Introduction to Luminar NEO AI for Photographers
Luminar NEO AI is an impressive photo editing software that incorporates advanced artificial intelligence features.
It takes photo editing to a whole new level with its intuitive AI-powered tools. With Luminar NEO AI, editing becomes a breeze as it automatically enhances images, corrects imperfections, and optimizes colors with remarkable precision.
The AI features intelligently detect and enhance specific elements, such as skies, landscapes, and portraits, delivering stunning results. Luminar NEO AI truly revolutionizes the way we edit photos, making it accessible and enjoyable for all skill levels. Give it a try and experience the power of AI in transforming your images effortlessly.
Luminar NEO RAW Development
I have reviewed the RAW development capabilities of Luminar several times on this blog. For an example, see this review. This mini-review focuses on the AI tools they have added since that review. But to summarise it, Luminar NEO:
- Is an excellent RAW converter
- Can edit and improve all photos-RAW and JPEGs and TIFs
- Has the easiest photo enhancement tools I have ever used
- Puts special emphasis on creativity
I use it, often in conjunction with DXO Photo Lab on almost every image I process.
The sample image
As usual in my reviews, I will pick an image and then show you what the tool can do. Here is a favourite image open in Luminar:
AI Enhance
First, I’ll do a quick RAW development and enhance the image by clicking edit and adjusting the AI Enhance sliders:
And now I add some warmth and enhance the greenery, using the Landscape adjustments:
Then I, for a bit of fun, add some sunshine:
Finally, I add some sharpening, using the new Super Sharp AI tool, which is good although I would usually use Topaz Photo AI, which is faster and a little superior.
The difference is subtle in a small preview picture like this. At full size, the image is noticeably sharper.
The new Photo AI Tools
Let us now see what these tools can do. First, lets use GenErase to deal with the lens flare. It’s just a case of painting over the object to remove:
And now, I will remove some of the foreground rocks.
Removing unwanted objects has never been easier. Notice how Luminar AI has intelligently replaced the object. This is far, far better than cloning!
GenSwap
Now, this is really clever. What if I want to replace something with a specific object? For example, I will add a fox to the foreground. First, I select the area I want to place it in:
Notice I enter at the bottom of the screen a description of what I want. Here is the result:
Not only does the fox look real, the lighting reflects the lighting in my scene, even putting shadows in the right place. Bravo Luminar NEO AI!
GenExpand
This AI does what it says it will-it expands the image, intelligently adding content that fits the scene. I will now make this image have panoramic dimensions. It’s best done one edge at a time:
I just drag an edge to the desired size and enter instructions for the content in the expansion.
This is an impressive result, achieved in just a couple of minutes. If I’m not happy with the result I just click Expand again, and Luminar will have another go. The better the description I add, the better the result.
Other Tools In Luminar
I won’t review them here-visit soon for examples. But Luminar also adds the following:
- HDR Merge-this is the Aurora HDR Engine, the best HDR tool around.
- Focus Stacking-the ability to combine up to 100 images with slightly different focus in each. Ideal for astro and macro photographers. Landscape photographers will also find it useful.
- Upscale-An AI approach to upscaling. I reviewed it here. It’s very good, although Topaz Photo AI has an edge.
- Panorama Stitching
These tools, bought separately, would cost a small fortune. Kudos to Luminar for bringing them all under one roof.
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