When we announced we were coming out with yet another update to QuiKeys' already-amazing RAW Module, some QuiKeys users asked, "What more could you add? It's already so awesome!"

Talk is cheap. Let me show you in the following 2 videos :)

First up: An entirely new second layer dedicated to Lightroom's Library Mode: (sorry for the snap, crackle & pop audio. Recording gremlins I tell ya)

Second up: An even MORE powerful QuiKeys Develop Mode:

With over 100 keys dedicated to your RAW workflow, I think you'll agree we've created the industry's most powerful workflow tool.

Special thanks to my friend Sam for the long geek-out phone conversations which inspired several of the changes included in this release.

Release target dates:

QuiKeys Mac users - Next week.

QuiKeys PC users - a little longer.

Oops! Was so busy at the booth and hanging with great photographers and friends I forgot to blog the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!

All you Lightroom users, hope you're sitting down ;)

What more could we do to help your workflow?

How about an entirely new additional layer dedicated to Adobe Lightroom's Library mode? What if we added the ability to tag quickly and intuitively in LR? Oh: you say you use Photo Mechanic ? What if we let you tag in PM too?

How about adding some new super-duper tools in LR's Develop Module, including on-image adjustment of tone curves, which creates the best B&W images I've ever seen from a RAW converter?

How about tweaks to our included DQ presets which make them even more useable over a broader range of images?

You want more presets for local brushes and gradients? You got it :)

Those of you who stopped by our QuiKeys booth at PSW know exactly how powerful this update to QuiKeys RAW Module is. There were lots of dropped jaws needing to be picked up at our booth when people saw first-hand how amazingly fast we were working with LR's most powerful tools to finish images faster than anyone thought possible.

Faster, more accurate, more choices, and more powerful than any other workflow system. Period.

I'm writing this on a plane right now, but will be putting a sneak-peak video on this blog shortly showing off the uber-cool new tools we've given to all our RAW users.

Get ready to fly .... faster .... again ;)

If you already follow me on twitter, you already know of my adventurous travels to Boston. Four planes, four hours spent sitting on planes sitting on tarmacs, runs through airports to *just* make connecting flights, and chocolate bar suppers .... I'm glad to be going home for more than a few reasons :)

That being said, I'm going to miss Boston! From the amazing day spent with Kate and Mike, to the great live music with wonderful photographers at the Beehive, it was filled with good food and great people :)

Here's some random images from Boston and PSW made with my trusty Panny LX-3 ...

Our favorite breakfast digs: Trident Booksellers & Cafe. Who would guess a bookstore could served such a tasty all-day breakfast?

Being a former musician and all-round music-lover, it was awesome to see the many Berklee buildings dotted all around us.

Got to crash the Wacom Intuos 4 party and ran into Adobe Evangelist Russell Brown.

No: the dreads aren't real. Yes: he bears an uncanny resemblance to our very own MikeD ....

Loved walking the streets of Boston. Such an eclectic mix of old and new with gorgeous historic churches embedded within the urban terrain.

Special thanks to the Hoodman gang who were great neighbors at the PSW tradeshow. Love their cool LCD loupe which totally helps when reviewing outdoor flash images.

I want to truly thank so many great great friends who took time out of their lives to hang and help me out. Special shout out to Melissa and Rene. Rene: it gave me so much joy to have you threaten my life not once, but TWICE in the same night! I haven't felt that special in a loooong time ;) Thank you guys for being you ... you're such great friends :) So glad to be able to bug and stalk you on twitter now too (heh heh)

It was great to see great old friends Robert Mirani and Bill Holland!

Here's a self-portrait made at the Wacom party:

Bill: nice to be carded with you and thanks especially for not leaving your laptop bomb in the restaurant ;)

And super-duper special props to my buddy MikeD. What can I say that I haven't already? It was awesome exploring the streets of Boston, sharing meals and talking late into the night about world domination and life .... Thanks Mikey .... you're a rock star ... in your own mind ;) :D LOL!

Best part about traveling? Going home to my Babe and boyz .....

THANK YOU BOSTON!!

Today was setup day for our QuiKeys booth at PSW. Thankfully, with the help of my good friend MikeD, things went well and we were done with plenty of time to go galavanting around Boston.

First indulgence: finding some good cappucino. I admit it: I researched Boston to find a good shot, and was sooo happy to find Espresso Royale Caffe was only 2 blocks from our hotel.

I mistakenly ordered a double-shot espresso, but really wanted a cappuccino, but the guy pulling my shot was so nice, he gave me both!! Double-fisting java? Why not :)

After getting my fix, we had the pleasure of walking the streets of Boston. Below are some pics from my trusty Panasonic LX-3.

It was a super-duper day 1 in Boston spent with the wonderful Kate & Mike.

Thanks so much for making me feel so at home and for introducing me to your favorite cafe with a tagline after my own heart! LOL!

Looking forward to seeing what you do with your new digs and how you take Boston to new heights :)

Special thanks to MikeD for taking our mug!

Blessings my friends .....

d

The above pic of my desk can only mean one thing: I'm on the road!

Unfortunately, travel for work can be soooo over-rated.

For example: who wants to get up at 4:30am to catch a flight?

Pick me! Pick me!

I thought not.

How about boarding your plane on time only to end up sitting on the tarmac waiting for it to be de-iced for almost THREE hours.

joy.

On the bright side, this is the first flight in history where I didn't have ANY checked luggage. And missing my connecting flight gave me the chance to grab a quick bite to eat and put the finishing touches on our new Omakase workshop material.

On to bigger and better things. I made it to Boston! WOOHOO!

May all your travels be uneventful, and chocolate bar plentiful.

To wrap up this whirl-wind month, I'm headed to PhotoShop World in Boston!

I'm usually the first to admit I'm a geek's Geek, but I'm truly looking forward to seeing what PSW is all about. From super-duper shooting events by legends like Joe McNally to uber-geeky in-depth programming fests (how's a session named "Creating a Custom Panel in Flex 3.0" tickle your fancy?), there's definitely lots to learn from some of the industry's best (and Geekiest).

I'll be stapled to the floor at our QuiKeys booth #524 so if you're in the Boston next week, I'd love to have you stop by the Hynes Convention Center to say, "Hi!" and see what's new with QuiKeys!! Just print out the above pass and get yourself into a Photo-Geek-Lover's paradise of a tradeshow.

Did I say, "New" with QuiKeys?

Sure did ;)

Never one to leave good enough alone, there's gonna be a BIG QuiKeys announcement ...

What more could we possibly do with QuiKeys that could add value to photographers everywhere?

Well, I'm glad you asked :)

Hint: It's something EVERY photographer has to deal with after a shoot and we've dedicated an entirely new 57-key layer to it and a whole lot more.

The answer will be revealed at PSW and I'll do my best to blog and twit the news from the show floor. I'll be giving non-stop live demos of the industries most innovative and powerful workflow solution, so stop by and find out what QuiKeys is all about.

See you in Boston!!

Still can't get over how much we miss our FloShops Peeps .... strangely comforting to know we've made so many good friends around the world :)

Here are some random pics from our first workshop across the pond.

First up: Ben & Ross packed like sardines all the way to Windsor.

It's not every day we get to shoot gorgeous British models ... in London ... in fabulous clothes ... with flawless skin ... and choose to stay in the Holiday Inn to do it. But hey: when most attendants are used to shooting at castles and what *we* think of as the quaint streets of London, it made sense to push them a little ... or a lot :)

We're glad to have been asked to be part of the first-ever Floshops in London, UK. It was a smashing success in all respects, but one of the most rewarding parts was seeing lightbulbs (no pun intended) go off as we demonstrated simple yet effective lighting techniques which create dramatic beauty in any shooting scenario. We were floored to see what people were shooting after their time with us and think everyone came away a little more unafraid of what formerly would be considered challenging surroundings.

All I can say is the Holiday Inn never looked so good ;)

Here's some of the pics of our fabulous models, Alexia and Toby (Yes: they're absolutely as gorgeous in real life. No: they aren't available: they're a real-live couple of sweethearts :)).

More Best Part: Making so many GREAT friends. Crazy to think there were people from 8 countries represented from as near as London, Spain, Scotland, Italy, Switzerland and Germany to as far as San Fran, New York and Mexico (!?!?).

MAN do we miss our new Floshop buddies :( Thank goodness for blogs, fb and twitter which make the world a smaller place :) Hugs around the world to y'all :)

More to come from our travels soon ....

Just back from an AMAZING time teaching at floshops. More on that later. First: we gotta let you in an amazing giveaway of a COMPLETE QuiKeys system. Check out the Mammoth Men blog to find out details on how to set yourself up with the industry's most innovative workflow solution.

Have fun and good luck! :)

It was an easy 1-plane trip to London with gorgeous skies ... at least from above :)

We've been growing!! To keep up with our growth and to future-proof our web presence, we migrated to a dedicated server late Monday evening. Man it's an expensive option!!

But I digress .... For anyone trying to access DQ Studios, QuiKeys, YinYangWorkshop, this blog, or private and public galleries and tutorials: our deepest apologies! We were offline for waaaay longer than anticipated and we're sorry for the inconvenience. If anyone finds yourself in our area: I owe you a double latte :)

It's strange to think how much we've come to depend on the www, but thankful for y'all for allowing us to grow. Thanks in advance for your patience as we catch up on the emails which piled up while we were offline.

The good news: all websites are faster, stronger and make even BETTER latte art! Bonus: we've got LOADS of room to grow! WOOHOO!