34 28 March 2020 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113
Technique LUMINAR 4
Replace a sky
Clear blue and dull, grey skies
often lack impact but Luminar 4
can help with that by making it
easy to put in a new sky using the
‘AI Sky Replacement’ tool in the
Creative control panel. There’s a
selection of skies available for
selection, but you can add your
own if you like.
The AI Sky Replacement tool
can automatically detect the
subject and horizon so the sky is
replaced in seconds, but
occasionally some objects, such
as the white lighthouse in this
scene, can confuse it. If this
happens, use the Edit Mask
control, which is a feature of all
the adjustment controls, to
create a mask and paint in where
you want the sky to appear. You
can then replace the sky in just a
few minutes.Use Adjustment
LayersOne of the great features of Luminar
4 is that you can apply adjustments
as Adjustment Layers. That gives you
scope to use different blend modes
and to tweak the opacity of each
layer to get exactly what you want.
To create an Adjustment Layer, click
on the Layers button at the top of
the Edit panel, then click on the +
and select ‘Add New Adjustment
Layer’. Now make the adjustment
you want, such as adding a curve to
boost contrast, or making a black &
white conversion. Next, click on the
Layer button again to see the Layers
panel. You can change the blend
mode or use the sliding control to
reduce the Layer opacity. If you
create multiple Adjustment Layers
you can adjust their impact to your
taste. It’s helpful to name your
Adjustment Layers so you know
what each one controls. To do this,
click on the three dots in the top
right corner of the layer’s control
panel and select ‘Rename Layer’.Perfect portraits
High-resolution cameras can be very harsh on portrait subjects but
the AI within Luminar 4 can help create portraits that everyone is
happy with. The first step after opening a portrait image is to click on
the Portrait icon in the Edit Panel. Next, select the ‘AI Skin Enhancer’.
Putting a tick in the ‘AI Skin Defects Removal’ box has instant impact,
subtly removing blemishes. Then gradually slide the ‘AI Skin Enhance’
control to the right. Stop before the skin becomes plastic-looking. If
you want to do a little more work, expand the ‘Portrait Enhancer’
panel and try using some of the controls there, but the first two steps
are often enough.
Access the
plug-in
If you’re editing an
image in Adobe
Photoshop you can
access Luminar by
selecting Filter >
Skylum Software >
Luminar 4.
Similarly in Lightroom,
select Photo > Edit In >
Luminar 4 or right-click
on the image
and select Edit In >
Luminar 4.Clean up the image
Luminar 4 has two tools in the Canvas category that
can help you deal with sensor spots or annoying
distractions in your shot. The first and easiest to use
is the ‘Erase’ tool. When this is selected you just
need to zoom into your shot and paint over the
offending object. Luminar automatically clones out
the object. It’s perfect for getting rid of small marks
and objects against plain backgrounds. However, if
the scene is more complex, it’s often better to use
the ‘Clone and Stamp’ tool. This allows you to select
the area that you want to use to paint over the
object by holding down the Alt or Option key as you
click. You can then paint over the object.
It can be helpful to reduce the opacity of the
brush and to move the sample area occasionally as
you paint over the object.
‘Dull, grey skies often lack impact but
Luminar 4 can help with that by making
it easy to put in a new sky’
The AI within Luminar 4
has a number of modes
specifically designed to
enhance portraits