2026 02 22

Hopefully I can at least say I told em. Chicago, Illinois. January, 2023. © Clayton Hauck

Below is today’s Substack post. I’ll likely be doing more writing over there as the platform is far better for that than it is here. Photos here, words there. Or something.

I’ve long been terrible at communicating my endeavors. It’s something I’m actively working on getting better at. “The pictures do it for me,” I tell myself. But while I sit here this Sunday morning, a day that I’d planned to use for some personal photo hunting in Illinois, I’m instead composing four newsletters (one for the studio I run called See You Soon, one for the bookshop I run called Realm Books, this one here for me, and another one for a talk I’m giving on Friday with Creative Mornings) because, well, you gotta.

This year I’m dedicating to organization, simplification, and focus. I’ve been, very-much admittedly, doing too. many. things. This has been largely by design, as I explore new ways to navigate the changing landscape of my profession in commercial photography. Largely, I’m pivoting more towards the art world, another notoriously difficult way to make a living. While I’m well aware of this stark reality, the thought of being able to focus on the things that interest and excite me is what makes it compelling.

Previously, I’d planned to write this week about my new zine project Daily Bread (Pointing at Stuff 002). I’ll shelve a deeper dive into that process for another day, only to say that the project is now available for pre-order and I would greatly appreciate it if you’d consider doing so! It’s $22.22 because it’s my second zine and I couldn’t resist, but you also get a signed 8x10 print if you pre-order, so it’s essentially free.

Instead, let’s dive (briefly) into Existential Dread, my favorite topic of late! (I realize my sarcasm usually doesn’t come across online, however, you can rest assured I am very much smiling while writing these words).

From Summer Wagner’s Substack:

I know there are arguments for why art has great meaning, a profound impact, etc. I don’t really care because the way the world is feeling right now is that me adding to your daily slop troff isn’t making my life or your life better, it’s maybe only making some billionaire’s stock prices increase? Maybe it’s increasing your phone addiction, or mine.

Anyone can copy and paste a description of my work and AI generate any scene they can think of in my style. We haven’t even touched on AI yet but it definitely ads to the vibes. It’s like the combination of seeing the most horrific imagery you’ve ever seen (and it’s real) and then seeing the most beautiful imagery you’ve ever seen (and it’s not real) back and forth on your feed that you look at for hours a day has for sure led to a mini psychosis within all of us.

What we train ourselves to believe is real world: bad scary. Digital world: yummy pretty.

While Summer is younger and focused on far different work than I am myself, I found myself shaking my head in agreement while reading her rather dark take on the current landscape of her art photography practice.

Then…

This past week, I attended a “State of the Commercial Photography Industry” panel put on by a national organization (APA) focused on aiding commercial photographers. My sole takeaway was: shit is fucked. The corporations, and thus the agencies hired to execute their visual advertising, are now all-in on using ai as much as possible to push their narratives out into the world. Me being on the bottom of the totem pole in this arrangement, leaves little room for my input on the matter.

The next morning I awoke to see the world’s energy infrastructure was on fire and got rather sad about the current state of affairs.

For these reasons, and others, I continually find myself pivoting away from social media, the internet, and towards the printed and tangible world. A world I can feel and participate in. Our Realm Books project is commanding much of my attention lately. Spending time with many of these books is confirming my belief that there is a path for me here, somewhere. In fact, I’m bringing the shop down to Louisville on Tuesday night for an event with Henry O Head at Hypam Editions (more info on IG here). This all came about after doing an assignment down there a month prior and being connected with Andrew Granstaff when in need of a local assistant. Conveniently enough, after expressing my interest in doing a Realm popup in Louisville (a city I love), I was given a second assignment nearby for a totally different project and it just so happened to be on the same day of this event. Sometimes things just work out! Of course, it helps when you are actively communicating your intentions.

There is no clear or easy solution to these crises many of us battle currently, but I’ll always think it’s smart to focus on yourself and what it is we individually find worthwhile. For me, it’s silly snapshots and, lately, black & white textures printed on paper and stored in my office (and now available for per-order!). You just can’t neglect to tell other people about what you’re up to.

Anyway, I gotta write two more newsletters so let’s leave it there for now. But I’ll be back — don’t you worry!

-Clayton