The Landscape Tools are specifically designed to enhance and optimize landscape photography. These tools offer specialized adjustments tailored to the unique requirements of landscape images, allowing users to achieve stunning results.
Sky AI
Sky AI
If the sky in your photo isn’t compelling, you can easily replace it with the SkyAI tool. This tool is designed to work with flat or blown-out skies but can be refined to work with most skies using sliders. Using the power of artificial intelligence, SkyAI automatically analyzes an image identifies where the sky begins and ends, recognizes if water is featured in the image, and then seamlessly replaces the sky and adds reflections to any body of water to create a realistic look.
Sky Selection
Sky Selection. Visually select the sky you want from the dropdown list and instantly have an idea of what your final result will look like. You can add your own skies individually or in bulk.
To add a single sky, click the + icon at the end of the sky list and browse your computer for a sky to add.
Select Show Custom Skies… from the Sky Selection dropdown list to add a group of skies. Then drag and drop your custom skies to the folder that opens. We recommend keeping fewer than 50 skies loaded at a time for better performance.
Sky Orientation
- Horizon Position. Grab the center-line of the pin to move the new sky vertically to freely place it exactly where you want it in the scene.
- Vertical Position. You can freely offset your new sky vertically and place it exactly where you want it in the scene. SkyAI will perfectly scale it to fit while keeping it aligned with the horizon. The Vertical Position slider controls the Textures in the sky and water areas but moves them in opposite directions in relation to the Horizon Position line until you get the ideal match between your new sky and its reflection.
- Horizontal Position. With this slider, you can freely position the sky horizontally and place it exactly where you want it in the scene. SkyAI will perfectly scale it to fit while keeping it aligned with the horizon.
- Flip. Flips the new sky to change its direction in the frame. Beneficial when a photo has shadows that you’re trying to match.
Horizon Position
- Shift. Set the desired position of your horizon line
- Rotation. You can rotate the new sky on the Z-axis for perfect placement.
Mask Refinement
- Global. This slider affects how the texture is mixed into the scene. A higher value will increase the amount of new sky that is added.
- Close Gaps. This slider fixes small details and holes not initially filled by the replaced sky. You may need to adjust it if the image has refined details such as trees or wires.
- Fix Details. This slider fixes small imperfections around the edges of your new sky.
Scene Relighting
- Relight Strength. This slider adjusts the exposure of the scene to match the new sky.
- Relight Saturation. This slider adjusts the saturation of the relighting effect to realistically add the color from the new sky to the scene.
- Relight Human. This slider controls relighting for any people in the scene, matching people to the new sky for a more realistic effect. Use it on environmental portraits and lifestyle photos to see the drastic difference!
Reflection
- Reflection Amount. Allows you to adjust the intensity of the reflection to your liking.
- Water Blur. Allows you to blur the reflected sky to better match an uneven water surface due to waves or ripples.
Sky Adjustments
- Defocus. This slider defocuses the sky and is useful when a shallow focus is used with a foreground object.
- Grain. Use this slider to match new skies to the grain in the original photo for a seamless, realistic effect.
- Atmospheric Haze. Use this slider to add a soft haze to the sky. Haze is helpful in matching a replacement sky to the original image, especially if there’s moisture in the sky or environmental pollutants.
- Warmth. Use this slider to adjust the color temperature of the image.
- Brightness. This slider darkens or lightens the new sky. It’s useful for matching the original scene.
Adding Your Own Skies
You can load your own skies into Luminar Neo from the Sky Selection drop-down menu by choosing Show Custom Skies … and copying your own JPEG files into the folder that opens. We recommend keeping fewer than 50 skies loaded at a time for better performance. You will see the skies from your Custom folder in the main list of skies available for SkyAI. To remove skies from this list, remove them from the Custom folder.
Sky Replacement Guidelines
Follow these guidelines to achieve the best results with the SkyAI tool in Luminar Neo. Doing so will give Luminar Neo the most information possible and ensure the best results. While the SkyAI tool includes sample skies for you, many photographers will want to use sky photos of their own creations.
Image Requirements
In order to use a sky photo with the SkyAI tool, it must meet these requirements:
- Minimum of 1,200 pixels on the short edge (higher resolutions preferred)
- JPEG format. You can export an image as a JPEG file in Luminar Neo by clicking the Export tab, the Save Photo to Disk button, and the JPEG format. You can use a quality setting of 60–85 to keep file sizes smaller.
- Keep the image size below 10 megabytes for the optimal performance of the tool.
How to Capture Skies
The sky replacement technology in Luminar Neo requires skies to be photographed in a specific way to achieve realistic results. You can also pre-process existing sky images to meet these guidelines and export new JPEG files for use by the SkyAI tool.
Sunrays Tool
Add a whole new light source to your photo — the sun! You can control its position, warmth, and the amount of glow for a subtle or even dramatic change in lighting. Combine the Sunrays tool with blending modes for even more control of your lighting.
Standard Settings
- Place Sun Center. Click this button to position the sun. You can also drag the position off of the photo canvas.
- Amount. This slider controls the overall intensity of the sun’s rays.
- Overall Look. This slider changes the overall brightness of the scene.
- Sunrays Length. This slider controls the distance the sun rays travel.
- Penetration. This slider impacts how much the sun passes through an area. It can be helpful when trying to composite the sunrays into a photo naturally.
Sun Settings
- Sun Radius. This slider affects the size of the sun (the origin point of the sun’s rays).
- Sun Glow Radius. This slider changes the size of the glow around the sun.
- Sun Glow Amount. This slider changes the intensity of the sun’s glow.
Rays Settings
- Number of Sunrays. Use this slider to select the number of sun rays.
- Randomize. This slider will generate an entirely new variation based on your current settings.
Warmth
- Sun Warmth. This slider can change the sun from a bright white to a warm glow.
Sunrays Warmth. Use this slider to adjust the color temperature of the rays.
Twilight enhancer
Twilight Enhancer AI feature within Luminar Neo replicates the enchanting ambiance experienced during the Blue and Golden Hours in photography. This feature enhances landscape and outdoor photographs by infusing them with the naturalistic lighting and color effects characteristic of these magical times of the day. By intuitively adjusting colors and swiftly fine-tuning settings, users can attain impressive outcomes, whether they begin with a preset or tailor each detail to their liking.
Presets for Quick Application
Pre-defined presets such as "Blush," "Golden," "Blue," "Emerald", and "Mauve" offer instant, one-click applications of Twilight Enhancer AI effects, streamlining the editing process and facilitating further customization. Users can adjust the settings to suit their preferences.
- Amount. Controls the overall strength of the preset, adjusting each setting proportionally.
- Exposure. Adjusts the overall brightness of the photograph, making it darker or lighter;
Sky Adjustments
Users can fine-tune the appearance of the sky using sliders for temperature, tint, exposure, and horizon blend. This allows for the creation of the Blue Hour effect while retaining the original sky elements.
- Temperature. Adjust the warmth or coolness of the sky, with higher values adding warmth and lower values adding coolness.
- Tint. Fine-tunes the green or magenta tint of the sky, with higher values adding magenta and lower values adding green.
Dawn Adjustments
This section simulates the subtle, warm gradient of light seen during dawn. Users have control over the scale, intensity, and hue of this gradient, enabling precise adjustments as the image transitions from night to day.
- Amount: Controls the overall quantity of the dawn effect applied to the image. Adjusting the amount affects how dominant or subtle the dawn light is across the image, enabling users to simulate everything from the faintest hint of dawn to a full, bright morning light.
- Size: Similar to scale, the size feature lets users determine the spatial extent of the dawn light effect within the image. It can be adjusted to affect a small area, giving the impression of a distant or just-beginning dawn, or expanded to cover the entire image, simulating a wide, open sky at dawn.
- Temperature: Adjusts the color temperature of the dawn light, shifting it from cooler to warmer tones. Higher temperature settings will produce a warmer, more orange or pink light, typical of sunrise. In contrast, lower temperatures result in cooler, bluish tones, which can be used to depict the very early moments of dawn or dawn under specific weather conditions.
- Tint: Allow for the fine-tuning of the dawn light's color bias, adding green or magenta hues to the gradient. This can be used to simulate the effects of atmospheric conditions on dawn light, such as the presence of particles or moisture in the air, which can influence the perceived color of the light.
- Exposure: Controls the brightness level of the dawn light, independent of its color or temperature. Adjusting the exposure amount can simulate the light's intensity at various points during the dawn, from the dim early light barely illuminating the landscape to the full brightness of a sun nearing the horizon.
Scene Enhancements
With this feature, users can adjust the overall ambiance of the scene to evoke the desired time period. By making nuanced changes to lighting and color, the entire image is transformed, resulting in a more immersive visual experience.
- Shade. Manipulates the shadows within an image to control the level of darkness or lightness, enhancing the overall contrast and depth.
- Saturation. Intensify or reduce the vibrancy of colors within an image, allowing for adjustments that impact the overall richness and vividness of the scene.
- Relight human - recognizes the person in the image and adjusts the lighting on the person, making them brighter or darker. This helps improve the visual quality of the image by correcting lighting issues focused on the person.
- Feathering. Soften the edges of a selection or mask, seamlessly blending it with the surrounding area to create a more natural and visually appealing transition.
Water Reflection
This feature is designed to refine the reflection of the sky on water surfaces in images. It enhances the visual interaction between the sky and water, making the reflection appear more vivid and accurate. This is useful for improving the aesthetic appeal and realism of photos involving water bodies.
- Amount. Controls the overall presence or intensity of the water effect in the image. By adjusting the amount, users can either increase or decrease how pronounced the water appears. This adjustment can significantly impact the mood and realism of scenes involving water, allowing for a customized portrayal of water in various environments and lighting conditions.
- Blur. The blur feature adjusts the clarity and sharpness of the water elements, simulating the effect of motion or stillness in the water. Increasing the blur can give the impression of moving water, such as flowing rivers or waves, creating a sense of motion and dynamism. Decreasing the blur results in clearer, more tranquil water, ideal for depicting still ponds, lakes, or clear water where details beneath the surface might be visible. This control is crucial for conveying the texture and movement of water, adding depth and realism to the water elements in an image.
Mask Refinement
Precision masking tools enable users to selectively apply Twilight Enhancer AI effect to specific areas of the image, such as the sky or landscape, ensuring optimal customization and control over the final outcome.
- Sky Horizon. Adjusts the separation line between the sky and the horizon in an image, allowing users to precisely control the boundary between these two areas for enhanced editing and composition.
- Sky Global. Modifies the overall mask of the sky in an image, offering users the ability to make broad adjustments to elements such as color, brightness, or contrast across the entire sky area with a single control.
- Fix Gaps. Fixes small details and holes not initially filled by the replaced sky. You may need to adjust it if the image has refined details, such as trees or wires.
- Blur. Used to soften or blur the edges of a mask or selection, creating a smoother transition between the masked and unmasked areas. The value determines the extent of the blur applied, with higher values resulting in a greater degree of blurring. Adjusting the blur allows users to control the amount of feathering or blending between the masked and unmasked regions.
Atmosphere AI
AtmosphereAI uses content-aware and depth masking to place a fog, mist, or haze in an image’s background and/or foreground. This smart tool prevents the subject of your photograph (such as a person or tree) from being covered by the atmospheric effect and positions the effect in a way that maintains a realistic look.
- Mode. This drop-down lets you choose between four atmospheric effects: Fog, Layered Fog, Mist, and Haze. Fog and Mist can fill most of the frame (depending on the Depth slider), whereas Layered Fog and Haze are mainly applied in the lower third.
- Amount. This slider sets the intensity of the atmospheric effect and is set to 0 by default. Increase the value to apply AtmosphereAI adjustments to your image.
- Depth. This slider adjusts the depth of the atmospheric effect. Increasing the Depth value brings the effect closer to the front of the frame.
- Lightness. This slider is set to the maximum value of 100 by default. To make your atmospheric effect darker or more subdued, decrease the Lightness value.
Landscape Tool
The sliders in the Landscape tool are explicitly designed to enhance landscape photographs. However, they can also help with real estate, travel, and nature photographs.
Standard Settings
- Dehaze. This slider applies the perfect blend of contrast, clarity, and color adjustments to eliminate the effects of fog and haze often found in cityscapes, landscapes, and aerial photos. It’s especially helpful when editing photos shot through glass or with a lot of mist or fog in the scene.
- Golden Hour. Use this slider to bring warmth, softness, and a golden glow to all of your photos. Simply dial in the amount of warm toning to introduce more overall color vibrancy. Quickly emulate the magic that happens just after sunrise and just before sunset.
- Foliage Enhancer. This slider automatically enhances the colors of foliage and greenery, making them more vivid and natural. It’s a good choice for nature and lush landscape images.
Advanced Settings
Foliage Hue. This slider modifies the hue of the foliage affected by Foliage Enhancer. It’s helpful in achieving the right amount of green.
Water Enhancer
The Water Enhancer AI Tool leverages artificial intelligence to enhance the natural beauty of water in photographs, allowing for customized adjustments in brightness, contrast, and color to increase clarity, vibrancy, and precision. It provides advanced composition controls, such as drawing, erasing, and restoring water areas, ensuring a seamless integration between the enhancements and the original scene. This tool is aimed at transforming aquatic photography, enabling the capture of water in its most captivating form with exceptional detail and realism.
Main tools and sliders:
- Amount Adjust this slider to control the intensity of the enhancement applied to the water. Increasing it amplifies the effect, making water features more vivid and pronounced, while decreasing it maintains a closer resemblance to the original scene.
- Blue. With this slider, you can adjust the blue tones in the water, enhancing the vibrancy and depth of oceans, seas, and pools. If you slide it toward the higher end, the water appears more profound and refreshing, while if you slide it towards the lower end, the blue tones appear more subtle and warmer.
- Green. Slide towards the upper end to enhance green tones, which make rivers and lakes look lush, vibrant, and lush, while slide towards the lower end to reduce green tones for a more neutral or clear appearance.
- Original Color. With this slider, you can adjust the contrast between the enhanced colors and the original hues of the water.
- Brightness. You can adjust the brightness of the water to match the overall lighting of your scene. Increasing the brightness can make the water sparkle and appear more inviting, while decreasing it can give the scene a moodier, more subdued feel.
- Contrast. Using this slider, you can adjust the contrast within the water elements. A higher contrast will deepen shadows and highlight details, giving the water texture and depth, whereas a lower contrast can create a softer, more uniform surface.
Refine area. Adjusts the selected area of an image precisely, providing more detailed and targeted editing capabilities.
- Size. Adjusts the size of the tool's brush or eraser, allowing for larger or smaller adjustments to the refinement area, which is useful for covering different areas efficiently.
- Softness. Controls the edge softness of the brush, with higher values creating more blends at the edges for a smoother transition and lower values creating a sharper, more defined edge.
- Strength. Determines the intensity of the adjustments made with the tool, with higher values applying a more substantial change and lower values applying a subtler effect.
- Mask Feather. Adjusts the feathering of the selected mask, which softens the mask's edges, creating a more gradual transition between the masked and unmasked areas.
- Depth. Modifies the perceived depth or z-axis manipulation of the selected area, which can give a sense of layering or focus to specific elements of the image.
Additional tools:
- Draw. Draw lets you specify precisely what regions will receive adjustments by adding manually to the area you wish to refine or affect.
- Erase. With the Erase option, you can remove portions of the area you've previously selected with the Draw function, allowing you to refine only the desired areas.
Restore. With Restore, you can reverse any changes made with Draw or Erase, returning the selected area to its original state.