Clay Duda

Posted on June 28, 2025January 5, 2025 by Clay Duda Posted in Fish Stories, Mostly Alaska, Mostly FIlm

One Roll of Film Shot During a Summer Fishing in Homer, Alaska

The first frame on a roll of Tri-X 400 film shot during the summer of 2021 in Homer, Alaska. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{The first frame on a roll of Tri-X 400 film shot during the summer of 2021 in Homer, Alaska.}

I’ve been working on charter fishing boats in Homer, Alaska since the summer of 2017. I started out deck handing on a six-passenger boat, and I liked it so much I stuck with it and eventually got my captain’s license and started running boats myself.

Summer days are long and summer season is short here in Alaska. And when you’re working a fishing boat, there’s not many down days. It’s easy to get caught of in the minutiae of things when most weeks I’m working every. single. day. That’s right, seven days a week when the fishing is good, roughly late-May through mid-September.

Every year I tell myself I’m going to take more photos, but most years I get caught up in the daily grind and the artsy stuff falls by the wayside. However, the past couple of years I’ve kept a cheap point-and-shoot camera onboard and managed to snap a few photos here and there.

One of my favorite film photography exhibitions is this roll of Tri-X 400 I shot during the summer of 2021. It was kind of dumb luck that this single roll — the only roll of film I shot at all that summer — did such a great job capturing my life on the water that year. A lot is left out, of course, but these 33 frames definitely tell a story.

Sittin' on the dock of the bay... Kachemak Bay, Alaska. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{Sittin’ on the dock of the bay… Kachemak Bay, Alaska.}

Capt. Drewbert and his son hanging out at Alice's Champagne Palace in Homer on a rare off day. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{Capt. Drewbert and his son hanging out at Alice’s Champagne Palace in Homer on a rare off day.}

My neighborhood in Homer. A view of Beluga Lake and the mountains across Kachemak Bay. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{My neighborhood in Homer. A view of Beluga Lake and the mountains across Kachemak Bay.}

Windowsill plants and a Toyota Tacoma in Homer, Alaska. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{Windowsill plants and a Toyota Tacoma in Homer, Alaska.}

Capt. Jordan cutting bait on the Diamond Cape. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{Capt. Jordan cutting bait on the Diamond Cape.}

Capt. Faithany fishing on the D.C. in Homer, AK. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{Capt. Faithany fishing on the D.C.}

Choppy waters on Kachemak Bay, Alaska. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{Choppy waters on Kachemak Bay.}

Deckhand "Kevin" on the Diamond Cape charter fishing boat out of Homer, Alaska. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{Deckhand “Kevin” on the Diamond Cape charter fishing boat out of Homer.}

A family and their fish aboard the Diamond Cape in Homer, Alaska. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{A family and their fish aboard the Diamond Cape in Homer.}

The Tustumena ferry coming into the Homer Harbor. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{The Tustumena ferry coming into the Homer Harbor.}

The Grand Aleutian outside of Homer. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{The Grand Aleutian leaving the Homer Harbor.}

Summer sky off the Homer Spit. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{Summer sky off the Homer Spit.}

The West Cape charter fishing out of Homer, Alaska. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{The West Cape charter fishing out of Homer, Alaska.}

Another day at the office on the Diamond Cape. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{Another day at the office on the Diamond Cape.}

Valley of the Moose near Nanwalek, Alaska. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{Valley of the Moose.}

A deck load of fish on the Diamond Cape, a charter fishing boat with Homer Ocean Charters. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{A deck load of fish on the Diamond Cape, a charter fishing boat with Homer Ocean Charters.}

Flapjacks the seagull made a nest on the fuel dock in the Homer boat harbor. She had 3 chicks. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{Flapjacks the seagull made a nest on the fuel dock in the Homer boat harbor. She had 3 chicks.}

The Bay Explorer catching halibut in Cook Inlet. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{The Bay Explorer catching halibut in Cook Inlet.}

My nephew TJ visited from Georgia. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{My nephew TJ visited from Georgia.}

George of Buttwhackers fame with his weapon of choice. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{George of Buttwhackers fame with his weapon of choice.}

Deckhands and captains hanging out at the Buttwhackers Fillet Company in Homer after a long day of fishing. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{Deckhands and captains hanging out at the Buttwhackers Fillet Company in Homer after a long day of fishing.}

My wife and her mom in Homer. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{My wife and her mom in Homer.}

Deckhand "Kevin" whacking and stacking on the deck of the Diamond Cape. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{Deckhand “Kevin” whacking and stacking on the deck of the Diamond Cape.}

Readying fishing gear on the Diamond Cape. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{Readying fishing gear on the Diamond Cape.}

Dogfish Bay in lower Cook Inlet. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{Dogfish Bay in lower Cook Inlet.}

Sea lions in China Poot Bay. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{Sea lions in China Poot Bay.}

Party boat in China Poot Bay snagging red salmon during July 2021. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{Party boat in China Poot Bay snagging red salmon during July 2021.}

Dipnetting red salmon in China Poot near Homer, Alaska. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{Dipnetting red salmon in China Poot near Homer, Alaska.}

The view from China Poot. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{The view from China Poot.}

That time Capt. Ben caught a salmon shark in the Chugach Islands. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{That time Capt. Ben caught a salmon shark in the Chugach Islands.}

My anchor buoy, vandalized. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{My anchor buoy, vandalized.}

Posted on March 9, 2025March 9, 2025 by Clay Duda Posted in Just For Fun, Mostly FIlm

Wine Parties, Weddings, Beach Vacations, and More from the Long Lost Film Archives of Strangers

The feet of an unknown photographer sitting poolside. Photo from an undeveloped roll of film found in an Olympus Stylus Zoom I bought on eBay in 2024. Photo by Anonymous. — _{The feet of an unknown photographer sitting poolside. Photo from an undeveloped roll of film found in an old film camera I bought on eBay in 2024. Photographer unknown.}

I think I learned it from my Mom — I have a hard time passing up a good deal. For me that’s especially true when it comes to cheap vintage film cameras. Sometimes I fix them up and take photos, other times I just test them out and sell them on eBay to fund my film photography habit. Every once and a while one of the old cameras I buy will have a roll of undeveloped film still sitting inside, forgotten from a time long ago.

Over the past couple years I’ve taken these abandoned rolls of film and done pretty much what the original owners did. I tossed them in a drawer and forgot about them.

Until now.

A few weeks ago I came across @anthonys_lost_film on Instagram, a place where this random internet stranger develops and shares found rolls of film just like the ones I had sitting in a drawer collecting dust. And I thought it was a pretty cool idea. Anthony’s work inspired me to develop my own rolls of found film, and these are the results.

Posted on February 23, 2025February 23, 2025 by Clay Duda Posted in Fish Stories, Home Sweet Homer, Mostly Alaska

Introducing the Irish Mist, My New Charter Fishing Boat in Homer, Alaska

Irish Mist halibut fishing in Homer, Alaska. Photo by Hasting Franks 2016. — _{Irish Mist eight-person charter halibut fishing in Homer, Alaska. Book for summer 2025 with North Country Charters! Photo by Hasting Franks.}

Fun Fact: When I first showed up in Homer, Alaska I didn’t even know what a halibut was. (*gasp*) I know, it’s blasphemy to show up in the “Halibut Fishing Capital of the World” and not know much about this world-class fish. But it didn’t take long to get me in the loop.

Within 48 hours of arriving in town I was out on a charter fishing boat catching my first halibut. That captain even offered me a summer job (thanks Daniel!), and as they say, “the rest is history.”

I went on to deckhand on several charter boats and spent winters commercial fishing in Alaska and Oregon before graduating from deckhand to captain status. Fast forward another 8 years (another *gasp* — it’s hard to believe it’s been so long!) and I’m here at another milestone.

I’d like to introduce the Irish Mist, my new halibut charter fishing boat in Homer, Alaska.

BOOK NOW for summer 2025!
North Country Charters
www.northcountrycharters.com
907-235-7620

I am more than excited to get out on the water, catch some fish, and keep doing what I love to do. I hope you’ll join me!

Posted on December 1, 2024March 16, 2025 by Clay Duda Posted in Mostly Punk Rock

CD Book: A Very Merry Bosstones’ Christmas and Take A Chance with this (Acid) Rapper

CD Book: The Mighty Mighty Bosstones Live from the Middle East and Chance the Rapper with Acid Rap. Photo by Clay Duda. — ^{The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Chance the Rapper grace the same page in this old CD book I pulled from the floorboard of my truck. Photo by Clay Duda.}

So far in life my biggest claim to fame is that I once got to go backstage at a Mighty Mighty Bosstones concert in Atlanta. I know ladies, try to keep it in your pants. It was a really great experience. Well, honestly, there really wasn’t much to it. There the band was, sitting on a dingy old couch chilling out before the show doing much of nothjing. But for an old ska-core kid like myself, it was still pretty neat!

Posted on May 2, 2024May 2, 2024 by Clay Duda Posted in Home Sweet Homer, Mostly Alaska, Mostly FIlm

First Friday: ‘At Road’s End’ Photographs at Homer Council on the Arts, May 2024

Photos on display as part of 'At Road's End: Analog Photography by Clay Duda' exhibit in the Homer Council on the Arts gallery in Homer, Alaska. May 2024. — ^{Photos on display as part of ‘At Road’s End: Analog Photography by Clay Duda’ exhibit in the Homer Council on the Arts gallery in Homer, Alaska. May 2024.}

I’m pretty blown away to announce that my first solo gallery show opens this week at Homer Council on the Arts in Homer, Alaska. ‘At Road’s End: Analog Photography by Clay Duda‘ will hang in the HCOA gallery for the month of May, and in the main hall at South Peninsula Hospital for June and July 2024.

The First Friday opening reception is tomorrow, May 3 from 5-7pm at Homer Council on the Arts, 355 W. Pioneer Ave. in Homer. If you’re in town and interested in that sort of thing, please stop by and say hi.

BOOK NOW for summer 2025!North Country Charterswww.northcountrycharters.com907-235-7620

BOOK NOW for summer 2025!
North Country Charters
www.northcountrycharters.com
907-235-7620