demobook

Sharpening and noise reduction in Luminar Neo

Demo summary

A demonstration of zooming into a photo to apply sharpening and luminosity-based noise reduction to clean up grain in flat areas like the sky.

Step-by-step

  1. Zoom in on the photo by clicking it or using the magnification section
  2. Navigate to the Sharpening tool
  3. Adjust the sharpening slider to your preference
  4. Check different areas of the photo to verify the sharpening effect
  5. Go to the Noise Reduction tool
  6. Adjust the Luminosity slider to remove grain in flat color areas
  7. Click the eye icon next to the tool name to toggle the before and after view

Options

  • Select specific magnification levels from the list in the magnification section
  • Apply aggressive sharpening up to 100% using the algorithm

Tips

  • Use 100% zoom when working with sharpening to get a good feel for the effect
  • Set sharpening to around the halfway point for a balanced result
  • Use the luminosity slider specifically if you have a high ISO photo with visible grain
  • Avoid over-applying noise reduction to prevent losing too much detail

Highlights

even being that aggressive in Luminar Neo, it actually has a really nice sharpening algorithm

All demos from “Luminar Neo for Beginners: A Complete First Landscape Edit

  1. 2:521:51Recovering highlights and shadows with Develop RAWThe creator demonstrates how to use the Develop RAW tool in Luminar Neo to recover sky detail and brighten dark shadows without washing out the image.Luminar NeoAI Image/Photo Enhancer
  2. 4:531:36Sharpening and noise reduction in Luminar NeoCurrentA demonstration of zooming into a photo to apply sharpening and luminosity-based noise reduction to clean up grain in flat areas like the sky.Luminar NeoAI Image/Photo Enhancer
  3. 6:491:00Enhancing photos with Accent AI and Sky EnhancerThe video shows the application of Enhance AI's 'Accent AI' and 'Sky Enhancer' sliders to automatically balance tones and boost blue sky saturation.Luminar NeoAI Image/Photo Enhancer
  4. 8:003:26Localized exposure adjustments using maskingThe creator shows how to use a brush mask to apply a second instance of the Develop tool to specific areas of a waterfall and rocks.Luminar NeoAI Photo Editor
  5. 12:423:32Adding and removing detail with Structure AIDemonstration of using Structure AI with positive values to sharpen rocks and negative values to soften distracting foliage via brush masking.Luminar NeoAI Photo Editor
  6. 16:351:48Adding mist with Atmosphere AIThe creator uses Atmosphere AI's 'Layered Fog' setting and a brush mask to simulate mist at the base of a waterfall.Luminar NeoAI Inpainting
  7. 20:482:31Changing water color with Water Enhancer AIA demonstration of the Water Enhancer AI tool to shift murky green water toward a turquoise hue while refining the mask to exclude the waterfall.Luminar NeoAI Photo Editor
  8. 23:352:12Directing focus with Light Depth AIThe video shows the Light Depth tool analyzing a 3D scene to place highlights specifically on the waterfall while darkening the foreground and background.Luminar NeoAI Relighting
  9. 25:551:26Fine-tuning colors with HSL slidersThe creator demonstrates using the HSL (Hue, Saturation, Luminance) panel to darken green leaves specifically so the waterfall stands out more.Luminar NeoAI Photo Editor
  10. 28:511:17Applying a Radial Gradient mask for color popA demonstration of using the Radial Gradient tool to apply a saturation boost in a localized, tapered circle around the main subject.Luminar NeoAI Photo Editor
  11. 31:132:05Blending edits using Layer OpacityThe creator shows how to add the original photo as a new layer and adjust its opacity to pull back an over-processed edit for a more natural look.Luminar NeoAI Photo Editor
  12. 33:242:04Object removal with Erase and GenErase AIA demonstration of removing distracting objects using the standard Erase tool and the generative AI 'GenErase' tool for more complex areas.Luminar NeoAI Object Remover/Eraser
  13. 36:201:44Color grading with LUTs and Dramatic filterThe video shows the application of the Dramatic filter and various Lookup Tables (LUTs) like 'Long Beach' to unify the photo's color palette.Luminar NeoAI Photo Filter
  14. Watch “Luminar Neo for Beginners: A Complete First Landscape Edit” →

AI Image/Photo Enhancer

  1. 3:121:47Portrait retouching with Skin AIThe video shows using Skin AI in Luminar Neo to automatically remove blemishes and even out skin tones using a single slider, followed by shine removal for a matte finish.Mark McGee Photos
  2. 4:590:37Enhance facial features with Face AIThe creator demonstrates Face AI to add iris flare to eyes, enlarge eyes, and adjust lip color and contrast on a portrait.Mark McGee Photos
  3. 16:180:34Dodge and Burn retouchingThe creator shows how to use the Dodge and Burn tool in Luminar Neo to enhance a subject's cheekbones with subtle lighting adjustments.Mark McGee Photos
  4. 2:401:41Basic photo enhancements in Luminar NeoThe user demonstrates the 'Essentials' panel in Luminar Neo, showing how to use Enhance AI, Structure AI, Super Contrast, and the Dodge and Burn brush tool on a photo.Kieran Hayes Photography
  5. 8:460:37Portrait retouching with Skin and Face AIThe creator uses Skin AI for shine removal and smoothing, and Face AI for eye enhancement and lip saturation in Luminar Neo.Kieran Hayes Photography
  6. 7:270:23Portrait enhancement and eye editingThe presenter shows the portrait-specific tools in Luminar Neo, demonstrating eye color changes, eye whitening, and skin smoothing.Kai W
  7. 0:492:54RAW development and tonal range adjustment in Luminar NeoThe creator demonstrates how to use the Develop RAW tool and Curves in Luminar Neo to establish a proper black and white point while monitoring clipping warnings.Anthony Turnham
  8. 7:050:43Targeted noise reduction with AI maskingThe creator applies the Denoise tool to a specific area of the image using Luminar Neo's AI masking to clean up digital noise in the sky.Anthony Turnham
  9. 25:443:15Enhancing details with Accent AI and Foliage EnhancerThe creator uses Accent AI, Structure AI, and the Foliage Enhancer tool to pop details in the grass and mountains, including adjusting the hue of the greens.Anthony Turnham
  10. 2:521:51Recovering highlights and shadows with Develop RAWThe creator demonstrates how to use the Develop RAW tool in Luminar Neo to recover sky detail and brighten dark shadows without washing out the image.Anthony Turnham
  11. 4:531:36Sharpening and noise reduction in Luminar NeoCurrentA demonstration of zooming into a photo to apply sharpening and luminosity-based noise reduction to clean up grain in flat areas like the sky.Anthony Turnham
  12. 6:491:00Enhancing photos with Accent AI and Sky EnhancerThe video shows the application of Enhance AI's 'Accent AI' and 'Sky Enhancer' sliders to automatically balance tones and boost blue sky saturation.Anthony Turnham