wbchinook Loc: Everson WA

I have been playing with Luminar 4 for a few days. So far I am very impressed with the update from Luminar 3. Here are a couple of pictures that I played with the Sky replacement feature.

I am using a iMac and have had no problems with the software.

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cameraf4 Loc: Delaware

I agree, the sky replacement feature is awesome. Don't know how they do it, but WOW!

Rongnongno Loc: FL

DO read the comment bellow, it is more complete than my initial remarks - that I deleted -.

jcboy3

You should not be using this program, because you don't have the editing techniques to use it or the attention to detail to avoid letting it's mistakes get through. Publishing these photos is a clear indication of this.

IN PARTICULAR: Just look at the top of the head of the bird. It's missing a large chunk. GAG.

This is the list of reasons not to use this in general:

1. They have a limited number of sky photos to use for replacement. Pretty soon, all your photos are going to look alike, and like everyone elses photos.

2. The program does try to adjust image color to match the changes in color of the replacement, but it doesn't do a good job as you get further away from the boundary.

3. The disparate direction of light and shadow cannot be fixed. You need to use sky shots that have the sun in the same position.

4. Edge effects need to be scanned for, and fixed with detailed masking/editing. Luminar is not very good at that, but it can be done with a lot of work.

5. In many cases, you need to bring the original and Luminar product together in a real editor and work out the differences.

I have Luminar 4, it can do some fun stuff. But you have to know what you're doing.

armandoluiz Loc: Oppland, Norway

TRUE!
Before the release I thought it would be something like "random" sky generate from the sky in the original photo, but not, is 30 skies to choose from and that's it.

Hamltnblue Loc: Springfield PA

They sell add on sky packs.
Currently 4 packs available. 25 bucks for 25 skies.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

So one has to figure out how to add their own otherwise this is option is a money pit.

dannac Loc: 60 miles SW of New Orleans

Save your own sky images in jpg.

On a PC you can add them into folder : Program Files - Skylum - Luminar 4 - profiles - SkyTextures

Not sure about a Mac machine.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Its a neat trick the way they replace the skies and alter the overall lighting of the whole image to more or less match the sky. However, even if a chunk of the bird's head had not gone missing in the first image, the replacements skies look out of place and artificial on those images. IMHO. I've been playing around with the trial of Luminar 4 and so far I'm not that impressed. I wanted to love it after all the hype I've been reading, but I think its best used by those not interested in dealing with the complexities and learning curve of pro level post processing solutions. There are a whole lot of missing features as well, and local adjustments seem to be inefficiently implemented.

I find those busy skies a distraction from the subject of your images. I took the liberty of working on your original image in DXO PhotoLab to highlight the bird rather than the background and didn't change the sky except to pull out more of the detail that was already there.

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armandoluiz Loc: Oppland, Norway

In AI SKY Replacement there is a option for upload your own sky image without need to go to textures.

jcboy3

And now you have a wierd glow/halo around the bird.

One reason the sky replacement is a distraction is that the focus on the sky is still sharp. There is an adjusment in Luminar to blur the sky to make it look appropriately out of focus; it does not look like that was applied.

As I said earlier, editing photos for this purpose requires care, skill, and attention to details. Or the photo will look fake (and amateurishly so).

ronichas Loc: Long Island

You can add your own skies, there is a link at the bottom of the *sky replacement* area. At this time you can only add one at a time.

Wanderer2 Loc: Colorado Rocky Mountains

Do I understand correctly that in Luminar 4 to use a sky image in a replacement it has to be a jpg and RAW can't be used? What file type are the supplied sky images?

scubadoc Loc: Sarasota, FL

Following. I’m trying to learn from others who are using the program.

LarryFitz Loc: Beacon NY

Better go out and take your own sky shots. Everytime you are out take four or five. You will have a nice collect quickly.

I think sky replace is like the Sunray filter. Fun to play with at first. After you learn it you will know when it use it and when to just use the AI Sky filter.