9 Apply to a layer
While you’re using Refine Edge, you can set the output to a
new layer rather than as a selection. Do this, and a cutout of your
selection appears as a new layer on top of your original. Apply
Luminar Flex to this, and it works in the same way as when
filtering a selection, except the background remains intact
(though hidden). Bring it back to blend the two layers together.
7
Apply to a whole image
While Luminar is non-destructive, Photoshop Elements isn’t,
so any changes you make are permanent unless you Undo or step
back on the History palette. To edit an entire image, use Filter >
Skylum Software > Luminar Flex without anything selected on
your image. Once you’ve finished your changes in Luminar, click
the blue Apply button (top right) to return to Elements.
5
Selective edits
We only want the Denoise filter to apply to the bird, as that’s
where most of the noise is visible. We can do this by using a mask,
brushing away the areas we don’t want the effect to apply to. At
the right of the Denoise filter’s entry, there’s a brush icon, use this
to paint over the areas you want the filter to apply to. Tools to
alter the size and hardness of the brush appear at the top.
10 Export your finished image
While you’d usually return the image to Elements and use
Save As to create a new file with your edits in it, you can also
export a file from Luminar as a .lmnr file. The usual Export button
is replaced with Apply while working as an Elements filter, but
Save is still present on the File menu. Later, you can open the file
in standalone Luminar, and either work on it or export it. Q8
Apply to a selection
Because Luminar Flex works as a filter, you can only apply it
to a selection. Make sure your selection is really good before you
move it to Luminar by using Select > Refine Edge, since there’s no
way of editing it once you’re there. Then, apply the filter the same
way you did in Step 7 – only the selected pixels will appear in
Luminar. Click ‘Apply’ and they’ll be merged back into your image.6 Use Luminar in Photoshop Elements
When it’s time to use the apps together, head to Elements’
Filter menu. A new entry, Skylum Software, can be found at the
bottom of the menu, and selecting this unfolds the ability to
move the image to Luminar. The new app opens, and covers
Elements on the screen – you can return to Elements, but the
app will be unresponsive until you click Apply in Luminar.26 |^ |^ June 2019