https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QestybWv3Lk
Summary
In this tutorial, Jim Nix demonstrates a detailed landscape photo editing workflow using Luminar Neo, focusing particularly on colour grading techniques. Using a raw landscape photo from Madeira, the tutorial begins with an auto adjust to establish a baseline, followed by manual tweaks to contrast, highlights, shadows, temperature, tint, vibrance, and sharpening. Jim emphasizes the importance of using the Develop Raw and Super Contrast tools as foundational steps to enhance tonal balance and depth.
Masking plays a critical role in the editing process, with linear gradients applied separately to the foreground and the sky to allow for targeted temperature and tint adjustments. This approach ensures harmonious color balance and natural transitions between different parts of the image.
The discussion then shifts to creative colour grading using Luminar’s Color Harmony tool, which the presenter praises as the most powerful tool for colour adjustments in Luminar Neo. By manipulating split colour warmth and coolness sliders, the tutorial highlights how to create dynamic colour tension between warm and cool tones, adding vibrancy and depth to the image.
The presenter further refines the colour grade by using the Color Balance section within Color Harmony, adding blue to shadows for depth and intensifying sunrise colors in the highlights. However, to avoid an overly intense or unnatural look, the key trick shared is the use of luminosity masks to selectively apply the colour grading primarily to the midtones, with smooth fading into shadows and highlights. This nuanced approach allows for a controlled, subtle colour enhancement rather than a harsh effect.
Highlights
- The tutorial starts with foundational adjustments using Luminar Neo’s auto adjust, Develop Raw, and Super Contrast tools to set tonal balance.
- Masking is used strategically to separate foreground and sky adjustments, applying linear gradients for smooth transitions.
- Color grading is executed using Luminar’s Color Harmony tool, focusing on enhancing warm and cool tones for color tension and vibrancy.
- Luminosity masks are employed to selectively apply color grading primarily to midtones, resulting in a controlled and natural-looking color enhancement.
- The presenter demonstrates how small tweaks to temperature and tint can correct unwanted color casts like greenish hues.
- A final contrast boost is added at the end of the editing process to improve depth and light control.
- Luminar Neo’s current promotions, including an ecosystem upgrade pass and a comprehensive creative bundle, are highlighted as resources for users to improve their editing skills.
Key Insights
- Starting with Auto Adjust as a Baseline: Using Luminar Neo’s auto adjust feature provides a quick, effective foundation for editing, but Jim stresses that it’s only a starting point and highlights the importance of manual adjustments to achieve the desired artistic effect rather than relying on one-click solutions.
- Develop Raw and Super Contrast as the “One-Two Punch”: These two tools are pivotal in shaping the initial tonal and contrast structure of the photo. By adjusting highlights, shadows, and midtones in Super Contrast, the presenter achieves a balanced and dynamic foundation that supports further creative edits. This step illustrates how mastering tonal control is essential before diving into color work.
- Strategic Use of Masking for Local Adjustments: Rather than applying global edits, the use of linear gradient masks to isolate the foreground and sky showcases a sophisticated approach to local adjustments. Jim’s’ choice to avoid a sky mask in favour of a linear gradient for a smooth feathered transition exemplifies nuanced editing that preserves natural light dynamics, such as the brightness near the horizon line.
- Color Harmony for Creative Grading: Luminar’s Color Harmony tool is presented as the key to unlocking creative colour grading, allowing simultaneous enhancement of warm and cool tones. The use of split colour warmth to increase warmth and coolness creates dynamic colour tension and underscores the artistic potential of digital colour grading beyond simple colour correction.
- Luminosity Masking for Controlled Color Application: The presenter’s primary “cool trick” is the use of luminosity masks to apply colour grading selectively across tonal ranges. By focusing the effect on midtones and fading it into shadows and highlights, the edit avoids the common pitfall of overly intense or unnatural colours and enables subtle and refined approach, critical for professional-looking colour grades.
- Fine-Tuning Temperature and Tint for Color Accuracy: Small adjustments to temperature and tint, especially to counteract unwanted green hues when warming the foreground, demonstrate the importance of precision in color management. This attention to detail ensures that warmth enhances the image without compromising color realism or harmony.
- Final Contrast Adjustment for Depth: Adding a finishing layer of contrast at the end of the workflow highlights the importance of revisiting tonal adjustments after colour grading.
This tutorial not only provides practical editing techniques but also encourages a thoughtful, layered approach to photo enhancement that balances technical control with creative expression.