I’ve used Skylum Luminar Neo for many years and continue to choose it as my primary photo editing software
It provides a robust set of tools that handle each step of post-processing with accuracy. Its user-friendly design makes editing both simple and enjoyable, while its creative features offer endless possibilities for artistic expression
Skylum has constantly added new tools over the years. In this video, I will analyze all the new features for 2025, some added a few months ago with the spring release, and others to be added in November
You will find more info about Luminar Neo functionalities in this article and in this one
Spring Update
Auto Adjust
A major new feature of the spring update is the Auto Adjust button in the Develop panel
This tool performs a global exposure adjustment on an image. We open the Develop panel and click on the Auto Adjust button. The software analyzes the image and proposes a few adjustments to improve the exposure
The tools involved are always the same: the sliders Exposure, Highlight, Shadows, and occasionally Smart Contrast. Sometimes the tool Curves is used to lift the highlights, but it is not the case here
The sliders for the White Balance and for the Black and White Points are not affected. A before-and-after view is available via the eye icon next to Develop
Other Editing Tools
This Auto Adjust tool is often a good starting point for further adjustments. This image is not an easy one, as it was shot in the direction of the sun, which is just right of the frame. It is a very hazy day; some contrast must be restored, as shown by the histogram. It is a chance to show you some of the excellent Luminar Neo’s tools that can be used on these occasions
Enhance is an AI-based tool that often does an excellent job of restoring the correct luminosity with the slider Accent, while the one below improves the structure of the sky
There are several ways to adjust the contrast; one of them is the Slider Smart Contrast in the Develop panel. We can also set the Black and White points or use the Curves
Then we can adjust the White Balance with the Temperature and Tint sliders in the Color panel
The tool Structure adds detail to the vegetation and the architectural features. It must be used subtly. In this case, a very gentle amount improves the rendition, although others may disagree
The Relight tool is often useful when images contain both the sky and elements on the ground, allowing for independent adjustments to the brightness of elements in the foreground and background. We can also modify the Depth of the adjustment
In the panel Landscape, we can often improve the structure of the sky and the sea via the slider Dehaze. The elements in the foreground already have enough contrast, so I prefer to use a linear mask to apply the adjustment only to the sky and the sea
On this hazy summer day, it is difficult to add interest to the sky, so this image is a good candidate for a sky replacement. There is a wide choice with all sorts of cloud patterns and several sliders to blend the sky with the foreground
This image contains several annoying antennas; we can easily get rid of them using the Erase tool, but it is best to use the tool at the end of the process; otherwise, further adjustments may introduce artifacts.
A final touch is Dodge and Burn, to slightly lighten or darken part of the foreground to add interest to the scene. This is the image before and after the adjustments
Atmosphere
In the same update, the tool Atmosphere has been improved. This tool can add Fog, Layered fog, Mist, and Haze to a scene
As we add fog with the amount slider, the algorithm recognizes the monastery in the foreground and keeps the fog behind it with improved depth mapping. We can then play with the Depth slider to bring the fog closer to the camera and the Lightness one to modify the luminosity of the effect
Other new features of the spring updates include some extra options for exporting images and the possibility of clearing the cache when running out of storage space
November Update
The upcoming update of Luminar Neo will contain the first phase of what Skylum calls the Luminar Ecosystem, a multidevice editing environment
Images edited on a mobile phone or tablet are automatically saved to the cloud. They will be available when switching to a computer for further post-processing for a seamless, uninterrupted flow
With this update, the opposite route will not be available, as edits made on a computer will not be accessible on mobile devices. However, according to the Luminar website, the reverse workflow, from computer to Smartphone, will be added in the future
The Ecosystem will also include Web Galleries, allowing users to easily share edited images with friends or clients, or publish them online
The AI-based Restoration tool will analyze old, damaged photos to bring them back to life with just one click, removing scratches, restoring missing details, and adding natural colors. It can be a fast and effortless way to restore an archive of old images. Several sliders will be available to fine-tune the adjustments
Another interesting upcoming tool is Volume, which, according to the Skylum website, adds depth and dimension to images, enhances light and shadow to create bold contrast and a sculpted look. It could be a companion to the excellent Enhance tool, working in pairs for a good starting point in the editing process. I can’t wait to try these new tools
Another new functionality will be the AI Assistant, which is supposed to analyze the images, recommend optimal enhancements, and help find the right tools. It will probably be aimed mainly at beginners
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