This is a very good question and one I’ve been pondering on myself during the testing. Bryn Perrett asked if there’s any point in purchasing Luminar 4 if you already own Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop and if Luminar can be used as a plug-in for either. Can Luminar 4 replace Lightroom and Photoshop?īefore publishing this review I created a post on our Facebook page asking for your Luminar 4 questions. Most photographers combine several different adjustments that together result in a visually pleasing image. When it comes to post-processing, it’s very unlikely that you’re only going to rely on one simple slider or tool. At first glance, it might seem like several features have been removed but don’t be fooled these are now better organized in an easy-to-use layout. Users that have experience with earlier versions of Luminar might need a little time to get used to the new and updated interface.

Most of the remaining features have been present in earlier Luminar versions, though several of them have been updated and improved. Keep in mind that you can use layers and mask to apply these adjustments to only certain parts of your subjects, which can work particularly well if you’ve got more than one person in the frame. I’m not going to go too much into the details about the Skin Enhancer and Portrait Enhancer but I recommend taking a look at the trailer on this site if you need more information. More features and updatesĪI Sky Replacement and AI Structure are the most noteworthy new features for landscape photographers using Luminar 4 but the new AI Skin Enhancer is an interesting tool for portrait photographers. It might not add unnecessary artifacts but the image quickly becomes grossly overly sharpened and unpleasant to look at. I still recommend being careful when working with these types of sliders, though. Revisiting that specific area might not be an option so replacing the sky might be your go-to alternative to have something to show from your travels. Personally, replacing skies is a bit outside of my comfort zone and not something I typically do.Īs outdoor photographers, we rely heavily on the weather conditions and unfortunately, they don’t always play on our side. Sky replacement and photo manipulation to that extent is a touchy subject and there are many strong opinions about it. This definitely isn’t a tool for everyone. This tool has proved to me that automation and post-processing might work after all.

The most anticipated feature of Luminar 4 is the brand new AI Sky Replacement. By experience, automation and photo-editing rarely go well together.ĪI editing has been available in previous Luminar versions but despite doing what they promised, they didn’t blow my mind. I’ll admit that I was skeptical when first learning about the new Luminar 4 and how they’ve added several tools using Artificial Intelligence (AI). Photo editing with Artificial Intelligence I’ll get back to that at the end of this review. These files will be much larger than if they had been saved as Jpegs.Spoiler: I’ve been blown away with its performance and have been proved wrong with my original opinion but it’s not for everyone. Saving them as TIFF images creates archival quality files. Saving them as Jpeg files creates smaller easier to manage files, however, there will be a quality loss due to compression. You can backup your photos by exporting them. To restore a backup file go to File > Catalog > Restore from Backup.Luminar opens a dialog box that lets you choose where you want to save your backup file.However, there are times you may want to back a catalog up in case your hard drive has a problem. Luminar is constantly backing up its database as you work with it. The current catalog close and the selected catalog opens.Navigate to the Catalog you want to work with, it will appear as a folder.To open a previously created catalog go to File > Open.When you save the new catalog the current catalog close and the new one opens.A dialog box opens where you can name your catalog and choose where you want to save it.

You can create a new library under the main menu under File > Catalog > New.Libraries are also referred to as catalogs and contain a database of your images and their locations, Thumbnails of these images, and a history of all the adjustments applied to an image. By default, Luminar creates its first library in your pictures folder. Libraries can be located anywhere on your hard drive. You can use just this one library for all your photos or easily create news libraries.

Initially, Luminar creates a default Library when you first launch the application. You could have Libraries for different clients and events, a library just for family photos, the sky's the limit. Luminar lets you create multiple libraries to better manage your photos.

Import photos into luminar 3