Day 321: Baby It's Cold Outside

So this morning it was 14 degrees below zero here in Chaumont, NY. I had no idea yesterday that we were headed for so a low a temperature. The reward for that was the nice frost formations on the windows.

Frost formation on a window of my home in Chaumont, NY.

At left is the thermometer that hangs on a Maple tree in my back yard. It can be difficult keeping up enthusiasm for one's endeavors when the fruit they bear produces a small crop over a prolonged period. What I am getting at is how slow it has been for me to establish a solid group of guitar students and to book a susbstantial number of wedding photography jobs. Many years ago I photographed weddings almost every week end. I often would cover two weddings in a weekend.  When I was teaching guitar 18 years or so ago, I generally had about fifteen or so students at any given time. (The guitar has a high dropout rate, so students tend to turn over frequently.) My job with the nerwspaper eventually kept me so busy and paid me well enough that I gave up the teaching and the weddings. That was great for about 23 years. Then, 24 months ago my job was slashed to  twenty hours a week.  I figured that by now I would be re-established in the area as a wedding photographer and as a guitar teacher. Sadly, I have been averaging only four or five students. The weddings have been coming in at a dismal rate also. I assume some of it still has to do with a sluggish economy. There also are a lot of other photograp[hers out there trying to hustle up wedding gigs, and quite frankly, most of them are rather poor shooters. What a person in my position cannot do, however, is quit trying. So, I keep plugging along. Now don't get me wrong, I have had good success and have been able to make up a good portion of my lost job wages, but it's work. I don't mind the work, but at times one does get discouraged.  Anyhow, I hope al of you out there are doing OK.

The best to you all, Gary Walts

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Do you know anyone who needs a wedding photographer in the Syracuse or Watertown regions of NY? Send them to me, Gary Walts at www.garywalts.com/weddings

Wedding photography in northern NY, Watertown, and central NY by Gary Walts wedding photographer

Day 245: Election Day & First Frost

It was 25 degrees in Chaumont NY this morning. I made this photo in my backyard. This is the first frost to appear in my yard this year. That's a new record I think. Other places near me have had a frost, but not me.
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Rough day today in some respects. I got to bed late last night (midnight) because I photographed Condoleeza Rice at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY. I was dead asleep when at 2:00AM the Better Half roused me to say there was something wrong with the furnace. Well, the problem was really with the programmable thermostat. Befor I went to bed I noticed the display blinking. I began pressing buttons to reset it, realized I couldn't remember how to do it, said the Hell with it & went to bed. My mistake. It began running non-stop, trying to heat the house up toward 80 degrees. Yikes! Anyhow, I straightened it out & went back to bed. And then I lay there awake until 5:00AM. Finally I dozed and got up at 8:00. It was chilly outside. The day went somewhat normally, getting the wood stove going, checked e-mail, and had to go vote. Also, I had to cut some mats for some photographs that will be in a group art exhibition this monbth. The artwork must be delivered tomorrow. So I got that mostly done before I had to head to Ogdensburg, NY to cover the NY State 48th district senate race. That is where I am now at 10:36PM. I am with the republican candidate Patty Ritchie. She is trailing her opponent, Darrel Aubertine by about 1600 votes. I'll be here for awhile. Another long day in the North Country, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.