I'M HERE TO EMPOWER YOU!

I’m an artist . . . but that’s not saying much, because I believe, and it is something that I have devoted my time heavily to convey, that art expression is an inherent property of human nature. The media may vary, but not the innate disposition.

Those that know me have heard my “talent-as-myth” diatribe all too often, and if you end up tuning in to my posts, you will encounter it soon enough. It is my goal to change the notion, which a great number of people resign to, that one needs to have “talent” to pursue the art they feel or want and am doing this on a daily basis through my program in the G+ Mentorship Program for Photographers.

With that as preface, I will probably devote a portion of my posts to inspiring artists, but I also plan to impart other conceptions that I have about life in general, with the goal of elevating, encouraging, enlivening or energizing those who read them.

Let me begin with this:

I wish for you the ability to create for yourself all that your heart desires.

Start!


➡️ fill out this form, if you’re interested in the new home for “G+ Mentorship Program for Photographers”

➡️ fill out this form, if you’re interested in keeping in touch or getting mentored by Robin


You can begin by watching "The Myth of Talent" here:


"The Myth of Talent" by Robin Griggs Wood

Robin Griggs Wood •artist•(@robingriggswood)'s Instagram

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RECENT POSTS

Strengthen Your Core


Strengthen Your Core
Several years ago I decided to change my physical condition. I had gained a lot of weight over the years and confronted it one Christmas visiting my brother -- and his bathroom scale ... ugh.

I took on a program of running and weight-lifting and changed my eating. However, after a year and a half of that, I had only managed to lose about fifteen pounds. I was healthier, sure -- probably gained more muscle weight and lost some fat -- but I was still frustrated at not being able to get to where I wanted to be.

Then ... my back went out on me like a faithless lover. I felt so betrayed. It was the first time anything that debilitating had ever happened to me. I couldn't move at all.

When I went to the doctor, he told me I had to do something like yoga or pilates (similar to yoga). I laughed to myself -- the last thing that I wanted to do was bend like that!! So, I ignored him.

Throughout the following year I was still unable to to break my plateau, but during that time I did a lot of reading on the subject from professional fitness experts. One of the key points that kept coming up was the concept of 'Core Strength'. Your core is the center of your body and the primary muscle groups there are the abdominals, back, butt and hips. The minor sit-ups I had been doing just weren't addressing that fundamental core.

One day, I was walking past a pile of DVD's on sale and one particular exercise video grabbed my attention. I had remembered my doctor's words -- "pilates". "Worth a try," I thought. Well, that step changed everything! Within mere months I had lost thirty-five more pounds. My speed and agility at running increased even! I finally had gained real control and capability with my body -- for the first time in my life.

I'm sure you are now asking "Um, Robin … what does pilates have to do with photography or art?!!"

STRENGTHEN YOUR CORE.

The Internet is a vast resource of tutorials for photography and art. As well, you probably already have applications loaded onto your systems that are applicable to your current goals, or you can get some for free or at low cost. Learn them! Learn the core of your tools and those applications. It's not the plug-ins and fancy new gadgets that will be there for you when the next 'newest, latest, greatest' hits the market. What will be there for you when the 'gotta have it' fades is your ability to work with the basic fundamentals of the tools and applications you use -- and your ability to grow and adapt, when the market need fluctuates.

If you are having difficulty fully grasping how the processes work and feel you need an add-on or fancy gadget to get a quality result, remember that the fundamentals of the tools that you are using are not unknowable. Do what you need to do to learn them thoroughly. Break out a dictionary and find out what the words mean, first in your own language, and then in the language of the application or the analog operations it represents. Experiment a bit with what is in front of you. Finally learn what all the dials on your camera are for. Then, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. (Read that as, PLAY, PLAY, PLAY ... ;o))

Strengthen your core -- and watch your speed and agility soar!


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#LandscapePhotography
#rgwoodpost #photography #googleplusphotos #hqsplandscape #BTPLandscapePro

104 comments:

  1. Gorgeous light...how'd you get so wise!! :)  and..now I want to know which video grabbed your attention!

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  2. Oh RGW your words (and photos but that goes without saying) always have such a way of getting a point across in that kapow! Kinda way. dreamy sigh

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  3. What a beautiful post and beautiful woodland scene too!!  Beautiful! Thanks for sharing with the #LandscapePhotography theme!!  It's my pleasure to share your amazing photo to the Landscape Photography page!  Check out all the great photos there including yours!!

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  4. Pilates is awesomeness, Jason Kowing and Lauri Novak. I've been doing it for a few months now and am really feeling a dramatic improvement in my core strength. It's amazing what I can do now compared to when I started. Persistence. And there is my lesson for the day with regard to my photography skills! :)

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  5. Light wrangler and strength with beauty and hope!
    What a combination of wonderful!
    Takes my breath away and lets me dream for a moment!
    Robin Griggs Wood

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  6. Hello my dear Robin! Thank you loads for your kind words :)*♥

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  7. Christin McLeod I've gotten as far as thinking about it... :)  Actually because of this post I went to find free videos online.  Will keep you posted. haha.  (I always think with my ballet background it should make it a bit easier for me to 'get')   Yoga...unless I can find a different instructor, it's not my thing.  I loved the stretching of it but not the hippie dippie stuff this lady spouted.  :)

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  8. Thank you for that reminder. Beautiful shot!

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  9. I've had some hippie dippie Pilates instructors in the past so I know what you mean, Lauri Novak...I don't know what it feels like to squeeze a mustard seed between my cough cheeks. Yeah, she said that...LOL.

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  10. Magnificent post, dear Robin Griggs Wood !! :-)

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  11. This image is so beautiful and calming that after looking at it for a while I feel like I've just come out of a meditation. 
    I love your creative parallel describing core.

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  12. Robin Griggs Wood - I love the way that you combined Fitness and Photography so nicely into one post. These two subjects are also my passions.
    Well done!

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  13. Lauri Novak -- I got so wise by allowing myself to be grandly stupid on uncountable occasions and then observing the results ... ;oD ... thank you, dear. As for the Pilates .. the first one was Gaiam's "Pilates for Weight Loss" (which you can find in lo-resolution on YouTube, I believe). After trying many others, none seem to be as effective for whittling away pounds (maybe it's based on the title ... ;oD). I still, to this day, use this same video for my twice weekly Pilates. I know what you mean by the "hippie dippie stuff" ... part of the reason that I didn't want to do Yoga.

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  14. Jason Kowing -- bwahaha!! I hope you framed that rib! ... ;oD And thank you for the kind words, my friend!!
    Christin McLeod -- thank you, dear! Maki Silberberg -- thank you, too, dear!! *wraps Christin and Maki in a giant bear hug!*

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  15. Michel CARPENTIER -- merci!
    Margaret Tompkins == thank you so much, dear!

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  16. Cheryl Cooper -- so sweet! ... thank you, dear! *tosses Cheryl into the bear hug pile with Christin and Maki*

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  17. Naghmeh Khadembashi -- ooh, you found my little secret wish to you! :o))) I hope your day is wonderful!

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  18. Brendan P Graber -- thank you
    Eve A -- glad you liked it and thank you!
    Sofie Løve Forsberg -- thank you so much, dear!
    patricia gracia -- thank you ... :o)

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  19. Christina Lihani -- thank you very much, dearest! *tosses Christina on top of Cheryl in the hug pile with Maki and Christin*

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  20. Kyle Wilson -- awesome, and thank you! Fitness makes everything better ... :o))
    Jakob S. -- thank you!

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  21. Robin Griggs Wood Awesomely motivational, Robin, and an amazing image! :-)

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  22. Robin Griggs Wood thank you for the Monday morning inspiration;)

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  23. It's true thoughts, great picture! And strong motivation :)

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  24. Lovely shot and great story.  I need to get my core strengthened and lose some weight myself.  My hard part is forcing myself to take the time to do it.  I have the never ending "I don't have time" excuse to overcome.

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  25. I need Core strengthening (Yoga/Pilates)!!!
    I need Photo software strengthening! I can go to my Yoga class :-)... Can you guide me to a photo SW G+ class? (for beginners step by step air bubble style)!   Love your Art!!

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  26. What a great read Robin Griggs Wood

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  27. This capture robin reminds me of my Walden pond (Thoreau)! As to your health, twenty thirteen was my wake up call..planta fasciitis, took me down and forty pounds way way too much...so I walked a thousand to ten thousands steps...then, trained myself to run up hills (deer island, boston harbor) surrounded by water
    ..and worked it out...r started running backwards forwards then walk.....for an hour an half...took the dog..twice...said..no way...now i'm 102....my core I owe to neila Rey amd her microwave workout...here on 'g' shes excellent! And here I am looking a absolutely a peaceful walk and hear the stream trickling...
    Oh yea baby!!! Be all you can be Robin! Many hugs!!!

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  28. Beautiful photo and lovely story (though I do think everyone should practice yoga anyway - the world would be a better place;))

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  29. Great advice for fitness and photos both :)

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  30. nice waterfall and stream of water.

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  31. Robin Griggs Wood I need to start on Pilates. Now, just Pontius me in the right direction! Ouch! Ouch! :-)))

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  32. Pilates her I come! Thanks Robin Griggs Wood.

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  33. A wonderful inspirartional post  thank you

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  34. Wise words.  Thanks for sharing the lovely picture & your thoughts.

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  35. What a wonderful picture Robin Griggs Wood I am learning to use all of my buttons on the camera and I also do Pilates once a week, even when I don't want to. It is helping get the core strong. Now just need to look at the tutorials on line and watch them.

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  36. Robin Griggs Wood such a wonderful read! You picked a lovely picture to go with it! :) <3

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  37. Wonderful writing about strengthen your core! As always at the right moment! And your image is a very beautiful parallel to it! xoxo

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  38. Very nice work Robin Griggs Wood Thanks for sharing with the HQSP Landscape theme! (David D)

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  39. Well said Robin. I'm learning this a bit more recently with my ankle injury. I could have prevented it's severity if I had strengthened my core as well. I'm learning what I need to do now.
    Thanks for strengthening my own artistic core as well :)

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  40. Love your post and the shot equally Robin Griggs Wood!

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  41. Well, if not my original intention, I'm really glad that it has come a good time for you, Peter Phillips! From what I understood, once you have back problems they don't actually ever go away (what my doc said, though it may not be true) –– the Pilates has been the only "medication" I'll take for it, and I have no pain anymore.

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  42. Much love to you sister. Wonderful advise.

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  43. its soooo aweeeeeeesomeeeeeeeeee woooooooooooooowwww

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  44. It's always nice when you pop by for a visit, Stephen R. ... :o)

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  45. Quite an inspiration Robin Griggs Wood

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  46. Robin Griggs Wood would you mind sharing the name of the tape with this 63 year old back survivor?  I have had 2 surgeries and 3 ruptured disks.  My camera and I have reached the zenith of Percocet and Prozac for me and I do very well - but would love to add Pilates in the privacy of my own home  "-gym-" bedroom.

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  47. Cathy Custer Donohoue -- the one that helped me the most is Gaiam's "Pilates for Weight Loss" (and you can find in lo-resolution on YouTube, I believe), which has a "Beginner", "Intermediate" or "Advanced" level all on the same track. Very gentle, if you choose.

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  48. Thanks!  I'm going to go and look for that.  I do my rehab type exercises but age takes it's toll.  This sounds great to try.

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  49. Writer, teacher and artist.  I think I may just sit here on your profile for a while and meditate. Thank you for what you give out to all of us.

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  50. I'm working on it!  The camera is what keeps my personal twice operated on back moving.  I tell my doc it is my Percocet and Prozac.  I took him in a nice matted and framed of the city at night by way of thanks.  He listens and keeps almost 64 with 3 ruptured disks and two stress fractures of the hips up and moving pretty darn well.  And the camera has been the best physical therapy in my world.  I think I'll look in a bin for a pilates tape.

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  51. Wow..where the heck do you go woman?:)

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  52. ما في احلى من الطبيعة

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  53. kudrati nazara ...... amazing yr...

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  54. I needed to read and apply this again as well. I found I wanted to "re-like" this post. : D

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  55. Gorgeous.  And thank you for the reminder.

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  56. Amazing! And thanks for sharing your wisdom pearls Robin Griggs Wood

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  57. Kya PIC HAI bhaiiii hero lag RHA h na mere yaar no

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  58. (적당하다/많다) 비교
    하나님-큰ㆍ작은 국가), 겁ㆍ인내심), 확인)

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  59. Sublime!...à contempler sans réserve, on touche le divin!

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  60. Want help in this area please advise where to begin after 10 years of being still due to medical condition. Open to all Suggestions!! I am fighting to regain my life both physically and mentally!

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  61. P. Shields don't rush ur recovery Just live in d present,be at peace with yourself and new ideas will come. I'm trying it too, it's working.

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  62. I've heard alot of positive things about pilates, but what I want to know is how difficult it is and can I learn myself by using an app or dvd? I don't want to go to a class.

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