RPG Keys was developed by Tim Riley, an outstanding photographer and avid Lightroom user. Tim photographs a bunch of weddings every year and uses Lightroom as his primary tool for image editing so he understands first hand how long it takes to run though 2000-3000 wedding shots (per event). Which is not an unusually high number of shots for a single wedding, it is more the norm than the exception. Most wedding photographers I know shoot a minimum of (roughly) 1800 images per wedding.
So, what is RPG Keys? Glad you asked, it's a keyboard designed to work specifically with Lightroom to "include reviewing / organizing and editing your photos all in one single step".
Most of the common Lightroom shortcuts can now be handled with a single keystroke (as opposed to the mouse, keyboard, and then mouse again that have been part of my workflow for way too long).
You can also apply the presets standard in Lightroom and 20 custom presets right from RPG Keys.
This is a serious tool. That's why I use it.
I want to provide my clients with the best possible images I can, and I would also like to do it in the shortest time possible. So if I can shave 2 hours off every wedding I shoot, if I can save me 45-60 minutes off every portrait session, it leaves me with more time for other things, like marketing.
Or even better, I can be out playing catch with my kids, or in the house annoying he crap out of my wife.
;)
Regardless of how you spend your time, RPG Keys will give you back more of it.
Another way to look it it is what is your time worth, what would you be willing to pay to have bunch of hours put back in your pocket?
A few bits and pieces about RPG Keys:
1. It comes in both a PC and MAC version.
2. You an get it for left or right handed people.
3. It comes with 1 years worth of free upgrades.
4. When Lightroom v2 is released, that upgrade will be free as well.
5. Sounds good, but not quite sure it's for you? It comes with a 30 day return policy.
You can watch a short (2 minute) intro/demo here, a longer (9 minute) demo here, as well as a PC and MAC workflow video.
It does have a learning curve (just like any of that fancy shmancy equipment us photographers buy) so I don't want you to think you'll pull it out of the box and be a whiz with it, it does not take long at all to get the hang of it and the more you use it, the better and faster you will get.
If you time is important to you, then this deserves your serious consideration.
(click to enlarge image)
