Pink Buick, Woodbury GA – Trying Out a New Photo Editing Software

August 23, 2025 / Donna Robinson Photography / 6 Comments

Lately, Saturdays are for day trips. They get us out of our weekly routine and provide us an opportunity to explore small towns around us. A few weeks ago, we hit a couple of places, but ended up in one of our favorite spots for “antiquing,” which is in Woodbury GA. It’s about 35 – 40 miles from us and we can take backroads all the way.

Sitting just outside one of the antique shops is this old pink Buick. There are no signs telling us why it’s even there. It’s just there. I suppose a backstory exists because the pink, metal umbrellas look as though they are from the same era. Whatever the case may be, it lent itself to a cool shot and, an opportunity to start a free trial with Affinity Photo 2.

I mentioned in my last post, (31 Days of July – Reaching Over Your Shoulder) I had purchased a new laptop and was extremely frustrated with Adobe because they wouldn’t let me load up my Photoshop Elements software without upgrading and paying a huge subscription fee. I remembered that a fellow photographer (LEANNE COLE – Trying to live a creative life) had mentioned she had used Affinity Photo 2 for an alternative editing tool in one of her posts, so it was definitely top of mind as an option.

So, off I went, pouring through YouTube videos trying to understand and compare to Photoshop. After several demos and seeing they had a one-time (no subscription) fee, I couldn’t resist giving it a try. Fortunately, through Microsoft Store I was able to download a 7-day free trial. It’s very user friendly, with similarities to Photoshop making for an easy transition. What I really liked were the tutorials which are comprehensive, yet easy to follow along and learn.

So, how did I do with my first photo editing in Affinity? Let’s get back to the pink Buick. Below left is the original shot. I had to be quick, and it turned out overexposed. I also didn’t like all the distractions on the brick wall, the trash on the ground or the fire hydrant. I suppose I could have left the fire hydrant in the shot, but the angle of the photo made it look like the umbrella pole was coming up through it.

As you can see on the shot to the right, the distractions have been cleaned up, the exposure and color levels have been adjusted to better compliment the details of the car and I applied a vignette mask. This was my first time using a mask tool and it was very easy to do after watching the Affinity tutorial on Vignettes.

I made one last edit and created a black and white version. A nice shot, too but since this post is about a pink Buick, the color version tells a better story.

All in all, I was very satisfied with the Affinity editing tool and purchased the photo module. There are three (3) modules I could have purchased for a reasonable price: photo, publishing and designer. But I felt for what I do with photography and blogging, I only needed the photo module.

After working with this image, I had the opportunity to take family portraits for our neighbors. I was a little slow with the edits, but in the end happy with Affinity as my new editing tool. Now it’s time to get back to taking photos.

Until next time,

~donna

Silent Sunday

May 12, 2024May 7, 2024 / Donna Robinson Photography / 4 Comments

Silent Sunday

April 21, 2024April 17, 2024 / Donna Robinson Photography / 2 Comments

Lens-Artist Challenge #295 – Rock Your World

April 16, 2024April 16, 2024 / Donna Robinson Photography / 8 Comments

Donna, from Windkiss has brought us back down to earth (so to speak) with a challenge that gives a nod to Earth Day and all things “rocks.” You can read her full challenge here.

So, let’s get started. No matter where you turn rocks play an important role on this planet.

They lead us through tunnels to find the light at the end.

Located in Galax, VA is the New River Trail which is a 57-mile linear park that follows an abandoned railroad tracks (part of the “rails to trails” system). The park parallels the scenic and historic New River for 39 miles and passes through four counties and the city of Galax. The photo below is one of two tunnels located on the trail.

They can be a fortress offering protection from society.

This is as close as I have ever come to Alcatraz. Having seen movies and documentaries about “The Rock” it looks like a great place for photo ops. Perhaps one day I’ll make it back out there.

They can be great tourist attractions.

If you look just beyond the tallest skyscraper, you’ll see a HUGE mountain (also called “The Rock”). It’s actually granite and is documented to have been formed 300 million (yes million) years ago. Stone Mountain, as it (and the surrounding town) is named, is located just east of Atlanta. You can climb to the top of the, take a train ride around the base of it and so much more. Interestingly, I took this photo when we lived in a condo where we had panoramic views of Atlanta.

They provide firm foundations for those wonderful lighthouses providing a watch-light for boaters on dark and stormy nights.

Pigeon Point Lighthouse is located in Pescadero, CA. I’ve shared before that many years ago Michael and I drove the Pacific Coast Highway from San Diego to San Francisco (Christmas Day – New Year’s Day). We had no map, no plans and no place to be. Literally, we made no hotel reservations. I share a little bit about that trip in an earlier post Lens-Artist Challenge #215 . A fun adventure indeed, with some good and not so good hotel choices.

They offer a resting place for mother nature.

Downtown Greenville, SC has gone through a revitalization over the years and one of the many great qualities is how they have incorporated Reedy Creek into the landscape, meandering along the sidewalks and spectacular walking trails.

They can cause the rise and fall of tides here on earth.

Ok, so while not of planet earth, per se, we can’t forget about that big rock up in the sky that affects our lives in so many ways down here! I guess you could say it’s the “ying” to earth’s “yang.”😉

Thank you, Donna, for making us stop and appreciate our planet earth! It was a fun to stop and think about all this big round ball has to offer to us.

For those of you who are interested in knowing more about the Lens-Artists challenge click here. Next week it’s Ritva’s turn to lead us through another fun filled challenge. Be sure to see what she has in store for us at noon EST this Saturday.

Until next time,

~donna

There is Simply the Rose….

June 17, 2023June 16, 2023 / Donna Robinson Photography / Leave a comment

“There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of its existence.“

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

First Full Moon of 2023

January 5, 2023 / Donna Robinson Photography / 3 Comments

First full moon and first photo of 2023. Here’s to peace, love, joy, happiness and a prosperous New Year! Cheers! 🥂

-donna

Lens-Artist Challenge #215 – Planes, Trains and Automobiles

September 6, 2022September 6, 2022 / Donna Robinson Photography / 15 Comments

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

For our challenge this week, John from Journeys with Johnbo encourages us to share images that focus on our journeys, possibly the modes of transportation which took us there. Or to even share images of places we discovered while on our journey.

I think my love for travel started when I was a child. I couldn’t tell you when exactly it started. But if I had to guess it was the trip, we took out west when I was about six (6) years old. It was so exciting because this was my first plane ride. And from what I remember we saw a LOT of the country – everything from The Hoover Dam to The Grand Canyon; San Diego to Disney Land, and lastly to San Franciso. I remember it being so much fun I cried (literally) when we had to come home.

“A photograph is a return ticket to moments already gone.”

Trip out west – Stop at the Grand Canyon Dad’s missing because he was the one taking all the photos (I’m the one in red pants).

Yes, I’ve been very fortunate throughout my life to travel to many places here in the U.S. and to other parts of the world. And I’ve pretty much been on all forms of transportation, too: planes, trains, automobiles, sailboats, cruise ships, helicopters and yes, even The Goodyear Blimp!

But one of my most memorable adventures was another trip out west which Michael and I took Christmas of 2011. We couldn’t decide where we wanted to go, so we narrowed it down to three (3) places. We wrote the names on pieces of paper, folded them up and dropped them into a bowl. I don’t remember which one of us drew the winner, but we landed on a road trip up the Pacific Coast Highway.

Our motto for the trip was “No map, no plans, no place to be.” It’s a line from Toby Keith’s song “South of You.” The only parts of the trip planned were our airline and rental car reservations. And so, on Christmas Day we headed to the airport and boarded a plane to San Diego, CA

Once we landed and picked up our sporty Mustang convertible for the trip, we headed to our first stop just outside of San Diego (Carlsbad, CA) for a quick visit with our nephew and his family.

Our activities for the day included lunch, a walk on the pier, and a visit to Mission San Louis Rey de Francia – Oceanside, CA. You can tell the boys were quite warn out from our day’s outing and scooting around in the convertible!

The real adventure of “no map, no plans, no place to be” started when we left San Diego. Our first stop that day was lunch in Laguna Beach. It’s definitely the artist colony it’s known for.

We didn’t stop much that day because we were too busy enjoying the coastline scenery. But, by the time we reached Los Angeles and navigated our way through the traffic, we decided to call it quits for the day.

We pulled into Malibu, just in time to grab a place for the night. And, since we didn’t have any reservations, we had no idea what we were in for when it came to hotels. We were lucky enough though, to find a wonderful little inn on the ocean and were greeted the next morning by a cute seagull at our balcony door (which was at the foot of our bed).

Day 3 – More driving, but we didn’t care, the scenery was amazing. We stopped for the night at Moonstone Beach in Cambria. THIS was the downfall of “no reservations.” We ended up in a dive of a motel. It was one of those places where you wouldn’t dare take your shoes off, let alone get under the covers! But it was a small price to pay for a beautiful sunset.

After that fateful night when we were ready to stop for the day, we would go to the nearest restaurant/bar and ask the locals for their recommendations……they never failed us.

**Sunset at Moonstone Beach in Cambria**

“Due to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel across country from coast to coast without seeing anything.”
~Charles Kuralt

This is one of Michael’s favorite quotes and it’s so true. We may not have been driving coast to coast, but the quote is still appropriate for our south to north journey on the PCH. Afterall, if we had chosen to take the interstate look at all we would have missed.

Our last stop just in time for New Year’s Eve was San Francisco. We decided to return the rental car and walk or take BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) instead. We wrapped up our trip with a nice dinner catching up with some longtime friends.

Thanks, John for this wonderful challenge. It was fun re-living this road-trip and all the wonderful memories Michael and I enjoyed together.

Next week it’s Sofia’s turn. Be sure to follow her at Photographias so you don’t miss out on her theme.

Until next time,

~donna

Lens-Artist 204 – Doors

June 23, 2022August 20, 2022 / Donna Robinson Photography / 13 Comments

“When life shuts a door…. open it again. It’s a door, that’s how they work!”

This week Sylvia (My Colorful Expression) encourages us to explore doors/doorways that have drawn your photographic eye. Another fun challenge for me because it gave me a chance to go through my archives and revisit some favorite places.

Like these images of an old house rapidly deteriorating on the side of HWY 341 in South Georgia. Michael and I traveled it most every time we visited St. Simons Island. It was a beautiful stretch of highway lined with farmsteads old and new, pecan groves and cotton fields. We must have passed this particular site about a dozen times before we finally stopped to take these photos.

What really stood out to me on the house was this faded blue door. Can’t you just visualize a cute, white or gray house with a bright blue door?

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
Luke 11:9 NIV

I love old churches because of the stories they tell about the communities where they were built. Early into my transition to digital photography I became obsessed with taking photos of churches. So much so I had envisioned creating a coffee table book and naming it “Steeples I have Chased.” With the idea in my head, it wasn’t unusual for me to have Michael randomly stop so I could photograph the church. Like this one “Log Cabin Community Church.” It’s very near to where we live and has been around since 1912. Don’t you just love the bright, red doors?

What I did learn about my photography of churches (after searching through three external hard drives and my Shutterfly account) is that I haven’t done a really good job of taking photos of just the doors. Windows and alters, “yes.” But doors not so much.

I did manage to find this one from our trip to London (2010) of the main entrance to Westminster Abby. It’s definitely not my best, but that’s why we work at photography every…. single….day! Right?!?!

“The happiest of people don’t have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything.”

Sometimes a door really isn’t a door. It could be the front porch or simply the doorway to the home. This photo was taken at the Atlanta History Center gardens the summer I began my “re-wirement” journey. I don’t recall where the cabin originated from but what drew me in was the opposite doorway with the colorful, tattered fabric hanging on the railing. I began to imagine what the activity in the cabin was like. I’m sure to us it was a simpler way of life, but to the early settlers it was just life.

In the photo below do you see what I mean about the porch being the doorway to the home in this photo? It’s so welcoming and inviting and draws you further into the cabin.

So that’s my photo journey of doors. Lesson learned; I need to pay more attention to doors. Afterall, you never know which one will be yours to open!

Until next time,

~donna

P. S. Next week, Tina will be our host. She is a wonderful photographer so be sure to visit her site.

P.S.S. If you would like to participate in our weekly Lens-Artists Challenge, just click this link and join us on Saturdays at noon EST: Lens-Artist Challenge

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Escaping the Winter Blues

February 27, 2022February 27, 2022 / Donna Robinson Photography / 7 Comments

I can’t say that our winter here in Atlanta has been so cold that we had to escape. Afterall, we’ve had some warm, sunny days lately when the temperatures have hit the low 80’s. But winter is winter, and it does get cold, gray and rainy (like today).

By the time February comes along we’re ready for a winter escape. And since Michael’s birthday happens to be at the end of the month, we have a pretty solid reason for a road-trip. This year was no different!

We started with our usual halfway point, St. Simons Island, GA and visited with our dear friends Meg and Bart for the evening. It’s always great to visit our friends and this fun little island. If you’ve followed me since the beginning of this blog, you know that at one time we had a vacation home on St. Simons. You can read about our adventures in these posts:

SSI Casa de Playa – My first post ever and the name of our little beach house. Our friend Meg came up with the name.
Steeples I have Chased – A look at three (3) historical churches located on St. Simons Island
The Nutcracker – A cute little story about our Pecan Tree and an ingenious nutcracker my father brought home many, many years earlier.
Leaving SSI – Our journey on the island was short and this pretty much sums it up!

But I digress. Today’s post is really about our trip to Amelia Island, FL which is located about an hour south of St. Simons Island. It’s a quaint area and we were fortunate to find a hotel on the beach.

The beach on Amelia Island is wide and beautiful. Our first morning we headed out the hotel and walked three (3) miles (a short walk if you know me and Michael). The mist was just beginning to burn off as the sun was coming up.

A beach shot walking back to the hotel. The sea foam is so beautiful, this photo really doesn’t do it any justice!

Later that day we headed over to Fernandina Beach, FL which is about 10 miles north of Amelia Island, but they’re “technically” part of the same area. It’s a quaint little town, one we’ve visited on multiple occasions!

The main street is lined with shops and restaurants and some of the best antique shops filled with all types of local and national history. There was so much to see in each of the shops! But here are a few of my favorites.

Who doesn’t love an old truck! This one was parked outside the first antique shop we went into. I love the rust and the patina on the bumper.

My favorite booth! Just look at all the vintage cameras and how they’re displayed! Can’t you just imagine the stories each of these cameras have captured throughout the years?

I was a little mesmerized by this display case with all the vintage buttons. Do they even make these anymore?

Yes, “Life is a Beach on Amelia Island.”

Sunrise on our last morning. Had it not been for Michael, I would have missed this shot because I was too busy packing to head home.

Do you find yourself looking for a winter escape? If so, where do you go? Are you after more cold and snow or do you head to warmer climates?

Until next time! “Life is a journey, not a destination. You are the artist, paint what you will.”

~donna

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“Happiness Will Never Come…..”

January 24, 2022January 24, 2022 / Donna Robinson Photography / Leave a comment

“Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate what they have.” ~Budha

I find myself focusing a lot these days on gratitude and this quote really stood out to me. Not from a standpoint of appreciating the “THINGS” I have, but from appreciating where I am in my life. Appreciating my family. Appreciating my friends. Appreciating my health. Appreciating where I am this very second of my life and the time I have been given to experience this chapter in my life.

Sure, others may have more, they may have accomplished more in their careers or experienced situations I never will. But that is their journey not mine. And for that I choose to appreciate and find happiness in my own journey.

What part of your journey are you failing to appreciate that is holding you back from your happiness?

~donna

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