In recent years, Skylum has become well-known for its photo-editing applications, including Aurora HDR and Luminar. Now, the company is releasing a completely new photo editor, Luminar AI, with a starting price of $79. This new application is available both as a standalone program for Mac and Windows computers and as a plugin compatible with Lightroom and Photos for MacOS. It has been developed from the beginning to include many of the conventional photo-editing capabilities users are accustomed to in programs like Lightroom. However, the primary emphasis is on its innovative AI-powered tools, particularly for editing landscapes – and skies specifically – and portrait photography.

Skylum has integrated a total of 13 AI features into the application. These features allow users to refine image composition, substitute skies within images and adjust the scene’s lighting accordingly, introduce effects like fog, mist, and haze, and modify the appearance of faces and bodies in portrait photos through simple slider adjustments.

The intention is to provide a straightforward experience for novice photographers while simultaneously equipping professionals with tools to achieve results efficiently.

Alex Tsepko, CEO of Skylum, stated, “Our AI strategy aligns with the thinking of leading experts in the field. What sets us apart is our focus on applying this powerful technology in a way that benefits people. Typically, only 30% of our time is dedicated to the creative process, in my experience.” He continued, “Luminar AI leverages artificial intelligence to shift these proportions. We designed Luminar AI to enable users to concentrate on the final images and the creative outcome, rather than being bogged down by the complexities of the editing process.”

Luminar AI’s templates are an ideal starting point for beginners, functioning as sophisticated filters that surpass the capabilities of platforms like Instagram. The application automatically categorizes images – for example, as landscapes or portraits – and presents a selection of suitable templates. While this is a useful feature, users who invest in a tool like this will likely desire more detailed control.

The standout feature of Luminar AI is its Sky AI, which enables sky replacement in images with just a few clicks. Users can select from a range of preset skies, including sunset options, or build their own custom library. In either case, the application can then adjust the overall scene’s lighting to match the new sky, and the results are often remarkably effective. An Augmented Sky AI feature is also available, offering the ability to add elements like birds, planes, and balloons to the sky, though this may appeal to a more limited audience. Expect to see increased use of these elements in images from social media influencers. For more subtle enhancements, the Sky Enhancer AI can be used to make skies appear more vibrant.

Image Credits: Skylum

For broader editing tasks, the Accent AI tool is effective for adjusting brightness, contrast, and color, while Structure AI enhances image clarity.

Skylum asserts that these adjustments will appear natural, but individual results may differ. In practice, I discovered that moving the sliders by only 10 or 20 points often yielded the most pleasing outcomes. Exceeding these adjustments can potentially lead to overly saturated or artificial-looking images.

The portrait editing features include Body AI, Iris AI, Face AI, and Skin AI. These tools simplify complex retouching tasks that would typically require significant time in programs like Photoshop, such as enhancing a subject’s eyes, whitening teeth, or removing skin imperfections.

Image Credits: Skylum

While tools for altering skies and adding bokeh are generally accepted by most photographers, the ability to easily modify body shapes or facial features with just a few clicks raises different considerations.

This is not the appropriate venue to debate the ethics of portrait retouching or the impact of body shaming on social media, but it is an important aspect to consider, particularly given the ease and effectiveness of Luminar AI’s body and face retouching tools. Personally, I found myself somewhat uncomfortable utilizing this aspect of the application.