2025 10 07
House. Dead End. Lake. Ashland, Wisconsin. July, 2025. © Clayton Hauck
The north is calling me. Next year, I may explore beginning a new photography project up in northern Wisconsin and Michigan. After some brief shooting this year and a previous trip a few years prior, I was reminded by how much I’m drawn to this area. It’s perhaps me getting old. After spending my 20s and 30s mostly heading south to exotic foreign lands, a bit of domestic oddity sounds quite appealing.
-Clayton
2025 09 22
No Parking. Ashland, Wisconsin. July, 2025. © Clayton Hauck
It’s a bit surreal to spend a weekend with friends, bopping around Chicago and falling in love with the place all over again, only to open up your social media on Monday morning to read about how the president is pledging to “save” your city after Charlie Kirk pleaded with him to do so. I grew up in the same area as Kirk and attended the same high school as he did. I’ve lived in Chicagoland all of my life and love it now as much as I ever have. Obviously, we all have our opinions and perspectives on the world (and yes, of course there are issues here), but the stark juxtaposition between what I’m seeing with my own eyes vs. what I’m hearing from outraged folks on the internet… and running our country… is maybe more concerning than anything I’ve yet to encounter in my life. An administration with total immunity to enact whatever policies it wants, choosing my own hometown to make an example out of, is not at all a pleasing thought, esp when you consider the perspective they choosing to view us by — the enemy — whom Trump admittedly hates.
Last week I had a dream about a missile flying overhead and exploding at a nearby but safe-for-me distance. It gave me the feeling that, while there are big issues happening around us, we are still relatively safe to carry on with our lives. It was still someone else’s problem. Then, an ominous motorcycle drone rounded the corner, clearly seeking us, perhaps for a new missile target. As I was startled awake, I couldn’t help but feel for the millions of people currently living in these exact conditions on a daily basis in Gaza, Ukraine, or elsewhere. Then I wondered if we might soon have to learn how to live with the bombs ourselves here in Chicago.
-Clayton
2025 09 11
Bay Theater. Ashland, Wisconsin. July, 2025. © Clayton Hauck
Seeking Stephen Shore. Didn’t find him, but got the book.
-Clayton
2025 08 30
Wild house. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. August, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
Summer is nearly over and we haven’t made it up to Milwaukee once yet! I’m bummed about this. We also never made it to Cedar Point, or Six Flags, or Pittsburgh, or Bob Chin’s Crab House. There’s always next year, I guess. Until there’s not.
-Clayton
2025 08 15
I can do some donuts, but should I mow the lawn? Dodgeville, Wisconsin. April, 2025. © Clayton Hauck
Can vs Should
I think one of the big secrets of life is finding the balance between what can you do and what should you do. Maybe this is an obvious observation, but my sense tells me that far too many of us exist quite firmly within one mindset or the other.
On my commute to work today, I waited to cross a busy street downtown while two fellow humans waited alongside me. Well before the walk sign told us it was okay to continue onward, one of the fellow humans took off, wildly swaying his arms as if conducting a symphony none of us could hear. The other fellow human decided this behavior was unacceptable and shouted at him in a scolding manner. Faced with two differing perspectives of the situation in front of me, my immediate response was to side with the guy now half way across the street, enjoying his morning and getting to his destination faster than us, while simultaneously acknowledging the rule-follower that I, too, noticed the weird scenario playing out in front of us. We bonded and I let him be acknowledged, but inside I knew the other guy had things figured out.
This is not to say that I’m some kind of special person capable of playing both sides of the field. This is not to say that I’m standing on flimsy morals, incapable of choosing a side and standing firm. Instead, I would argue that it’s good practice to live a bit in both worlds. To be the human who can appreciate wacky behavior while understanding the rent still comes due at the end of the month.
Can I: fuck around, make noise, drink and eat, slack off, do dumb shit, play, experiment, go for broke
Should I: make nice, be polite, do what I’m told, be responsible, save up and plan ahead, pay my taxes
Why not do both? Perhaps I’m half-assing my way through life, but this is my method. When I’m spending a bit too much time coloring within the lines, I then need to remember to paint a suit with grass.
“There’s a fine line between being a kook and being an artist, and I definitely trample it as much as I can.”
-Gene Pool Harding
(via Meaghan Garvey’s SCARY COOL SAD GOODBYE 78)
-Clayton
2025 07 29
Haley, the cat lurer. Mineral Point, Wisconsin. April, 2025. © Clayton Hauck
My whole life I’ve been a cat person. Recently, however, I’ve found myself wondering if I’m actually more of a dog person (who also really loves cats). The reality is that I haven’t had a ton of exposure to dogs and when I was a kid, a few of my friends had dogs that scarred the shit out of me, which put a bad taste in my mouth towards them.
In a similar fashion, my entire career as a photographer, I’ve been a bulk shooter. Coming up in the digital era and doing work at events and photojournalism assignments, it was always beneficial to shoot more than you think you need. Then, as my career developed and I began doing mostly commercial assignments, the same approach applied — maximize the output! Lately, however, I’ve been wondering if there’s actually a better way to go about things; to slow it down and focus on just the best images.
More on this tomorrow…
-Clayton
2025 07 27
Another (really) Busted Car. Belleville, Wisconsin. May, 2025. © Clayton Hauck
-Clayton
2025 06 21
Mike enjoys a brew. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. July 2024. © Clayton Hauck
It is the weekend.
-Clayton
2025 06 17
Blink Bonnie. St Germain, Wisconsin. July, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
Dreaming of vacation as I’m three days behind on posting to this here blog…
-Clayton
2025 05 10
Stop! In the name of law. Mineral Point, Wisconsin. April, 2025. © Clayton Hauck
Do you ever wonder about how orderly-society is a construct and we’re just a few bureaucratic government agencies away from absolute chaos? This stop sign, leaning up against an old house, makes me think that. I may need to visit the state psychiatric center to get my brain checked out.
-Clayton
2025 01 23
I tried to buy a bar, but it didn’t work out. Maybe next time.
I’m now heading to said bar to blow off some steam and think about how I’m going to light tomorrow morning’s portrait subject. And to figure out how to pay the studio rent, which just went up more per month than I’m being paid to take the portrait tomorrow. Photography economics are increasingly challenging.
Cheers!
-Clayton
The bar at McGregor’s Blink Bonnie. St Germain, Wisconsin. July, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
I tried to buy a bar, but it didn’t work out. Maybe next time.
I’m now heading to said bar to blow off some steam and think about how I’m going to light tomorrow morning’s portrait subject. And to figure out how to pay the studio rent, which just went up more per month than I’m being paid to take the portrait tomorrow. Photography economics are increasingly challenging.
Cheers!
-Clayton