Unlock the Secrets of Luminar Neo
Outline – Table of contents
This blog post opens up the secrets of Luminar Neo. The first section of the article defines the software, and the rest of the blog post gives beginner and in-depth tutorials about:
- The software interface
- importing photos
- processing photos, and sharing and exporting images
Feel free to skip to the section you want to learn in the table of contents.
I am a Luminar Neo partner, so if you like this software and would like to purchase it, click the link below for a 10% discount and a link to my personal Luminar Neo store.
What is Luminar Neo?
Luminar Neo is a novel photo editing software that empowers beginner, intermediate, and advanced photographers. It has many advanced editing tools and features that could drastically change your workflow. Neo puts the power of professional-grade photo editing at your fingertips with AI-powered editing tools.
From basic adjustments to advanced techniques, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to transform photos into works of art.
In addition, Neo can act as a standalone software or a plugin in Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom.
Features and capabilities of Luminar Neo
In 2023, Luminar Neo has undergone significant upgrades. It offers cataloging, one-click presets and in-depth AI photo editing tools. You can pick and choose but also allow the AI to provide edit suggestions.
Even though the one-click solution is there, many AI-assisted tools are available once you decide to personalize your photos. Among them are:
Crop AI
This is a crop tool with a twist. The Neo crop tool is trained on hundreds of photos by talented photographers, so you can get an instant crop to optimize photos. You still have the usual cropping capabilities oncve you want to personalize your work.
Enhance AI
Involves refining various aspects such as colour, sharpness, contrast, and detail to create a more visually appealing and impactful photograph.
Sky AI
Refines various aspects such as colour, sharpness, contrast, and detail to create a more visually appealing and impactful photograph.
Structure AI
-Structure AI content-aware, giving you detailed backgrounds and objects without overprocessing the people in your images.
-With Boost, you can adjust details. Moving the Boost slider to the right accentuates details. Compared to StructureAI, it emphasizes smaller details and is more aggressive.
-Keep the background detailed and sharp and your model beautiful for the perfect landscape
Click this list item to get Luminar’s take on the details of this tool
Relight AI
Analyzes a scene in three dimensions. By creating a 3D map of a photo, Luminar Neo can spread light naturally in 3D space across a 2D image. This produces photorealistic results when you want to change the lighting of a scene.
Atmosphere AI
This tool allows you to add and enhance fog, mist or haze in your photos with simple sliders.
Portrait Bokeh, Skin, Body, AI
-Portrait Bokeh: Isolate the subject by keeping them sharp and blurring the background naturally
-Skin AI: Eliminate blemishes without an artificial look
-Body AI: Slim a body with a slider
How does Luminar Neo differ from LuminarAI
If you’re familiar with Luminar AI, you might wonder how Luminar Neo changes your workflow. While both software are similar, Luminar Neo takes photo editing up a notch with more advanced features.
Skylum software has improved Luminar features by giving:
System requirements for Luminar Neo
Luminar Neo runs Mac OS and PC. These are minimum requirements, so make sure that you consider an even stronger system. These days, all photo editing software is resource-hungry.
Your PC or Mac computer should have a minimum of:
- Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 processor
- 8GB of RAM
- At least 10GB of free hard disk space.
- A dedicated graphics card with at least 4GB of VRAM.
Luminar is also compatible with both M1 and M2 Mac processors.
Getting started with Luminar Neo – installation and setup
Installing Luminar Neo is easy. Download the software (trial version) from the official Skylum website and follow the on-screen instructions. Once the installation is complete, the software prompts you to create or log in to your Skylum account. This account will give you access to updates, tutorials, and other resources that will make the most of the Luminar Neo editing experience.
After setting up your account, open up the Luminar Neo (The icon will be on your desktop or in the start menu). Take the time to get used to the various panels, tools, and menus. Luminar Neo is pretty user-friendly. Exploring the interface right away will help you navigate the software more efficiently. Don’t worry if some panels seem tricky or complicated; the tutorials in this blog post will get you up and running.
I am a Luminar Neo partner, so if you like this software and would like to purchase it, click the link below for a 10% discount and a link to my personal Luminar Neo store.
The Luminar Neo Workspace
Understanding the workspace will allow you to make the most of Luminar Neo’s editing capabilities. Neo divides the workspace into panels and tab tools. The first top center tabs from left to right are
The first top center tabs from left to right are
- Catalog
- Presets
- Edit
– The Catalog tab
The catalog tab is where you can organize folders and projects. How you use this is up to you because you can create as many catalogues as you wish. You can name them by date, photography type, or rating. Within the catalog tab is the Albums menu. Albums are part of a catalogue.
– The Presets tab
Once you have organized, rated, and culled your photos in the catalogue, You can click the photo you want to edit. The Luminar screen will fill with the photo you picked to work on. By clicking the presets tab, Luminar Neo displays the following sections:
- For this photo
- Favorites
- My presets
- Purchased
- Get more presets
By picking a preset, you are choosing a set of edits. This choice allows you to get an instant result. Remember that even though the preset results are pretty impressive, they are still editable. Check the videos below to see how you can customize them.
– The Edit tab
To me, you have to look at the Edit tab as the broken-down version of the Presets tab. You can access this tab directly when editing your photos or through the presets tab. The Edit tab lets you work on the nitty-gritty of each adjustment.
– Tools in the edit tab (The right side of the interface)
The right side of the interface is devoted to specific edits. They are grouped in the following groups:
- Favorites
- Extensions
- Essentials
- Creative
- Portrait
- Professional
The best way to approach the Edits section is to consider adjustments at the top of the column as more basic and user-friendly, while the edits near the bottom get more pro-level.
Below are brief explanations of how these sections function.
– Framing and Cropping in Luminar Neo
Framing a photo is THE first step in any photo edit we will get into the details a bit later, but Crop AI is a fantastic introduction to what Luminar Neo excels in.
– Favorite and Extensions sections
The Favorites section is there to store all favourite adjustments. To me, it is crucial to know how to allocate favourites. There will be a couple of videos explaining how to add your adjustments and presets to Favorites, but for now, know that you can find your preferred settings here. The Extensions section is where you will find purchased add-ons for the software.
– Basic adjustments and enhancements – The “Essentials”
Luminar Neo offers all the basic adjustments and enhancements of any other software out there.
The second step in any photo edit is fine-tuning the exposure and colour settings. Luminar Neo provides a range of adjustment tools, such as
- Exposure,
- Shadows and Highlights
- Vibrance
- brightness, contrast
- saturation
Making subtle tweaks to these settings will give each photo that little oomph!
Have fun with the “Creative” section
Luminar Neo has creative filters and effects that can be applied separately instead of using presets. From vintage film looks to modern cinematic styles, Luminar Neo’s extensive presets and filters allow you to experiment and find the perfect look for your photos quickly.
Advanced editing techniques in Luminar Neo – using AI-powered tools
While Luminar Neo offers a range of basic adjustments and enhancements, its true power lies in its advanced editing capabilities. Thanks to its AI-powered tools and features, Luminar Neo has become a serious Adobe Photoshop alternative.
These AI-powered tools are offered throughout your editing process. From basic to more elaborate editing techniques, Luminar Neo assists you all the way. Since Luminar Neo’s first version to its latest in 2023, AI assistance has been added through and through. I have loved this software since its infancy with versions 2 to 4. Stay tuned as I will show you how to use these tools or hacks to get even more stunning effects on photos.
Here is a list of some interesting AI tools
- Crop AI
- Enhance AI
- Sky AI
- Structure AI
- Relight AI
- Atmosphere AI
- Portrait Bokeh, Face, Skin, Body AI
Create stunning effects and styles in Luminar Neo
In addition to its advanced editing tools, Luminar Neo allows novice and intermediate photographers the ability to create effects and styles. You can add a vintage film look, create dramatic black-and-white images, or experiment with textures and overlays.
You can apply a specific style or effect to your photo with a single click and see the immediate results. And now, with the help of the new MaskAI tool, you can get subtle enhancements or even bold and dramatic looks.
Luminar Neo tutorials and resources for further learning
This page has a collection of my ways to edit and have fun with the software, learn more advanced techniques, and get into cool workarounds, but do not forget that if you want to expand your knowledge and learn even more techniques, Skylum provides a wealth of tutorials and resources to help you continue to master Luminar Neo.
On the Skylum website, you’ll find a dedicated tutorials section to explore a wide range of video tutorials and written guides. Click this button to see what they are all about.
More images made with Luminar Neo. Click on the image to make it larger!
Bookmark the Secrets of Luminar Neo Blog post
I will be updating and feeding this blog post for a full year. Make sure to come back and learn many tips and tricks in this powerful software. In the meantime, here is a list of other fantastic resources I and others offer to take master Luminar Neo.
- Link to my YouTube playlist and YouTube channel
- Link to Jim Nix and others
- Link to Luminar resources and tutorials
On the Skylum website, you’ll find a dedicated tutorials section to explore a wide range of video tutorials and written guides. Click this button to see what they are all about.
About me
I am a photographer, videographer, and copywriter living in Quebec City, Canada. I also have a YouTube channel and an Instagram account dedicated to creation and creativity via my main loves of photography, music, and writing.
To get in touch with me and discuss your collaboration, service needed, or advice, write to me via the contact page by clicking this link.