Why we call it YY ... Panasonic LX3 . ISO800 f2 1/40

This was the best YY workshop ever. Y? Because we're constantly wanting to do everything we do better, and YY is no exception. From a more hands-on shoot time to the amazing and practical hot-seat sessions I hope YY3 attendees got a lot more than they bargained for :)

One of the side-effects of having such awesome photographers at one workshop is having so many awesome behind-the-scenes pics (photo credits to the YY3 collective ...)

after hours QuiKeys jam session . Panasonic LX3 ISO400 f2 1/8

Huy on-task documenting the shoot session.

Huy demonstrating his PJ skillz ..

Q handing out goody bags from our FAVorite album company: Renaissance!

And there was no shortage of great photogs stealing our lights with their own Pocket Wizards! LOL!

What? Competitive? This bunch? No way .... so many shootouts and silent snipers around it wasn't funny! Actually ... it was. My favorite series is below:

Tyler: TOLD ya you have to clean your sensor! LOL!

Thanks to Tyler and Becca for suggesting Jack Stack for our send-off supper! Soooo much good food ... unless you're vegan.

Geek-confession: It was irresistible to NOT use the flash someone had brought and test it with my little Point and Shoot. With Huy as my trusty light-man, we walked around the table and subjected everyone to the LIGHT!

Thanks to each and every YY3er for making our YEAR so far .... We're blessed to come to know you and especially to call you friends :)

It ain't over yet ;) Working on something special for the YY crew ....

Blessings and hugs y'all ....

dq

Phew! It's been a whirlwind of activity these past weeks getting the latest-greatest QuiKeys Mac update done. I'm happy to announce we're ready to ship!!

It's a HUGE release, including changes to QuiKeys' layers system and notable additions to the RAW Module. Changes include ....

NEW Dedicated Lightroom LIBRARY Module Layer.

This entirely new QuiKeys layer includes:

+ Culling and sorting: ergonomic flagging, starring and Quick Collection tagging in LR. Bonus: also includes basic tagging for Photo Mechanic users!

+ Industry-best ergonomics: one-key access to all Quick Develop tools including Temperature -/+, Tint -/+, Exposure -/+, Recovery -/+, Fill Light -/+, Black -/+, Brightness -/+, Contrast -/+, + Clarity -/+, Vibrance -/+, Sharpness -/+, and Saturation -/+

+ Dedicated Auto Tone and Auto WB keys.

+ Zoom tools for Thumbs and Loupe mode: zoom in to inspect images for sharpness and detail.

+ One-key access to Copy, Paste, Sync and Previous settings.

Updates to the QuiKeys LR Develop Module include:

+ New order of Basic Adjust Tools: by user request, we've put the tools in the order they appear on screen.

+ New Dedicated keys for Local Brightness -/+ presets: now you've got a choice of brushing in 4-stops of Exposure or Brightness; Choose Exposure when you need more dynamic range and Brightness when you don't want to clip your highlights!

+ New feature: QuiKeys now allows on-image adjustment of local changes AFTER they're applied.

+ New Targeted Adjustment Tool: Your eyes never have to leave your image with QuiKeys' new on-image curves adjustments.

+ Updated DQ Lightroom Presets: Tweaked for better B&W's and additive vignettes which work better over a larger range of images.

To harness the power of the all New QuiKeys, we've created a comprehensive suite of 17 HD tutorials covering installation and every feature for both the new LR Library Module and updated Develop Module layers.

We didn't stop there: We've also packed tutorials giving a complete overview of our RAW workflow including backup strategies, use of dual monitors, Camera Defaults and Quick Collections and how to best take advantage of LR's most powerful local enhancement tools to get your images to a level of finish fast ... without compromise.

If you've been looking for the ultimate workflow solution, I'd like you to meet the new QuiKeys.   

Current QuiKeys Users: Just send me an email to (dave [at] dqstudios [dot] com) to see how easy it is to upgrade to the latest, greatest QuiKeys EVER.

RAW never looked this good ;)

More coming soon ...

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 ;)

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!!

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! :)

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!

Thanks to everyone who invested in their artistry and business by purchasing a QuiKeys at WPPI! I'm glad to report all orders have been processed and hardware shipped!

We have, however, come across a bug in our PC installer which we're working hard to squash. I'll be in touch with all PC users within the next 48 hours and am working overtime with my programmers to get the breakthrough we need to get you up and running as soon as we can. My apologies for the delay and thanks for your patience.

I guess now you know why I haven't blogged in so long. But since I'm waiting for code, might as well share some snaps from Vegas :)

Without further adieu, some random shots from our Canon G9 and Nikon 35 f2 ...

Good food ... I was starved after our flight was delayed for 3 hours. Here's the first thing I devoured ...

Thankfully, some restaurants at the MGM were still open and ready to blow us away.

Our bread had it's own 1" thick candle-heated element with a tent on top to keep it just-right-crispy throughout. mmmmm ....

What has to be the best udon I've ever had at a Tavern??!

And my favorite food group:

And who knew the marketing power of YY Workshop? Even the elevators had ads for us!

It was good to see old friends and meet new ones. Ran into uber-talented and great friend Jerry at a restaurant, and we couldn't stop laughing together.

Crashed a party with always stylish Joe Photo ...

Got to hang with our good friend Matt Mendelsohn.

And Greg: I swear those aren't my fingers!

Posing with Matt, Cliff Mautner and Susan Stripling ...

Hangin with some great new & old friends: Adi, Britney and Kat (thanks again for getting us the VIP entrance to the Blu Party Kat!! YOU GUYS ROCK!)

DQ do the Becker at the [ b ] party ...

Add your own caption!

Jason Groupp stopped by our booth! Excited to be teaching along side him and Ben Chrisman next week in London at floshops!

Random snaps from our QuiKeys booth ...

Master of light, JVS, came by and gave us a personal viewing of his most awesomest new video/stills project.

Long lost buddy Evrim and the brains behind Ego Media, Jen ...

Mark and Brooks showing us a good time at the ShootQ party ...

So glad we had a chance to share a meal with great friends, Anna and NinjaKen [aka: partyinabox] ...

Hangin with Matt & Angie and karaoke king, Jeff ...

Welcoming Nate & Jack into the QuiKeys family!!

Celebrating with Jerry and Alycia
...

And last be definitely not least: an impromptu double-up joy-ride by Marcus & Cliff on poor Parker's pimpin ride ...

Thanks for the memories y'all!

What a trip (in more ways than one :))!! Thanks to EVERYONE who packed our booth and contributed to my losing my voice after day 1 of 3. I was planning on auditioning for the voice of Marge but reconsidered after selling out of QuiKeys on day 2 ;)

Special props to Britney for coming up with the QuiKeys Challenge: retouch her last wedding images in front of everyone at the show, really really fast.

Wait a minute ... were you just using me to do your post-processing?? DOH! Oh well ... it was worth it ;)

GO QUIKEYS!!!

Always great to see new friends and old, and a special "THANK YOU!" to all who invested in QuiKeys. I got a nasty sore throat on the plane home, but we're bringing in help and are working in overdrive to push the orders out the door.

In other news .... Thanks to everyone who sent well-wishes after seeing QuiKeys featured in After Capture Magazine!! We hadn't seen the article, so had no idea until we got home that we not only had a 4-page write-up on all things QuiKeys, but got cover placement too. WOOHOO!

Special thanks to Bill Hurter for finding us and Michelle Perkins for taking the time to explore QuiKeys and write the glowing review.

We're proud of where QuiKeys has come from and where we're headed and can't wait to share it with everyone who needs a solution for their workflow woes.

Time to go find my voice ....

Nope. That isn't the candy bar rack at the grocery store. That's what was (note the past-tense) sitting on the desk in our hotel room at the MGM.

If you've followed our travels, you know I'm a candy bar junkie while on the road. It helps me cope with being away from the comforts of home and missing my boyz .... and I don't have to be a good example by eating healthy around by boyz too :D:D:D

Anyways .... the REAL purpose of this note is to tell y'all that we finished setting up our booth for WPPI! Hope y'all can stop by for a hug and chat and see what's coming down the pipe!

You didn't think it was just the release of the RAW and Album layers did you?

We've got some GREAT news we'll be announcing for all QuiKeys owners old and new.

And for those thinking about making the investment in QuiKeys: we've got a cool gift for you too :) In celebration of QuiKeys' 2nd anniversary we'll be gifting everyone who purchases a QuiKeys at WPPI our DQ DVD: Philosophy of Wedding Photography & other Misdemeanors. Yup: $100 worth of glorious educational frivolity just for you :)

Stop by and check it out at booth #1272, and ask about our newest announcement that will make QuiKeys owners old and new very very happy :)

See you at the show!!

Today is QuiKeys 2nd anniversary and we're stoked to be in Vegas to launch our new RAW and Album Modules at WPPI! Checkout our booth #1272 for all things QuiKeys and a few surprises too :)

Here's wishing everyone a QuiKeys this Valentines ... in more ways than one ;)

There's been very little sleep around these parts and much to blame is our desire to launch the new QuiKeys RAW Module with Gusto!

We've been listening to user feedback and are really proud of the revolutionary update we'll be launching really really soon.

But what good would a new product be without the proper support?

[Cue fourteen (14?!!) new High-Definition (HD!??) RAW video tutorials!!]

Seriously, we take you from installation to advanced local enhancement techniques you would have never guessed were hidden inside something so mundane as a "RAW" converter :)

For our faithful blog readers, here's a free tutorial showing how we mix and match our Presets to create a variety of cool looks really really fast.

For HD viewing just click on the 4-way arrows at bottom-right.

Please be patient as we update the rest of our tutorials to glorious HD ... but know it's coming too :)

If you're in Vegas next week, come by booth #1272 at WPPI to see first-hand why QuiKeys is the best workflow tool in the industry.

If you find yourself in Vegas next week or need a good excuse to make the trip, we'd love it if you stopped by our booth at the WPPI Tradeshow and said, "Hi!" You can print the full-res free pass here.

Nothing like celebrating QuiKeys' 2nd anniversary with a BANG!

We'll be there demoing the New Improved RAW and Album Modules ... more info coming on these soon :) All I can say for now is I'm really really really really excited about all the great beta user feedback and can't wait to unleash these puppies on y'all :)

All the latest QuiKeys Modules will be shipping at the show for Mac users, with the PC counterparts coming soon.

See you in Vegas Baby!

Meet Brian. He purchased his QuiKeys system just 2 weeks ago and emailed me today:

"Wooohooo....love your software. I carry the QuiKeys on location now and do impromptu slideshows at receptions. It is so fast, I love it.

- Brian"

(sniff) I love getting emails like this. (sniff) Thanks Brian! :)

If you've been wanting a secret weapon to speed your workflow from RAW, retouch to album design, you owe it to your art and profitability to check QuiKeys out.

We've already made a list of some of the cool new features coming up the pipe in the upcoming RAW Module release. Below is a video showing two different modes of working the QuiKeys to maximize your efficiency that wowed everyone at iUSA.

Mode 1: 2-hands on QuiKeys and no mousing around. Quick global adjustments and application of presets.

Mode 2: 1-hand holding a pen, the other on the QuiKeys pad. Perfect for finish your images to an amazing degree right within LR.

Bonus: we also show a new two-screen mode where we can choose discontinuous images and apply changes to them all in real-time. Sweetness!!

Can you tell I'm really really excited about this release? Would love to hear your feedback after watching the video below :) Oh yes: sorry about the audio. It's distorted and LOUD cuz I used the built-in mic on my webcam which has zero controls.

On an iPhone? You can watch the Youtube version.

Thanks to friends old and new who stopped by our booth and made it a huge success!

We enjoyed the great feedback and kind words, but one of the most humbling things is to have friends and peers choose to invest their hard-earned cash in QuiKeys. Thank you, to everyone who did just that. We're committed to exceeding your expectation in what it can bring to your business and profitability, so be sure to keep an eye out here for news, updates and maybe even a little education on all things QuiKeys :)

Here's a few pics of random people and things from our time in Phoenix.

One traveling indulgence: eating chocolate bars you can't find here in Canada. Haven't had a Whatchamacallit in a looooong time :)

Was great to run into David Jay on the Light Rail ...

Thankfully our booth is simple to setup.

If you build it they will come ...

And another reason I talk so fast ...

Special thanks to Sam for taking these pics and the help at the booth; Ken for introducing us to various, um, variations of bowling and Hollye & Eric for always being such great friends and company :)

Honest: we're not jet-setters to this degree *most* of the year. It just happens that we're traveling waaay too much for the next little bit of life.

Just landed in Phoenix to setup our QuiKeys booth to wow the photographic world at Imaging USA.

Why check it out? We'll be showing off soon-to-be-released updates to both the Album and RAW Modules that are shedding even more time off our workflow.

ALBUM MODULE UPDATE

How about tighter integration between Photoshop and Bridge? No longer do you need to open every image in PS before adding them to a page; just find your image in bridge and hit a key and presto quikeyo: the image flies in, sized and placed to perfection. Bonus: those with big screens or, better yet, dual monitors can keep both PS and Bridge open and view the entire spread while choosing which images to place. Makes album creation even more intuitive and Fast!

How about automated tracking of images used? Sure: the new Album Module automagically labels all used images with 5-stars in Bridge. Of course it also places the images in the Photoshop spread on a separate layer with the image namesake. Makes image swaps a breeze and keeps everything neat and tidy :)

RAW MODULE UPDATE

Where to begin?

How about removing the need to keep your mouse over Fill Light? Check.

How about getting rid of any lag when selecting basic adjustment tools? Check.

How about adding even MORE powerful targeted adjustment tool options, including direct-key access to under and over-exposure presets? Check.

How about adding direct-key access to presets? Well ... ok.

How about you throw in DQ's favorite presets? You drive a hard bargain, but we'll do it.

How about a show discount worthy of the seeming recession we're in? Oh man ..... alRIGHT already!!

How about giving all current module owners the upgrade for free? FREE?!?! Are you NUTS!?!?

(sigh) .... alright all current album and raw module users will get the update for free (grumble)

See: we've been busy ;)

We'll be demoing the upcoming updates at booth 324 from January 11-13. Be sure to stop by and say, "Hi!" if you're in the neighborhood :)

It's true: we never leave home without them. We're making the most of our 10 hour layover at Toronto Airport by retouching images and designing albums. Can you spot the tablet and QuiKeys?

Also checking out the limits of the Nikon CLS wireless system. From initial tests our SU800 Wireless Commanders seem *much* more reliable than Canon's STE2's. But there's never a free lunch: still need line of sight so it was tough to backlight this image without having the flash in the shot. Too much info? The geek in me wanting out ;)

Almost time to board. Hope to get internet access in Argentina to take you with us on the trip. Looking forward to Buenos Aires! See you on the other side :)

Hey Everyone!

It's our favorite time of year, and we're thankful to be spending it with our boyz. It's cold outside, but really warm inside and with so much to be thankful for, I wanted to thank you as well for making us part of your lives. Whether you're a client, friend, family, photographer, QuiKeys user or internet stalker, we hope you'll be blessed this season and surrounded by those you love :)

We'll be traveling to shoot a NYE wedding in Argentina, then off to Arizona for PPA's Imaging USA. Not sure how much internet time we'll get, so might not see much on this blog for the next little while.

If you happen to find yourself in Arizona between January 11-13th, please stop by our QuiKeys booth and say, "Hi!" (booth #324).

Merry Christmas and blessings on you and yours in 2009 and beyond :)

In Love,

dq

I was delighted to have a respected photographer, Adobe Certified Photoshop Expert and long-time QuiKeys user, write about QuiKeys and how it's revolutionized her business and life.

"I can say, without hesitation, that QuiKeys changed my life," she writes.

"Ask anyone who has spent any time watching me edit a wedding and they will attest to the quality and speed with which I can edit. Based on my calculations, I estimate that it has saved me 52 days in 2008 (and I believe that estimate to be conservative). FIFTY TWO days to spend time with my family or allocate my time working on my business, rather than in my business."

Wow! Thanks Heather for so freely sharing how QuiKeys has impacted your life for the better :)

We all know that time is money. So what are you waiting for to invest in the tool which is already saving hundreds of photographers just like yourself MONTHS back a year?

You can read the entire review and see more of Heather's awesome work here.

QuiKeys' Album Module isn't just for Albums. Any time you want to place two or more images in a layout, the Album Module is your best choice for workflow speed and ease.

I like placing multiple images in a blog montage so I can walk the viewer through a storyboard of sorts. I'm also not very html or blog savvy, and love uploading a single montage image vs 8-10 pics per blog. YYMV, but with a little creativity, the Album Module can be your new best friend for creating visual presentations which best represent your images.

Below's tutorial is a walk-through of how we use QuiKeys' Album Module to quickly create our neato blog montages.

Software: Photoshop CS4
Hardware: QuiKeys' Album Module (alpha test version: features subject to change)

Six new tutorials are online, giving guidance for every step of QuiKeys installation.

From Photoshop setup, troubleshooting, to hardware LED layers explained, there's a whole new suite of tutes to help all QuiKeys users new and old learn a new trick or two.

To the entire QuiKeys user family: don't wanna spam ya, so if you want to take a peak at them, just ping me an email and I'll forward you the links and password info.

Happy QuiKeying :)

While pimping QuiKeys at the PhotoPlus Expo, it was great to see a few (really) familiar faces.

Jessica Claire stopped by our booth with her own camera crew in tow! I was busy doing demos on the big screen, but Quin and Sam made the cut with a nice dance cameo in her uber-cool and funny video recap:

Becker also took the time to check out all things QuiKeys and, go figure, had his OWN video crew with him. You can view his show recap here.

Be sure to checkout Jessica's innovative ShootSac and Becker's B-School too.

Thanks for stopping by guys!

It's kind of a love-hate relationship I have with new software releases.

On one hand, I'm eager to see what new goodies they've added which will help my creativity or productivity. On the other, I wonder what's broke or worse: what features they took away.

I'm glad to say the latest Photoshop CS4 update isn't to be feared. We're still putting it through its paces, but Bridge seems to be more robust and several new features like content-aware scaling and non-modal curves seem worthy of exploration.

Non-modal what? Have no fear: below is a quick tutorial featuring the new non-modal curves layers.

We're blown away by the warm reception we had at our first ever PhotoPlus Expo in NY. Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth and for the kind words. We're eager to get this beast into every photographer's hands and look forward to turning the industry on its ear with our revolutionary new products.

A shout out of thanks to Mike and Sam who helped out at our booth.

An extra-special "THANK YOU!" to our friends, Ken, Cherie and the adorable Miss Olivia for spoiling us with food, shopping and the "culture" of NY.

Karaoke anyone? :)

Why blog?

Despite being possibly the WWB*, we're making an attempt at keeping you in the loop with all things QuiKeys.

Content will include tips, tricks, tutorials and workflow, and other info not available anywhere else. It's your one-stop info dump on where we're at and where we're headed.

I also hope QuiKeys users past, present and future, will take advantage of the comments section of this blog. From "What were you thinking!?" to "Will you marry me?" we promise to read every one. And who knows: your comment might just spark the next Big Idea that will benefit us all.

Thanks for stopping by. We're planning on adding new content regularly, so come back often and add us to your favorite reader to keep up on what's new with all things QuiKeys.

dq

(*Worlds Worst Blogger)