments sometime. Itâs a fairly fascinating job. We took over an $800,000,000 airplane for the day, brought 40 people and a dozen trucks filled with endless stuff onto the busy airport tarmac, placed our âsunâ lights onto a giant lift platform to get them high into the sky, and then ran through seven scenarios as if we were enjoying a flight 30,000 ft in the sky when in fact we were safely down on earth. While everything is being faked, I pride myself on making everything feel as real and authentic (creative director buzz word alert!) as we possibly can.
Speaking of creative directors on big production assignments: this is Zach skateboarding at Slappy Curb outside my See You Soon studio. We met last year on a big production assignment and one fun fact about Zach is he does not have any social media accounts. How amazing is that?!?
Image made from my first roll off teh Contax T2. I tried pre-focusing on the pavement, anticipating where heâd end up, which worked a bit but didnât quite nail it. The fun thing about shooting film is these imperfections often only enhance the image, anyway.
-Clayton
2024 05 02
Me, walking into a hotel room for the first time: Oh, nice room, glad I upgraded! The view is decent but I wish the windows were bigger. Why is the sink not draining fast? Why does the sinkâs faucet handle come like a millimeter from hitting the mirror? Do people not plan ahead before installing these things? Why do hotels give you giant bar soaps that you end up mostly wasting and without any sort of tray⊠where are you supposed to put this bar without it getting messy? Thereâs definitely a stain of something on the floor by the toilet. Free water⊠but itâs Dasani, of course. Oh great the phone is blinking so now I need to figure this out so it doesnât blink for four days straight and keep me up at night⊠why are these new phones so impossible to figure out? Clearly whoever designed this thing didnât expect anyone to use it. Gotta move this weird pillow out of the way. Why are the reading lights on? The air conditioning is kinda loud. Oh great, a text from the hotel, now, too.
Text from hotel: Welcome! Thanks for being a valued member. How is everything with the room?
Me: good, thanks.
-Clayton
People are inside doing things as day turns to night. Chicago, Illinois. March, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
Me, walking into a hotel room for the first time: Oh, nice room, glad I upgraded! The view is decent but I wish the windows were bigger. Why is the sink not draining fast? Why does the sinkâs faucet handle come like a millimeter from hitting the mirror? Do people not plan ahead before installing these things? Why do hotels give you giant bar soaps that you end up mostly wasting and without any sort of tray⊠where are you supposed to put this bar without it getting messy? Nice, one of those Martin Schoeller mirrors⊠I wonder what heâs up to now. Thereâs definitely a stain of something on the floor by the toilet. Free water⊠but itâs Dasani, of course. Oh great the phone is blinking so now I need to figure this out so it doesnât blink for four days straight and keep me up at night⊠why are these new phones so impossible to figure out? Clearly whoever designed this thing didnât expect anyone to use it. Gotta move this weird pillow out of the way. Why are the reading lights on? The air conditioning is kinda loud. Oh great, a text from the hotel, now, too.
Text from hotel: Welcome! Thanks for being a valued member. How is everything with the room?
Me: good, thanks.
-Clayton
2024 04 29
This website has become a filter of sorts. After making images, they get edited down to my selects, which then get color and tone adjusted and saved into another folder. Then, those selects get edited down again and moved into another folder meant to go towards various social media or websites, including this one. When I go to make a new blog entry, I browse the Pointing at Stuff website folder and see which images are still feeling good enough to post or are no longer feeling as excited and get scrapped.
This image, while a simple moment without much action, is one that I feel good about. Itâs a bit of a new perspective for me, taking images of simple moments like this that I come across while out and about. This is not to say I havenât previously made photos but that my eye is now hunting for âart photosâ that may fit into a bigger body of work. Once you combine images and juxtapose different frames, new meanings and vibes get formed which can then be further explored and created upon.
Anyway, none of this may make sense and you may dislike this image, but Iâm enjoying my new found perspective on photography and plan to continue pursuing it to see where it takes me.
-Clayton
A car rest wrapped in the drive awaiting nicer weather. Peru, Illinois. March, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
This website has become a filter of sorts. After making images, they get edited down to my selects, which then get color and tone adjusted and saved into another folder. Then, those selects get edited down again and moved into another folder meant to go towards various social media or websites, including this one. When I go to make a new blog entry, I browse the Pointing at Stuff website folder and see which images are still feeling good enough to post or are no longer feeling as excited and get scrapped.
This image, while a simple moment without much action, is one that I feel good about. Itâs a bit of a new perspective for me, taking images of simple moments like this that I come across while out and about. This is not to say I havenât previously made photos but that my eye is now hunting for âart photosâ that may fit into a bigger body of work. Once you combine images and juxtapose different frames, new meanings and vibes get formed which can then be further explored and created upon.
Anyway, none of this may make sense and you may dislike this image, but Iâm enjoying my new found perspective on photography and plan to continue pursuing it to see where it takes me.
-Clayton
2024 04 27
Getting drunk and then trying to write is tricky; Iâm not sure how Bukowski did it (probably it was scripted). You think all of your thoughts are brilliant but then wake up the next day to realize the opposite. Itâs kind of like dreaming; Some of my most amazing ideas have come while deep asleep â I wake up in a pool of brilliance and then doze back off drenched in the cool confidence that I have the Next Big Idea â only to wake up and realize the sleepy thought was actually complete bullshit.
While walking home from the bar, we came across a brilliant flower poking up from the earth. It reminded me about my new-found Spring Perspective Iâve been dwelling on this year⊠bare trees have become beautiful to me for the first time in my life. Iâve realized the magic a lack of leaves allows: by letting through light and colors and birds and whatnot, weâre able to view a more complex scene, which a fully leafed-out tree does not allow. Itâs a simple idea, yes, but if youâre not paying attention to these sorts of things, they go completely ignored.
-Clayton
A wintry Chicago scene, devoid of color and life aside from one jacketed child. March, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
Getting drunk and then trying to write is tricky; Iâm not sure how Bukowski did it (probably it was scripted). You think all of your thoughts are brilliant but then wake up the next day to realize the opposite. Itâs kind of like dreaming; Some of my most amazing ideas have come while deep asleep â I wake up in a pool of brilliance and then doze back off drenched in the cool confidence that I have the Next Big Idea â only to wake up again, once the sunlight is drenching the room in hot reality, and realize the sleepy thoughts were actually complete bullshit.
While walking home from the bar, we came across a brilliant flower poking up from the earth. It reminded me about my new-found Spring Perspective Iâve been dwelling on this year⊠bare trees have become beautiful to me for the first time in my life! Iâve realized the magic a lack of leaves allows: by letting through light and colors and birds and whatnot, weâre able to view a more complex scene, which a fully leafed-out tree does not allow. Itâs a simple idea, yes, but if youâre not paying attention to these sorts of things, they go completely ignored.
Anyway, back to bed I go.
-Clayton
2024 03 12
Recently, I asked ChatGPT if it knew me and its reply made me wonder if it perhaps has access to alternate universe. It told me:
Clayton Hauck is a photographer based in Chicago known for his documentary-style photography and his work capturing the city's culture, events, and everyday life. He has contributed to various publications and projects, showcasing his unique perspective on Chicago's urban landscape. Additionally, Hauck is the co-founder of the popular photography project and blog, "Everybody Street Chicago," which celebrates the diverse street photography scene in the city.
My follow-up: What is Everybody Street Chicago?
My apologies for the typo. "Everybody Street Chicago" is a photography project and blog founded by Clayton Hauck and others. The project aims to showcase the diverse street photography scene in Chicago by featuring the work of various photographers who capture candid moments, scenes, and characters encountered on the city streets. It serves as a platform for photographers to share their perspectives and stories through their images, offering a unique glimpse into the vibrant urban life of Chicago.
Me again: Thatâs cool! When was this project founded?
The "Everybody Street Chicago" project was founded in 2010. Since then, it has grown to become a prominent platform for street photographers to share their work and perspectives on the dynamic urban landscape of Chicago.
None of this is true but my hunch is the AI dataset has some fragmented information about my past, including both that I have been a street photographer and that I started a website called EveryoneisFamous.com. The website was essentially how I self-taught myself photography and where I regularly posted my photos which mostly consisted of nightlife, parties, and music scenes, but not street photography.
This simple inaccuracy got me thinking about what my life could have been if instead of focusing on the party scene I instead focused on street photography and started a website revolving around that. Itâs a fairly common consideration Iâve been having latelyâchoosing between art photography and commercial photographyâso when AI suggested I perhaps lived an alternate timeline, it seemed both relevant and plausible!
Perhaps thereâs still time for me to get that popular street photography project up and running.
-Clayton
Two people walk down a street in Grand Detour, Illinois. February, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
Recently, I asked ChatGPT if it knew me and its reply made me wonder if it perhaps has access to alternate universe. It told me:
Clayton Hauck is a photographer based in Chicago known for his documentary-style photography and his work capturing the city's culture, events, and everyday life. He has contributed to various publications and projects, showcasing his unique perspective on Chicago's urban landscape. Additionally, Hauck is the co-founder of the popular photography project and blog, "Everybody Street Chicago," which celebrates the diverse street photography scene in the city.
My follow-up: What is Everybody Street Chicago?
My apologies for the typo. "Everybody Street Chicago" is a photography project and blog founded by Clayton Hauck and others. The project aims to showcase the diverse street photography scene in Chicago by featuring the work of various photographers who capture candid moments, scenes, and characters encountered on the city streets. It serves as a platform for photographers to share their perspectives and stories through their images, offering a unique glimpse into the vibrant urban life of Chicago.
Me again: Thatâs cool! When was this project founded?
The "Everybody Street Chicago" project was founded in 2010. Since then, it has grown to become a prominent platform for street photographers to share their work and perspectives on the dynamic urban landscape of Chicago.
None of this is true but my hunch is the AI dataset has some fragmented information about my past, including both that I have been a street photographer and that I started a website called EveryoneisFamous.com. The website was essentially how I self-taught myself photography and where I regularly posted my photos which mostly consisted of nightlife, parties, and music scenes, but not street photography.
This simple inaccuracy got me thinking about what my life could have been if instead of focusing on the party scene Iâd focused on street photography and started a website revolving around that. Itâs a fairly common consideration Iâve been having latelyâbetween art photography and commercial photographyâso when AI suggested I perhaps lived an alternate timeline, it seemed both relevant and plausible!
Perhaps thereâs still time for me to get that popular street photography project up and running.
-Clayton
2024 03 11
May all your problems be boring
One of my favorite writers dropped a new substack (lol) that hit close to home. Tim Kreider is one of those writers who makes writing look fun and easy, like maybe something I could do if I put my mind to it. This is not to say I think writing is easy, but an appreciation of his skill for making it appear to be so. Like a person living a simple-yet-interesting life while occasionally heading to the computer to jot down some words along the way in exchange for money to keep the whole operation going. Are we allowed to start a sentance with the word like? I donât know, Iâm only a pretend writer.
Getting old is on my mind basically all the time now. Having just celebrated yet another birthday in what seems to be an increasingly-faster routine of numbers going up. Forty snuck up on me, as the end of my thirties was spent locked down in our house waiting out a global pandemic. This seems unfair to me but my problems are probably not so interesting to you. Instead, take a moment to read Timâs birthday wish contemplating life and getting older below.
âĄïž On Boring Problems
The former alderman is now retired and his suburban-style home, built thanks to being an insider able to bend the system to his own wishes, has seemingly moved on to places unknown. Time keeps on slipping.
Humboldt Park, Chicago, Illinois. February, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
May all your problems be boring
One of my favorite writers dropped a new substack (lol) that hit close to home. Tim Kreider is one of those writers who makes writing look fun and easy, like maybe something I could do if I put my mind to it. This is not to say I think writing is easy, but an appreciation of his skill for making it appear to be so. Like a person living a simple-yet-interesting life while occasionally heading to the computer to jot down some words along the way in exchange for money to keep the whole operation going. Are we allowed to start a sentance with the word like? I donât know, Iâm only a pretend writer.
Getting old is on my mind basically all the time now. Having just celebrated yet another birthday in what seems to be an increasingly-faster routine of numbers going up. Forty snuck up on me, as the end of my thirties was spent locked down in our house waiting out a global pandemic. This seems unfair to me but my problems are probably not so interesting to you. Instead, take a moment to read Timâs birthday wish contemplating life and getting older below.
âĄïž On Boring Problems
2024 03 05
While getting ready for the day this morning, NPR did a full hour on libraries. While this is a breath of fresh air in itâs own regard, it reminded me of the Mr Rogerâs Senate testimony video which I like to watch from time to time. If you havenât yet seen it yourself, take a moment to give it a watch!
-Clayton
Abandoned television. Chicago, Illinois. September, 2023. © Clayton Hauck
While getting ready for the day this morning, NPR did a full hour on libraries. While this is a breath of fresh air in itâs own regard, it reminded me of the Fred Rogers Senate testimony video which I like to watch from time to time. If you havenât yet seen it yourself, take a moment to give it a watch!
-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 âfresh start to a new yearâ nonsense and got a bit too ambitious and now itâs a fucking Saturday in mid February and Iâm 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. © 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 âfresh start to a new yearâ nonsense and got a bit too ambitious and now itâs a fucking Saturday in mid February and Iâm 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! đ€
-Clayton
2024 02 16
I donât have kids, I have a daily photo blogâŠ
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 donât 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 itâs 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 weâre 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 Chicagoâs great watering holes and where I personally picked up a drinking habit a few decades back, as seen on a cold winterâs night. December, 2023. © Clayton Hauck
I donât have kids, I have a daily photo blogâŠ
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 donât 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 itâs 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 weâre 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 14
Blaze Foley appreciation post.
I donât 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 arenât familiar with him. If not, take a moment to listen to some of his tunes. âClay Pigeonsâ and âOval Roomâ 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. © Clayton Hauck
Blaze Foley appreciation post.
I donât 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 arenât familiar with him. If not, take a moment to listen to some of his tunes. âClay Pigeonsâ and âOval Roomâ 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
“You donât always get what you go after, but you do get what you wouldnât have got if you hadnât gone after what you didnât get.”
2024 02 11
This frame was made while out wandering with Allison & Haley. Itâs 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 đ€·ââïž), which has had one customer at the time of this writing (Iâm a failed e-commerce store owner đ€·ââïž).
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.
Iâm 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. © Clayton Hauck
Self Promotion Alert!
This frame was made while out wandering with Allison & Haley. Itâs 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 đ€·ââïž), which has had one customer at the time of this writing (Iâm a failed e-commerce store owner đ€·ââïž).
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!
Iâm 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 07
I love simple images like this. Do I wish there was a striking woman in a blue dress holding a red balloon and a cake on her way to a birthday party slightly off-center in frame? Yes. Should I use AI to make it happen? No. But I did!
You gotta hand it to AI: matching the dress (even tho I specified a different color) with the window shades was a brilliant move. The mutilated face also adds a nice touch and makes you wonder the backstory to this woman. Was she just splashed with a cup of acid while still keeping a positive attitude about it? Iâd love to know her story and itâs truly what makes this an iconic image, fully thanks to AI.
-Clayton
Street scene in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. November, 2023. © Clayton Hauck
I love simple images like this. Do I wish there was a striking woman in a blue dress holding a red balloon and a cake on her way to a birthday party slightly off-center in frame? Yes. Should I use AI to make it happen? No â but I did!
You gotta hand it to AI: Matching the dress (even tho I specified a different color) with the window shades was a brilliant move. The mutilated face also adds a nice touch and makes you wonder the backstory to this woman. Was she just splashed with a cup of acid while still keeping a positive attitude about it? Iâd love to know her story and itâs truly what makes this an iconic image, fully thanks to AI.
-Clayton
2024 02 05
One of my favorite things in life is, any opportunity Iâm given to do so, bragging that Iâve read Robert Caroâs The Power Broker. It is a large, imposing book. It is also an amazingly detailed, informative (esp for urbanist nerds but also full of great general human stories), and well written.
I recently stumbled upon this video below while browsing YouTube and pondering if I will finally start up my own channel after years of contemplating it. This video both got me excited to finally crack Caroâs four book LBJ series (I just have to do this â book review to follow in approx. twelve years time) and start my own YouTube channel⊠not for social media fame but simply for the motivation to make new stuff and put it out there. There are so many pages that just exist, filled with great content and not many views. While I imagine this is turnoff for most content creators, I love the idea of consistently making work, largely for myself, grinding away in true Robert Caro style, and putting it out there for people to discover, or more likely completely ignore.
-Clayton
Street scene I stumbled upon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. November, 2023. © Clayton Hauck
One consistent thing in life is, any opportunity Iâm given to do so, bragging that Iâve read Robert Caroâs The Power Broker (have I mentioned Iâve read Robert Caroâs The Power Broker? Every last word of it!). It is a large, imposing book. It is also an amazingly detailed, informative (esp for urbanist nerds but also full of great general human stories), and well written.
I recently stumbled upon this video (below) while browsing youtube and pondering if I will finally start up my own channel after years of contemplating it. The video both got me excited to finally crack Caroâs four book LBJ series (I just have to do this â book review to follow in approx. twelve years) and start my own youtube channel⊠not for social media fame but simply for the motivation to make new stuff and put it out there. There are so many channels that just exist; they are filled with great content but not many views. While I imagine this is turnoff for most content creators, I love the idea of consistently making work, largely for myself, grinding away in true Robert Caro fashion, day in, day out â shoot, edit, post, repeat â and putting it out there for people to discover; or more likely completely ignore. Sometimes itâs the process that has the most value.
-Clayton
2024 02 04
Came across this quote via Scott Galloway while listening to an episode of Pivot and I think this really sums up humanity quite well.
âPeople are wonderful. I love individuals. I hate groups of people. I hate a group of people with a âcommon purposeâ. âCause pretty soon they have little hats. And armbands. And fight songs. And a list of people theyâre going to visit at 3am. So, I dislike and despise groups of people but I love individuals. Every person you look at; you can see the universe in their eyes, if youâre really looking.â
â George Carlin
-Clayton
People donât look up. I love looking up while exploring. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. November, 2023. © Clayton Hauck
Came across this quote via Scott Galloway while listening to an episode of Pivot and I think this really sums up humanity quite well.
“People are wonderful. I love individuals. I hate groups of people. I hate a group of people with a âcommon purposeâ. âCause pretty soon they have little hats. And armbands. And fight songs. And a list of people theyâre going to visit at 3am. So, I dislike and despise groups of people but I love individuals. Every person you look at; you can see the universe in their eyes, if youâre really looking.”
-Clayton
2024 02 03
The world is ending!
While, yes, shit is wild these days. I do think a large part of our perception of this feeling is because social media curates and feeds us all the craziest shit, as if these things are happening all around us at all times. This, in turn, affects our moods and causes some of us to emulate the madness ourselves, leading to a self-fulfilling prophecy of madness.
Thus, a simple one photo a day is how we focus our energy around here.
Stay sane.
-Clayton
Dark & moody street scene featuring a parking-dibs chair. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. November, 2023. © Clayton Hauck
The world is ending!
While, yes, shit is wild these days. I do think a large part of our perception of this feeling is because social media curates and feeds us all the craziest shit, as if these things are happening all around us at all times. This, in turn, affects our moods and causes us to emulate the insanity ourselves, leading to a self-fulfilling prophecy of madness. Unless itâs bolder and crazier than the last round of content, nobody takes notice. Soon, weâll all be Florida.
Thus, a simple one photo a day is how we focus our energy around here.
Stay sane. âïž
-Clayton
2024 02 02
So why Pointing at Stuff, anyway?
The name hit me as being quite a brilliant way of looking at photography. âPhotography is like pointing at things you see in life,â 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:
âThe only advice I have is that you do something connected to photography every day of your life and youâll be surprised what happens.â
â 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 âconstantly making pictures without reflecting on them.â
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.
-Clayton
Simple scene from one of my favorite cities, Pittsburgh, PA. November, 2023. © Clayton Hauck
So why Pointing at Stuff, anyway?
The name hit me as being quite a brilliant way of looking at photography. âPhotography is like pointing at things you see in life,â 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 youâll be surprised what happens.”
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 âconstantly making pictures without reflecting on them.â
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.
-Clayton
2024 02 01
Doing a new post every sinlge day is, admittedly, a bit much. Iâve had the idea to attempt this for years and even started the process once, quickly abandoning it after only a few days. You miss that first day and feel like shit, then let it go a few more because why not, then feel like a failure altogether and write the whole project off as a bad idea to make yourself feel better about the whole thing.
In this attempt, the idea came to me rather suddenly over the holiday break. I was stuck at home with Covid which I tested positive for on Christmas. Thinking the new year was only a few days away, I could quickly get a simple website up and running, and when I found the .com domain was still available, took it as a sign I needed to act fast and make it happen. I spent a full day building a buffer of simple posts to give me some momentum. The buffer is key! Itâs like a streaming video service loading ahead, only with my thoughts and photos, in case some days the internet connection otherwise known as my motivation isnât working as well. I currently have about 20 days worth of posts already scheduled to go live. If I should unexpectedly perish, youâll still get a couple weeks of dumb thoughts out of me!
This post date, however, is only a few days out as I write this and had been sitting empty in the draft folder. Awaiting inspiration. Maybe the image isnât strong enough to spark an idea? This is sort of a bland image that Iâve considered deleting on multiple occasions but just has something about it I like, which led me to leave it in, awaiting that inspiration. While it may be a stretch, it finally hit me: the house appears as a bit of a blank slate. This blog is also a canvas of sorts which Iâm using to try things, experiment, play, see what happens.
I woke up this morning while a dream was playing out in my head. The specific details donât matter, but my mind seemed to be working out some kind of project, which led me to contemplate things a bit deeper after I was awake, which led to some constructive progress on a possible future project. I feel strongly that doing work consistently, putting in the time, this blog, is a key way to train your brain and keep it on task. All of the best ideas come when youâre sound asleep and they can formulate without the pesky distractions of life and anxiety-fueled second guessing. Doing something every day is a great way to keep it top of mind when you go to sleep and have the freedom of unrestricted thought.
With that, goodnight, and see you tomorrow.
-Clayton
Mundane street scene, which has a little something going for it which I canât fully articulate in my awakened state. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. November, 2023. © Clayton Hauck
Doing a new post every sinlge day is, admittedly, a bit much. Iâve had the idea to attempt this for years and even started the process once, quickly abandoning it after only a few days. You miss that first day and feel like shit, then let it go a few more because why not, then feel like a failure altogether and write the whole project off as a bad idea to make yourself feel better about the whole thing.
In this attempt, the idea came to me rather suddenly over the holiday break. I was stuck at home with Covid, which I tested positive for on Christmas. Thinking the new year was only a few days away, I could quickly get a simple website up and running, and when I found the .com domain was still available, took it as a sign I needed to act fast and make it happen. I spent a full day building a buffer of simple posts to give me some momentum. The buffer is key! Itâs like a streaming video service loading ahead, only with my thoughts and photos, in case some days the internet connection otherwise known as my motivation isnât working as well. I currently have about 20 days worth of posts already scheduled to go live. If I should unexpectedly perish, youâll still get a couple weeks of dumb thoughts out of me!
This post date, however, is only a few days out as I write this and had been sitting empty in the draft folder. Awaiting inspiration. Maybe the image isnât strong enough to spark an idea? This is sort of a bland image that Iâve considered deleting on multiple occasions but just has something about it I like, which led me to leave it in, awaiting that inspiration. While it may be a stretch, it finally hit me: the house appears as a bit of a blank slate. This blog is also a canvas of sorts which Iâm using to try things, experiment, play, see what happens.
I woke up this morning while a dream was playing out in my head. The specific details donât matter, but my mind seemed to be working out some kind of project; this led me to contemplate things a bit deeper after I was awake; this led to some constructive progress on a possible future project. I feel strongly that doing work consistently, putting in the time, this blog, is a key way to train your brain and keep it on task. All of the best ideas come when youâre sound asleep (or in the shower or on a run) and they can formulate without the pesky distractions of life and anxiety-fueled second guessing. Doing something every day is a great way to keep it top of mind when you go to sleep and have the freedom of unrestricted thought.
With that, goodnight, and see you tomorrow.
-Clayton