Skylum will be releasing version 4 of their hugely popular Luminar software in the fall of 2019, preorders for the new version have gone live today.
There are two ways to preorder Luminar 4:
- Skylum Luminar 4 + Signature Looks bundle for $59 (Reg $138)
- Skylum Luminar 4 + Signature Looks + Luminar 3 bundle for $99 (Reg $208)
Press Release:
Utilizing the proprietary technology based on machine learning, Luminar 4 will be the first photo editor to have a fully automated Sky Replacement tool to save the artists hours of editing.
BELLEVUE, WA – July 23, 2019 — Today, Skylum announces the upcoming release of Luminar 4, set to ship this fall. Skylum continues to push innovations forward through machine learning tools. In addition to the new AI Sky Replacement tool, Luminar users can expect to see more machine learning present in Luminar 4. With its easy-to-use interface and sensible workflows, Luminar 4 is a great choice for creatives looking to move their photography forward.
“With Luminar 4 we continue to empower everyone who loves photography to make incredible images faster and easier,” said Alex Tsepko, CEO of Skylum. “No one needs a “simply another photo editor” these days. That’s why with every Luminar update we bring photographers something truly meaningful, something that will really level up their creative skills.
In Luminar 2018, Skylum introduced the AI Sky Enhancer filter, helping to add depth and color back into flat or blown-out skies. Earlier this year, Skylum added the Accent AI 2.0 filter to Luminar 3, a powerful content-aware filter powered by machine learning to automatically enhance images. Now, with Luminar 4, AI Sky Replacement offers the first automatic tool for replacing skies. Machine learning tools like these are the foundation of the Luminar platform, helping to save photographers hours of manual labor so they can achieve their creative dreams.
Why AI Sky Replacement?
Sky replacement methods have become popular in recent years with landscape photographers, in order for them to truly showcase their creative vision. Up until now, photographers have spent minutes or even hours manually replacing skies, through tools like Smart Selection, Luminosity Masking, Overlaying, Layers, Masking, Smart Brush, Color Range and more. And even with all those tools, it was hard to get a perfect sky.
While the development of AI Sky Replacement has been equally challenging, Skylum’s machine learning technology means that photographers can apply a realistic sky to their photograph in mere seconds, freeing up time to be more creative.
There are two ways to preorder Luminar 4:
- Skylum Luminar 4 + Signature Looks bundle for $59 (Reg $138)
- Skylum Luminar 4 + Signature Looks + Luminar 3 bundle for $99 (Reg $208)
That makes me think that we will soon no longer need cameras. Photo software will do all the job. Photography as testimony is coming to an end.
I want to replace my sky with Skylum’s software, and then replace my ground with Groundlym’s software, and then insert a highly photoshopped image of myself in a straw hat reaching back to the camera with one hand then automatically iterate variations on the sky, ground and my stupid poses and have them auto post to Instagram using multiple accounts to share each-others content while cross tagging the brands of my various shell companies which purchase ads on each-others accounts so I can get free artisanal pickles in exchange for exposure. That’s just how photography works now.
I also feel like they're developing new features too quickly without optimization. Luminar 3's performance is still terrible and I'm using a 10-core iMac Pro. If Luminar 4 really is a worthwhile upgrade, and I decide I want to buy it, I'll at least wait until performance and bug fixes have been carried out.
Now introducing Drearylym. Replace your fantastic sky with a hyper-boring sky to make your photography stand out below the crowd!
I don't know where everyone on here is from, but in the Pacific Northwest (USA) it is getting harder and harder to be out in nature without the crowds (especially if one is within 1-3 hours of the major metro areas (Portland, Vancouver, Seattle-Tacoma, etc...).
If I went on a once in a lifetime national park trip and the skies were just not doing it then I don't see why it isn't perfectly fine to swap them out and having a simple tool to do that seems obvious. I shoot real estate sometimes, I never have control over the sky and have had to do reshoots on occasion to get better scene setting images, an easy way to replace skies is going to be a time and money saver for those that aren't fully versed in the longer PS techniques.
That said, I come from a photojournalism background and passing off a manipulated photo as real remains unethical and unacceptable in any documentary/journalistic capacity. The generally accepted rule of thumb is that traditional modifications, such as burning in, dodging or otherwise enhancing or muting areas that already exist in the image is acceptable, but completely replacing portions of the picture with something that did not exist at the time the picture was taken is unacceptable.
It bothers me a bit that we are becoming so accustomed to picture postcard, lowest common denominator images that we can miss the beauty of the real world and the challenge and joy of producing a memorable image using what is before us. For me, the real joy and challenge of photography comes from discovering the world as it is and trying to convey that in an image without resorting to cheap tricks and cliches.
However I am an active member of two camera clubs and I see where the hobbiests are coming from, they are comparing themselves and their images to their favorite blogger/vlogger. At least we have gotten away from the horrendous HDR 'style' so popular a few years ago
I find that the Brightness slider in ACR is usually more than adequate to to make the sky look at least decent. If overdone, it makes the sky look stormy on an overcast day, so don't go too far.
But then my manipulations are intended to make the scene look like how I remember it looking in real life, not to make it look like a Mediterranean beach scene.