Author: Donna Robinson Photography

For the Love of Photography – “From Flip Flops to Snow Boots”

/ Donna Robinson Photography / 3 Comments

From a weather standpoint the first week of January has been somewhat of a roller coaster.  The beginning of the week we found ourselves wearing flip flops, but ending the week bundling up in layers of long johns, gloves and snow boots!

The local Atlanta weather forecasters had the entire city on “Blizzard Alert,” with everyone racing to the grocery stores wiping out all of the milk, eggs and bread.  But, as usual, we only ended up with a little ice in the trees and a dusting…..not as pretty as the snow that the suburbs had, but pretty enough to give our little town of Vinings some glitter in the early dawn hours.

img_6140-010717-icy-atlanta

The coming week looks like Mother Nature is going to do an about face and the temps will be gradually rising to above average highs.  I suppose I should keep those flip flops handy!

.

 

 

Thoughts: Looking Back to Look Forward

/ Donna Robinson Photography / 2 Comments

As we were ringing in 2017, my husband and I found ourselves doing what we enjoy the most, watching concert music videos.  Our choice for the evening……”The History of the Eagles.”  If you haven’t seen this, it’s one of the best rock documentaries out there.  With interview clips of each of the band members, it is a well produced history of how they came to be.

But, the one interview that has always stood out to us both is with Joe Walsh and a quote he has about life and being with The Eagles:  “You know, there’s a philosopher who says, “As you live your life, it appears to be anarchy and chaos, and random events, non-related events, smashing into each other and causing this situation or that situation, and then, this happens, and it’s overwhelming, and it just looks like what in the world is going on. And later, when you look back at it, it looks like a finely crafted novel. But at the time, it don’t.”

And so, as I look back on 2016 and the “random, non-related events smashing into each other,”   I’m humbled by the experiences that came together throughout the year and grateful for my husband, our family, our friends and acquaintances who were part of those events.  While the 2016 chapter is closed, done, and finished I embrace 2017 for it’s new beginnings, for it’s hopes of health, prosperity and new “random, non-related events” to come.

Thank you for being a part of my photography/blog journey.  My hope to you in the coming year is that through my blogs you find inspiration to do whatever it is you want to do and be as your finely  crafted novel evolves.

“Life is a journey, not a destination……….You are the artist, paint what you will.”

A Few of My Favorite 2016 Post Photos

Moss Covered Trees – Flash
Awakenings – Sunrise, East Beach, Gould’s Inlet
Yellow Daisy Floating in Bird Bath
“Contemplation” Settings: TV 1/6400 seco; AV: f/4; ISO 400; Exp.0; Focal Length 58mm
“Big Sur” Settings: TV: 1/1000 sec; AV f/16; ISO 400; Exp 0; Focal Length 47mm
Buckhead, Atlanta Sunrise Settings: AV f/9; TV 1/1600 sec; ISO 400; Focal Length 102mm

Giving Thanks Over The Desert Rose

/ Donna Robinson Photography / 10 Comments

I have many fond memories of my childhood.  And, like most everyone else some are good and some are not so good.  But, one of my favorite memories (which my sisters would also agree) is not of one particular event, but rather of multiple events centered around our mother’s dishes. These were the dishes that brought us together as a family every day at dinner time; these were the dishes where we chatted about the events of the day; these were the dishes that remind us of home, family and of her.

“Desert Rose by Franciscan” was the name of the pattern. With four (4) pink and white embossed flowers circling each plate, they were connected by their leaves and stems eloquently forming scalloped edges.  The dish set came with everything you can imagine….there were dinner plates, salad plates, dessert plates, cups and saucers and the list goes on.   There were even salt and pepper shakers in the shape of unopened blooms.

We don’t know what happened to her dish set.  It’s almost as if when she passed away the dishes disappeared as well.

But, something strange and wonderful happened this year……..The dishes found their way back into our family.  Well, not exactly the dishes, but a set just like them.  As my husband and I were wandering through Tuesday Morning, I stumbled upon a knock-off set, took a picture and sent it to my sister.  Within about 10 minutes she sent me a photo from an e-bay email link she had just received of an authentic set of the dishes.  After about 20 minutes of texting back and forth with our other sister, we realized that it was the 40th anniversary of her passing. Perhaps our mother was speaking to us through the dishes?

Fast forward to Thanksgiving……Dad’s favorite holiday a time of the year he especially enjoys having the family together.  Our typical get togethers are “buffet style, sit where you can find a seat kind of meals” leaving everyone scattered throughout different rooms.  And so, this year my sisters and I decided to make Thanksgiving extra special by transforming the living room into a dining room in order to seat everyone at one table.  Not a small feat to do, but we did it (thanks to the help of my husband)……..everyone had a seat at the table.  And, at every place setting was “Desert Rose.”

img_5120-112416-giving-thanks

With Dad seated at the head of the table and his grandchildren and great grandchildren intently listening to his every word, he proudly told the story of how the dishes came back into our lives.  And then, just like the original dishes, they became the dishes we said grace over; they became the dishes we chatted over and caught up with each other about all that is happening in our lives; they became the dishes that now meant family, home and reminded us of our mother and  “Giving Thanks over the Desert Rose.”

 

 

Life In Black & White -“Fancy Honey”

/ Donna Robinson Photography / Leave a comment

Today, I’m sharing with you another of my favorite sights along The Golden Isles Parkway (Hwy.341) in Georgia…”Fancy Honey – The Altamaha Apiaries.”  We must have passed it about hundred times on our journey back and forth to St. Simons and it wasn’t until our last trip that we finally stopped to take a few photos.

img_5034-102116-altamah-apiaries-copyright

I couldn’t help but wonder about the history of this little, abandoned store, located in Gardi, GA.  So, I did a little research and quickly found out this is a very popular landmark to photograph.  Built around 1900, it was originally a post office and general store.  The Fore family purchased the building in 1941 to expand their honey business.

If you go back and look at earlier photographs (see Buzz Kill below), you can tell that the building is slowly fading away.  As we drove around the building you can see remnants of scattered hive boxes peering beneath overgrown vines and brush.

From what I have been able to find out it is still in the family.  Perhaps just like my earlier post about the neatly kept, but empty house with water tower and wind mill (For the Love of Photography – “Gone But Not Forgotten” ) the family has many memories handed down from generation to generation that they can not bear to part with it.   Whatever the reason may be, I’m glad it’s still around and thankful to have made the stop before it completely faded away.

For more information about this unique building, please visit these links below:

  1. Buzz Kill – Great photo series of other abandoned apiaries.
  2. Sleepy town called Gardi a haven from big-city bustle – Interesting interview with a family member who owns the building.
  3. Vanishing South Georgia – A wonderful blog by Brian Brown from Fitzgerald, Georgia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thoughts: “Leaving SSI Casa de Playa”

/ Donna Robinson Photography / 4 Comments

The very first blog I wrote was about our new adventures at SSI Casa de Playa.  So, it’s only fitting that today, the day we closed on the sale of our beloved beach getaway, I share with you some parting thoughts and memories from this particular chapter in our journey of life:

  1. My first impression of St. Simons Island is still the same.  It is a wonderful, quaint place to relax and forget the day-to-day stresses of life.  Whether coming over the causeway or driving beneath the canopy of the Live Oak Trees draped in Spanish Moss you will slow down…..you will breathe in….you will exhale….you will relax.
    IMG_0584 021415 Old Demere copyright

    Spanish Moss drapes the overhanging trees of Old Demere Rd.

    2.  The island is filled with so much beauty…..in my view it truly  is the crown jewel of the The Golden Isles of Georgia

    Awakenings – Sunrise, East Beach, Gould’s Inlet
    Georgia Brown Eagle Settings: AVf/40; TV 1/100; ISO 800; 400mm
    Car Carrier Passing the Village Pier
    Sunset Over the Sidney LanierBridge
    Gould’s Inlet SSI
    Walk on the beach at low tide
    Bird in Flight
    SSI Lighthouse

 

3.  I’m still humbled by the experience of our little island home.  As I mentioned in my first post,  we were excited, cautious and humbled about this journey.  My husband and I did what we do best at SSI Casa de Playa……like an artist with a blank canvas, we carefully and artfully transformed it, leaving pieces of ourselves behind.  In a sense it is our way of showing gratitude for being able to experience such a wonderful place.

 

img_4994-ssi-casa-de-playa

 

IMG_7385 092715 SSI Casa de Playa

4. And, lastly…….We will return.  Indeed, this passage is bittersweet.  But, the friends we met and the memories we made will keep drawing us back to this special place by the sea. Of course, we can’t leave this beautiful place without mentioning our dear friends, Meg and Bart without whom we would have never discovered all of the beauty, the history and the warmth this island has to offer.  “Life is a journey, not a destination…you are the artist paint what you will.”

As I close out this post I thought it only appropriate to share with you an excerpt from a poem “The Marshes of Glynn” which was written by Sidney Lanier (2/3/1842 – 9/7/1881):

“As the marsh-hen secretly builds on the watery sod,
Behold I will build me a nest on the greatness of God:
I will fly in the greatness of God as the marsh-hen flies
In the freedom that fills all the space ‘twixt the marsh and the skies:
By so many roots as the marsh-grass sends in the sod
I will heartily lay me a-hold on the greatness of God:
Oh, like to the greatness of God is the greatness within
The range of the marshes, the liberal marshes of Glynn.
And the sea lends large, as the marsh: lo, out of his plenty the sea
Pours fast: full soon the time of the flood-tide must be.”

IMG_7234 092616 Sidney Lanier Bridge copyrigh

Sidney Lanier Bridge, Golden Isles Georgia

Steeples I Have Chased – St. Ann Catholic Church

/ Donna Robinson Photography / 1 Comment

It’s been a while since I wrote about one of my favorite subjects, Churches.  My tendency is to wait until I have all of the right images, information, etc, to make these as complete of a post as possible. But, I find my heart being drawn to one particular church, lately.  A desire to share a special place that has many, many ties to my extended family……. St. Ann Catholic Church (West Palm Beach, FL).

St. Ann is the oldest Catholic church and parish in the Diocese of Palm Beach.  According to the historic marker, the original chapel (above left) was dedicated March 15, 1896 and located at the corner of Rosemary and Datura streets. In 1902, it was moved to its current location (North Olive Ave.) on land that was donated by Henry Flagler.  The newer church (above right) was dedicated in 1913 and also serves the community as a Catholic School…….where my mother-in-law and her siblings went.

The first time I visited St. Ann it was for a family reunion.  It’s a small sanctuary with a detailed, but unassuming alter.  The lighting is soft to allow the natural light to shine through the beautifully crafted stained glass windows.

The alter (above) is a skillfully carved depiction of  Davinci’s “The Last Supper.”  It’s so detailed you can almost feel the movement of Jesus and the disciples feasting and talking about the impending crucifixion.

IMG_2462 St Ann's Catholic Church Janice Janik

And then, there is the  “candle room” a place of solitude and peace.  A place to light a candle for a loved one or a special prayer request.

Although I grew up Baptist, I am always drawn to Catholic Churches because of their beauty, tradition and history.  And, I’m especially drawn to St. Ann because it is the foundation and the beginning of a wonderful group of decendents of Anna L. and Hyman Butler.  While they may not be famous beyond the family members, “Miss Anna” and “Hyman” left behind a legacy of family, love and tradition that will last for years to come: the Butlers, Nemeths, Meeks and  Robinsons.

A special thanks goes out to  fellow photographer, sister-in-law and friend Janice (Robinson) Janik, who was kind enough to provide the inside photos of the church for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the Love of Photography – “Gone But Not Forgotten”

/ Donna Robinson Photography / 3 Comments

One of our favorite routes to SSI Casa de Playa is Hwy 341, or as its better known, the “Golden Isles Parkway.”  A four (4) lane highway along the backroads of middle Georgia running Southwest between Perry (Macon) and Brunswick, Hwy 341 is like taking a step back in time where families made their living off the land.  For miles and miles (168 miles to be exact) the roads are lined with the most beautiful pecan orchards, cotton fields and timber farms.

About an hour in to our first drive down Hwy 341 we noticed an old windmill and rusted water tower off in the distance.  They stood just high enough over the tree line that we didn’t see them until we were about half a mile away.

IMG_3376 070116 Gone But Not Forgotten

As we approached closer, we noticed an old house at the base.  Brush and trees had grown up all around it.  It was obvious a front porch once framed the house, but had long ago deteriorated to the point where it was dismantled and hauled away.

IMG_3375 Gone but not forgotten

The front door with its faded blue paint leaned against the door jam and dingy brown curtains still hung in the window.   Collectively, the house, the windmill and the water tower were reminders of times gone with questions running through our minds…..who lived there? why did they leave this beautiful land behind?  where did the family go?

While I was taking pictures a white pick-up truck drove up.  The driver stepped out of the truck and I then noticed the “posted no trespassing signs.”  Quickly, I complimented him on the property and asked if I could take a few more pictures.  He smiled and obliged not seeming at all bothered with my request.

IMG_3371 070116 Gone But Not Forgotten

And then, as I pulled back on the lens for a wider shot of the property, I noticed that the times that appeared to be gone were not forgotten.  A neatly built wooden fence and freshly cut grass carefully framed the house and its two (2) towers.  To someone (perhaps the gentleman in the pick-up truck), this was still a part of their family and their history.

The Magic Lantern – “Let There Be Light”

/ Donna Robinson Photography / 2 Comments

For me, knowing how to use my flash has been the single most hardest technique to grasp.  Yes, even more so than shooting in manual mode!  It’s not that I avoid using it.  No, common sense tells me when it’s needed.  But, it’s knowing how to effectively use the settings (there’s that manual mode again) to recreate (and in some cases drastically improve) the lighting of an image.

So, not being one to actually read an owner’s manual (they don’t make sense anyway) I finally decided it was time to take a few courses.  After three (3) very short and quick classes, I’m once again  reminded of the “magic” you can create with your camera.

So what did I learn?  Here are my top five (5) tips from the course:

  1. Ignore your internal camera settings –  Our instructor said it would be hard to do……and it was!  But, once I determined the “base camera settings” I was able to compliment the photo with the Flash settings.
  2. Bounce  – Instead of shooting directly on your subject, turn the flash head and bounce it off a wall, ceiling, curtain, anything to help highlight your subject versus blowing it out.
  3. ETTL and Manual – Both are great tools and have their own purpose when it comes to complimenting your subject. ETTL works great when shooting events (especially indoor) and when you don’t have much time to continually adjust your settings.  Manual is great for outdoor settings (both bright and dark) because you can control the power of the flash.
  4. Fill Flash is a great tool for outside –  I’ve heard this before, but I’m the photographer who is prone to using natural light.
  5. A higher ISO is your friend – This is probably my favorite lessen learned.  I’m hesitant with increasing the ISO because of that grainy coverage you get the higher you go.  But, what I learned was that with Flash, it will add light to the ISO and will help to eliminate some if not most of the grain.

So how did my photos turn out?  Here are a few practice shots:

“Moss Covered Trees”

Moss Covered Trees – No Flash
Moss Covered Trees – Flash

 The Photo on the left is without a flash. While I do like the warmth when I added the flash (photo on the right) the colors of the landscape and the depth of the road seem to pop more.

“This and That”

Practice makes perfect (or near perfect) and your home can lend some really good subjects to practice with. Click on the images below to see how each imaged was captured with the flash.

Manual Flash, Bounced with diffuser, Reduced Flash Power
Manual Flash – Straight on with Diffuser at Half Power
Fill Flah – ETTL – ISO Adjustment

 

The last thing my instructor told us was to “read our owner’s manual.”  I took it with me on a trip to Canada last week thinking I would find some time on the airplane to read it. I picked it up a couple of times, but for the life of me, I just can’t get into it……. I think I’ll just sign-up for the next Flash Photography course!

Thoughts: “Drunk Drivers Don’t Scare Me Anymore”

/ Donna Robinson Photography / 6 Comments

Hold your horses! Before anyone goes off the deep end on me and M.A.D.D. pops a vein….. hear me out.  By no means am I condoning driving under the influence, I’m just saying, statistically “smart phones” have made us stupid and “drunk drivers don’t scare me anymore.”

Texting and Drivig

Think about it…..how many times have you been driving down the road, and had to go around another driver just because they were going 20 miles under the speed limit and they were on the phone talking……oblivious to everything else going on around them? Or, the thousands of times you were sitting behind someone at a traffic light and noticed their head down in their laps, the light turns green and they just sit there……….typing away on their e-mails while cars behind them honk away until the light turns red again and they are still sitting there?!?

Traffic signals

But, these aren’t the drivers that really hurt anyone.  It’s the ones who drive down a two-lane road, swerving and crossing the center line with their heads down in their laps…….again!  At least drunk drivers try a little harder to be safe about their driving.  Seriously, they keep both hands on the wheel and both eyes on the road.

I’m not saying I’m perfect, but when you research the facts it’s pretty startling and scary.  Here are just a few that were eye openers: (source: Stoptextsstopwrecks.org)

Texting While Driving Causes:

1. 1,600,000 accidents per year – National Safety Council
2. 330,000 injuries per year – Harvard Center for Risk Analysis Study
3. 11 teen deaths EVERY DAY – Ins. Institute for Hwy Safety Fatality Facts
4. Nearly 25% of ALL car accidents

Texting While Driving Is:

1. About 6 times more likely to cause an accident than driving intoxicated
2. The same as driving after 4 beers – National Hwy Transportation Safety Admin.
3. The number one driving distraction reported by teen drivers

Texting While Driving:

1. Makes you 23X more likely to crash – National Hwy Transportation Safety Admin.
2. Is the same as driving blind for 5 seconds at a time – VA. Tech Transportation Institute
3. Takes place by 800,000 drivers at any given time across the country
4. Slows your brake reaction speed by 18% – HumanFactors & Ergonomics Society
5. Leads to a 400% increase with eyes off the road

texting and driving 3

Think about it……for years it has been pounded into our heads that drunk driving is the number one cause of death on the roads.  But, I’m not convinced this is the case anymore especially when you know that every car you pass on the road has at least one (1) cell phone (if not more depending on the number of passengers).  And, this is why “drunk drivers don’t scare me anymore.”

Maybe it’s time to start a new movement …….how about “D.A.D.”  (Disconnect And Drive)?  Or, “P.D.A.D.” (Phones Down And Drive)?  With summer officially kicking off, I urge you to think twice before reading or answering that text when you drive……..is it really worth the risk?

NOTE:  This post was written by my husband, Michael.  It’s something he is very passionate about and he asked me to help get his message across through my blog.