Category: Mostly Alaska

Posted on by Clay Duda Posted in Mostly Alaska, Mostly FIlm

How I Built a Darkroom in Rural Alaska for $37

I turned my spare bathroom into a photographic darkroom. My wife is super thrilled about it…

Ever since I moved to Homer, Alaska in 2017 I’ve dreamed of having something like a community darkroom to print my mediocre film photographs and waste away long winter hours. Homer is a pretty artsy town, and I think there might be enough interest to keep something like that going on a small scale.

Well, this winter I took the first steps to hopefully making that dream a reality — I built a darkroom in our spare bathroom at home. It took me about 2 weeks to track down everything I needed, and thanks to a couple of generous donations I spent a total of about $37 putting everything together.

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Posted on by Clay Duda Posted in Home Sweet Homer, Just For Fun

Relaunching a Website for the Homer Charter Association

That’s my old deckhand, Jonathan, on the left, and a couple of tourists holding mondo rockfish during summer 2022.

In another life I was once known to do some web design and at the time what they called “digital production.” Some of that work even won some awards. I have no idea if people still use that term “digital production,” and honestly I don’t care. I’d rather be out fishing.

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Posted on by Clay Duda Posted in Home Sweet Homer, Mostly FIlm

First Friday: Photographs at Grace Ridge Brewing in Homer, Alaska

Pot fishing for grey cod in Kachemak Bay, Alaska. Photo by Clay Duda.
Pot fishing for grey cod in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.

I’m excited to announce that I will have a selection of photographic prints on display for the month of February at Grace Ridge Brewing, 870 Smoky Bay Way in Homer, Alaska. The exhibition kicks off with a “First Friday” opener on Feb. 3, 5-7 p.m.

Appalachian-inspired brooms crafted by Willow Q. Jones will also be on display.

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Posted on by Clay Duda Posted in Home Sweet Homer, Mostly FIlm

A Plastic Camera and Expired Film on the Homer Spit

Driving down a mostly deserted Homer Spit Road in Alaska. Photo by Clay Duda with a Werlisa Color Club on expired Fuji Superia 400 film.
Driving down a mostly deserted Homer Spit Road.

When you’re holding a plastic camera it feels more like playing with a toy than a serious instrument of photography. Probably because it is a toy camera. But shooting with one can lighten the mood and open up new inspirations. The pressure is off. I don’t feel like every frame *has* to count, and sometimes that can lead to taking chances you might not otherwise take.

Another plus (sometimes) is that the results from these toy cameras can be rather unpredictable. Plastic camera bodies are prone to light leaks, and a lot of them have irregular lenses and a fixed aperture. Throw in a roll of expired or color-shifting film, and all bets are off.

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