2025 04 13

Classic car in Thawville, Illinois. June, 2024. © Clayton Hauck

If you’re in the neighborhood, check out Artesia Brewery.

-Clayton

2025 04 12

Main Street on Chatsworth, Illinois. June, 2024. © Clayton Hauck

Another town without people, full of beauty.

-Clayton

2025 04 11

Another Busted Car. Chicago, Illinois. January, 2025. © Clayton Hauck

Some days you find the Busted Car, and some days the Busted Car finds you.

-Clayton

2025 04 10

Winter tree. Chicago, Illinois. February, 2025. © Clayton Hauck

This is a photo of a helicopter. I promise.

-Clayton

2025 04 09

Car. Chicago, Illinois. January, 2025. © Clayton Hauck

Spent too much time writing the studio newsletter. I’m still getting over the mental hurdle that despite the time it takes and the relatively low number of people who will see it, much like this here blog, the benefit is more so to myself than in some quantifiable metric. Perhaps if I was trying to make money off of the newsletter, things would be different. I’m not not trying to do that, but it’s not the motivation.

-Clayton

2025 04 08

Time is running out. We’re entering a new world. Time Theater. Mattoon, Illinois. April, 2024. © Clayton Hauck

It’s interesting, when you take a mental step back, far back, and consider how we got to where we are today.

Movie studios are being replaced by individual youtubers; magazines are being replaced by individual Substacks; comics are being animated through automation. There is no shortage of examples to indicate how vastly different the landscape of necessary support structures are today, but the one constant is communication. People are seeking authenticity and placing it above all other factors largely because it’s now possible, for the first time ever, to communicate grand ideas — through video, photography, animation, words, all forms — without the need of vast and complicated structures which previously served as a means of control. If the system did not like what you were saying or doing, you had almost no recourse in our previous era. You had to play ball; say the right thing; bribe the right guy; put up with the unsuitable boss.

The downside to the removal of the guardrails, of course, is that we have to deal with chaos. Everyone is right about everything all of the time, which of course means half the population is always wrong. An enemy of the state! What we’ve gained in truth, we’ve given up in caution and stability.

I’m spending far too much time wondering how to make money in today’s wintry economic climate. While the creative community is shrinking in capacity, the supply of creatives is at an all-time high and will continue to grow thanks to the ease and speed of creation now possible. I refuse to become another loud mouth in a sea of attention seekers, which seems to be the obvious path to financial success in these current times.

Trump is now guiding our country because he was accessible, entertaining, and real. Tariffs are now our reality because some guy wrote a book which said all the things he wanted to hear, while using made up information to back it up. The truth doesn’t matter, it’s the message that matters. Communication. Not only what you say but how and where you say it.

The government is not going to save us now, just as the system we’ve burned down to get to where we are, previously, was at its core interested in protecting itself.

If we want a future world that values facts, reason, stability, opportunity, openness, we’re going to have to build it ourselves. I know that there are a lot of us out there, living quietly and patiently, hoping our time will again come, but without effort, our new reality will be one ruled by few and governed through ruthless efficiency — the same tools which have rendered vast industries, and now entire government agencies, no longer relevant — in order to accomplish the desires of few.

Zuckerberg and Altman are building their underground bunkers for a reason, and they’re not going to invite us over for tea.

What I’m seeing now is people choosing sides. It’s human nature to want to win. None of us liberals thought Trump, the guy who tried to burn down the Capital when he didn’t get his way, had a real shot at winning back the White House, but we failed to understand human nature. Facts, niceties, vibes don’t matter when the wolf is at your door and he’s hungry. In a world where it’s every man for themselves, your only real shot is having an army, figuratively or literally, on your side.

This is why I’m writing every day. This is why I’m pushing through the hard times using the best skills I have. The only way out is through.

-Clayton

PS- this entire post came out of me because I was going to share an example of Ai being used to create a comic, which I thought was nice. 😅

2025 04 07

Haley, somewhere in northern Illinois. December, 2024. © Clayton Hauck

I started an account on the new Foto app. While I’m not super optimistic it will become the next big thing in photography sharing, I do like what they seem to be trying to do. Social media has transformed drastically since the innocent early days of Instagram, and I’m finding myself less interested in again reshaping instant-gratification-based phone apps and more interested in slow & steady approaches, such as this here blog and my new site, everyoneisfamous.

All that said, there is no doubt in the potential power social apps hold, and I’m simultaneously finding myself considering a much-reluctant sign up to Tik Tok, as my career pivot will be far more reliant on consistent eye balls than it had been previously. And TikTok is where the eye balls are.

Anyway, if you do happen to be on the Foto app, give me a follow @claytonhauck (be my tenth friend)! The devs will apparently be rolling out a web-based presence later this year, which might be a nice compliment to the mobile app, which has been enjoyable in my experience thus far.

-Clayton

2025 04 06

A downtown dog walk. Chicago, Illinois. January, 2025. © Clayton Hauck

I’m very much slacking on my weekly exploration goal. While I haven’t been hitting the streets nearly as much as I’d planned, I have been putting a lot of time towards personal work and development, so I’m not considering it a loss… it just hasn’t played out as I’d hoped. That said, I’m excited to get back out on the street and make some new work. I think the nicer weather will very much be a catalyst to make this happen.

-Clayton

2025 04 05

Central Camera, Chicago, Illinois. January, 2025. © Clayton Hauck

I spend way too much time lately thinking on ways to make money through photography. You’d think making photos in exchange for money would be the obvious answer, and it is, but it’s increasingly complicated. I think it’s never been easier to make a living as a photographer, with the crucial and complicated stipulation that it is also a constant grind. But because it’s easier than ever, the supply and demand marketplace is also way out of whack, and it’s increasingly challenging to make good money doing it.

-Clayton

2025 04 04

Car. Chicago, Illinois. January, 2025. © Clayton Hauck

There’s this car on my block that I have obsessively been making photos of. I don’t know enough about cars to know why I like it, but I think it’s a Japanese import, and I love the old-school lines. This is one of the pictures I made, edited in a style that I don’t normally do. The digital grain melting into the fine snow particles is nice, I thought.

-Clayton

2025 04 03

Some days you just need a flower. Chicago, Illinois. September, 2024. © Clayton Hauck

Some days you just need a flower. I spiraled last night, attempting to understand how and why we got to where we are; playing the victim and rolling out middle class-ending taxes to somehow level the global playing field? It’s just madness! But the more you pay attention, the madder you get.

Then, my friend reminded me:

1. Wisconsin voters showed we are not alone in opposition

2. Give it time and many more voters will see the madness with their own eyes

Of course, economics are wildly complex and I myself am sympathetic to some of the motivations Trump seems to be justifying his actions on — but I can’t help but think the middle class will again pay the price. We paid for globalization through the hollowing out of our cities and now we’ll pay for deglobalization through a complete loss of purchasing power.

It’s impossible to maintain a functioning economy when there’s zero clarity or confidence in what environment you will be navigating a year or two down the road. Should I get into textiles or tech? I have no idea. Maybe you do?

-Clayton

2025 04 02

Allison, wondering how long I will be looking at used photobooks. Powell’s Books. Chicago, Illinois. September, 2024. © Clayton Hauck

Today is officially the day we started a photobook shop. Or, at least, committed to a popup to explore the idea of starting a photobook shop! You gotta pop it up first to gauge interest, learn, and grow into what will hopefully be a physical location one day. More on this soon, hopefully!

-Clayton

2024 04 01

Birds on the line, tweeting or something. Somewhere in northern Illinois. June, 2024. © Clayton Hauck

After watching a few more episodes of the video I mentioned yesterday, it’s remarkable how efficiently word travels these days through social media. Ed was lining up free places to stay, free pints of beer, clothing, meals, while his poor old kayak buddy was left to fend for himself, without social media on his side. There’s some sort of lesson in there but I’m not exactly sure what it is.

-Clayton

2025 03 31

Illinois and Michigan Canal. Lockport, Illinois. June, 2024. © Clayton Hauck

It’s the final day of March, so we’re roughly a quarter of the way through the year already, which is quite wild. That news has me in rather poor spirits as, while I’ve been keeping myself very busy with my own endless list of projects, the meat and potatoes work that pays the bills has been slow and I’ve yet to win a proper large commercial production. This in itself is not out of the ordinary, however, I’m extra sensitive these days with the studio overhead piling every higher and the growing sense of an economic slowdown on the horizon.

The industry talk I lead last week was both remarkably reassuring to hear such kind words and compliments towards my photography, and terrifying in that most everyone else is dealing with today’s challenging economic realities. Ho hum.

On a brighter note, I stumbled upon the video below and it gave me a much-needed spark of joy. I love the weird journeys us humans become obsessed with and this is both entertaining and educational. My brain always wonders about and imagines what grand rivers are like at their place of origin and this video thoroughly explores the River Thames in all of its glory, which is cool.

As I find myself pivoting back towards becoming an artist and personality that relies on my own vision and content to survive, starting that long-pondered youtube channel really seems like it will be in my near future.

-Clayton

2025 03 30

Life finds a way. Wilmette, Illinois. January, 2025. © Clayton Hauck

The birds are chirpin’. Spring is here. Maybe.

-Clayton

2025 03 29

Bridal shop. Chicago, Illinois. January, 2025. © Clayton Hauck

Don’t tell anyone but I added that blurred out person using generative Ai. I snapped this image as I was driving by in my automobile and I kinda liked it… but it needed some mysterious human energy involved.

The recent release of GPT 4o or whatever it’s called has me moving up the expiration date for my job. If anyone is hiring a college dropout, please let me know!

-Clayton

2025 03 28

Craig, in the studio for a Keep it 100 session at See You Soon. Chicago, Illinois. October, 2024. © Clayton Hauck

My new website is now live! Give it a look, it’s called everyoneisfamous.com.

I’ll likely be spending a bit less time here as I get situated over there, but I won’t quit you, Pointing at Stuff dot com!

-Clayton

2025 03 27

Old Main Street is New Main Street. Canton, Illinois. March, 2025. © Clayton Hauck

I did a presentation today for APA Chicago with the theme being personal work. One of the things I discussed was my Ill Wandering work. It’s not work that I’ve spent much time assessing myself yet, as I’ve been more focused on allowing things to play out a bit more organically without forcing anything and focusing too much on any specific theme. That said, it was very much worthwhile to take a step back and further assess the photos I do have.

I’ll share more in the coming months and hope to get back out a bit more regularly this year to expand the body into something more substantial.

-Clayton

2025 03 26

The city at night. Chicago, Illinois. February, 2025. © Clayton Hauck

Recently I was downtown for an event and afterward, I made an effort to wander a bit. The streets were eerily silent. I dipped into Billy Goat for a burger and a beer along with the three or four other humans (more staff than guests) who seemed to be out, for whatever reason, either running away or towards something.

A great idea then struck my brain: I would get a scooter and ride home like the wind. This led me astray in search of one when the big lights in the distance caught my eyes. “Hooter’s,” it said. Not yet having my fill of adventure, and recalling the news of the likely demise of yet another fine American establishment, I stepped in.

“Seat at the bar okay?” I asked the greeter (again, more staff than guests), and she motioned me inward. The wings came soon after and boy did I wonder why the joint wasn’t full of customers enjoying them. These things are delicious! I kicked myself for being too timid to frequent Hooter’s all my life for the wings alone.

I left as they were locking up. The man alone at the bar turned out to be an undercover security guard or manager, as I suspected (more staff than guests). I guess everyone gets their wings delivered to them from some other chain these days?

Across the street sat a fully charged scooter glowing in the darkness with my name on it. I rode like the wind just as I’d imagined I would, turning here and there into which ever dark street didn’t look familiar. This was an adventure and I had the city to myself. All the way home I rode and contemplated how cool it would be to start a scooter gang. Surely, this must be how the first gang was formed way back before the police cornered the market on gangs.

-Clayton

2025 03 25

Hawk? Chicago, Illinois. February, 2025. © Clayton Hauck

I’ve been seeing this guy around the neighborhood lately.

-Clayton