Thanks for all the requests! 🙏 You can see the video on tips for getting the most out of the HDR plugin here: ua-cam.com/video/_TEVlg3pnM8/v-deo.html Let me know in the comments what your favourite tip is! And if you don't have the HDR Merge plugin yet you can get the current best deal here: bit.ly/HDR4NEO 😃
Excellent walkthrough of this new tool. As an Aurora user I am very much looking forward to this to arrive on Thursday!! I like your taster about the tips you have so......"HDR Tips" please!!
You Sir are a legend. I’ve recently come across your channel having looked up Luminar Neo. Really enjoy your videos. I’m a newb when it comes to photo editing and Luminar Neo makes it so easy. Keep up the tutorials 👍🏽
Full workflow please.. This software needs it. It's made to help beginners and we're all online looking to grow our skills with this whole program not just the plug in.
@@AnthonyTurnham I shit real estate photography. After watching hundreds of flambient videos I decided to outsource it. But just working on brackets I've shot and regular photos this program has blown my mine. Replacing sky and messing with HDR is incredible but I'm sponging up as much info as I can find and have had this for two days now.
Great to see how natural the merges look. I'd shied away from it and probably had the wrong idea about what HDR was actually for! I've pre-ordered so I got the skies and presets for free. Thanks for the link
Cheers Nathan. Yeah, believability and authenticity for the win! It uses Aurora's Quantum Engine which has been my go-to for years. I'm really pleased to see it integrate with NEO!
I have been using HDR aurura for my drone pics and then transferring to NEO, so guess if this improves my work flow, why not! FULL HDR EDIT would be good for me too! Keep them coming...........
@text me on telegram 👉@AnthonyTurnham- With age and apologies it may of been interpretive text with your name.. Anyway pass the prize on as I can't do telegram m'ages - I tried but no go..
HDR tips, please. I have Aurora so when I heard about this plugin I thought, come on Skylum, stop dropping spanners in the works. By the time I am getting used to a version they always come up with a whole new bargain. They already caught me 4 times with Luminar (no regrets). So I thought, not this time. BUT, thanks to this Informative vid (and curiosity) I realise they made it free for Aurora owners. Good thinking Luminar! And thanks Anthony!
HDR tips and Full EDIT would be great. I've just tested a couple of images and appreciate how easy it is compared to some other programs. Also do really like that it is not over-baking it. I first started using HDR about 10 years ago and am guilty of producing some of the neon-light stuff early on. Love how natural my first two came out. Thank you for posting!
The update for Luminar NEO (v1.2) drops on July 28th. You can pre-order the HDR merge and get some free goodies here: bit.ly/HDR4NEO If you'd like to see what I thought of the dodge and burn tool, you can see that video here: ua-cam.com/video/xujelHdXjEU/v-deo.html Let me know if you'd like a deep dive on getting the most out of HDR. Thanks for watching. You guys are the best! 😀
HDR TIPS & FULL HDR EDIT would be terrific… for a single, non-bracketed, non-RAW image. I tested this with a couple of my older images and was impressed with the results (wish I could attach an example here but alas, UA-cam doesn't allow that). Unless I'm missing something, it appears that I can only access HDR Merge by bringing an image directly into Neo vs via the Photoshop plugin route. What I'd like to see is a side-by-side comparison between the original and HDR merged images. As to those who complain that they find the quick advancements in technology are driving them crazy, I’d say I find this the most exciting time in image editing. I began with Photoshop v1.0 back in 1991 and for the past 30 years it has remained about the only game in town. AI has brought a plethora of new players into the image editing field. More than that, the new players are creating new ways of image editing that are more intuitive and less complicated. Plus, the prices for the technology have dropped significantly. Bottom line: for the $600/year I pay for the Adobe suite of products, I can buy several new image editing software programs. To date Topaz and Skylum seem to have the best products for my needs and 50, 90, 150 bucks here and there is a cheap investment for something I own forever when compared to the $600/year I pay to rent the Adobe suite. Here ends my anti-rant rant.
Merge to HDR is also great for eBay photography where the subjects are further apart than f-stops will allow (ie focus stacking). I still have Aurora and use it from time to time. Yes, please, HDR edit tips!
Thank you Anthony. Do Raw edits matter when merging with the NEO plugin or the Aurora desktop app? I was thinking that raw files are converted to 8/16 bit tiffs before the merge with the option to export with or without raw edits. I don’t use Luminar AI or Neo as raw editors. It’s confusing when Skylum reinvents the wheel every time they want to incorporate new technology. I really miss AI’s amount slider and wonder if there is any difference between AI’s presets and Neo’s templates. I assume there is since they changed the terminology wanting to signal a difference. Or maybe their developers just hate user experience and consistency. I just hate learning a new interface every 6 months and being left with Luminar 4, Luminar AI, and now Aurora HDR that are essentially dead in the water now that Neo is out. And once again being updated adding features as time goes on (clone, dodge/burn, extensions) until the next new thing comes out…. Luminar Cleo, new consumer promotion with early adopter discounts and promise of new tools, cue the 500 social influencers link below rinse and repeat. The pain of keeping current with just these two products is rapidly outweighing the benefits. Sorry for the rant. Nothing against you. You always have the very best content.
Absolutely agree. Not a rant, but an expression of frustration. Neo is not fully developed and has too many incomplete parts. For example, the AI masking is close, but not really usable. I should stop ranting. It is good as a plug in for Lightroom which I hoped to drop.
HDR tips: I use AuroraHDR for single photo edit. The improvements in shadows and highlights are impressive, and resulting improved image makes editing in Neo simpler. Could you demonstrate single image HDR adjustment as part of Neo workflow?
G'day Anthony I agree with you 100% about the use of HDR. I've been using Aurora HDR for about 16 months and it's amazing. I often transferred my files to Neo let it do the nitty-gritty stuff. So I'm so happy to get this new 1.2 Neo, when it comes out. Please do a full edit with Neo HDR. The next step to make Neo a truly amazing programme, I would like to see a focus stacking tool, and maybe an Ai Gigapixel type of tool. Now that would be awesome! Havagooday mate Greg
Hi Greg. Yes, absolutely! I hear you on Aurora. It's so much better than any other HDR software. So it's nice to see its algorithm live on! Just for clarification, the HDR Merge tool is available the same day/time as the Neo update, but it is an optional plugin you'd need to buy. Skylum look to have plans for expanding the functionality of NEO through plugins so, perhaps, we'll see focus stacking appear that way.
Dear Anthony, Thanks for your viseo. As a slavish devotee of the Colorchecker Passport II, what photo ((of the Colorchecker) would I use, would I do the same 3 bracketed photos of the Colorchecker color chart, create a HDR version then make a profile from that? Regards Newell
Hello Anthony. I saw your tutorials using Luminar Neo for architecture photography. I am familiar in using Lightroom and then Photoshop for my images and/but today I bought Luminar Neo. What are your thoughts about using Lightroom to mass export the original files straightened and slightly edited as raw files(mostly white balance. I shoot 5 brackets) and then import them in Luminar. I'm not used to (3 hours user) straighten the images through Luminar. I think i can make it in batch but i will figure out tomorrow. Your tips are great. Greetings from Greece. Im sorry for my poor english :) Cheers
Hi Chris, If you have LR and Ps I'd be using them to get my images looking pretty good (full tonality, retouched, straightened etc.) and then using Luminar in a batch edit for a finishing enhancement. Just a light sprinkling of an appropriately crafted preset. Keeping the settings very light. It's very effective for this. I sue either Luminar or ColorEfex Pro (bit.ly/nik-collection-dxo) for this final batch editing.
do a YT search for Anthony Turnham real estate videos. He does much of work in LR but does terrific edits of real estate. Not sure what the words "pulling windows" exactly means but if you are wanting to balance exposure to show the outdoors nicely, just increase exposure and other sliders as necessary but mask just the windows. It can be a bit of work and sometimes doing a copy of the mask can be useful but I found even using PhotoScape X I could get images that I was happy with by using this method.
@@AnthonyTurnham with as much editing as it takes to do good real estate photos with bracketed images, an advanced hdr workflow, mixed with some AI, would be amazing. Seems doable if Luminar is looking for a useful application with high demand. Thanks!
When saving the hdr image, does Lumi give you any other option than TIF? Unless it allows .DNG or the original raw format, LR will be a better option for me.
Yep, LRs 32bit HDR dng is a great file. I'll still use it for certain applications too. The big advantage of NEO's plugin though, is it does the tone mapping, whereas we still need to recover the detail from Lightroom.
How do we use this with Lightroom? I installed the plugin for Lightroom but can't seem to get it to work. Can get it to work from Luminar NEO. Any ideas?
Great video Anthony. I just started playing around with night shot images, painting with light. Would this feature work if I HDR merged 3-4 light painted images which each illuminated a different part of my subject?
Hmmmm, probably not. In HDR usually the merge works best (and it's what the program expects) if the scene remains unchanged between exposures. However, you could use layer blend modes to add the new light from the painted shots in "lighten" mode. If this all sounds a bit complicated I've got this video ua-cam.com/video/wvhmGcCKgHk/v-deo.html that expands on layer blend modes. And I also cover it in-depth in my new course www.anthonyturnham.com/courses/luminar-neo-course (currently NEWYEAR 25 saves you 25% on the course)
Thanks for this - it’s one thing knowing something at a concept level, another to see it explained in detail. Just wondering, though, how this is different (and presumably better) than what the iPhone camera app does natively. Should I switch it off in my iPhone app.
TBH it'll probably be a similar algorithm in the iPhone. If that's how you shoot and capture your images and you're happy with the results, then why switch. I know the HDR Merge produces EXCELLENT results as I'm very familiar with the Aurora algorithm it's adopted. So if you do want to go that way then, yes, capture your shots with HDR turned off in your iPhone.
Nice idea for a video! I'll still be using LR merge too as they work very differently. LR creates a 32bit dng file with initially zero tone mapping. Whereas Neo creates a "completed" tone mapped 16bit tiff. Each serves a purpose. Great suggestion!
I’m currently using Luminar 4 and I’m interested in getting Aurora HDR, do you know if I can buy it as a standalone or do I have to buy it with the new version (Luminar neo).
Hi Enrique. Aurora has been discontinued unfortunately. BUT thankfully the engine behind those realistic merges lives on in the HDR merge extension. It only works as a plugin (or extension as Skylum call them) for Neo. I think they've got a black Friday deal going here: bit.ly/NeoPlugins
I believe if you go to the download link and then make sure you're logged in to your Skylum account the system should know you're an Aurora customer. Please note as I mentioned it's Aurora 19 owners that are eligible. Not previous versions. Good luck. Enjoy the new plugin!
I’d like to see a full hdr edit. I have received an email indicating I am eligible for the plug in for free (I did previously purchase Aurora), but haven’t yet downloaded it. Your video has inspired me to do so.
You've got it covered William 😄 I was using the pre-release and wasn't 100 that batching wouldn't be there. I still think it's likely to make an appearance. But that's just a hunch.
Anthony - as always I love your videos. Sadly the plug-in will not replace Aurora in its present incarnation and really does not save me much quantifiable time having it as a plugin rather than a stand-alone. I start every photo edit in photoshop and use Aurora as a filter which you cannot do with the plugin. I truly wish they just had updated Aurora. One of the many useful tools for any of us that have used Aurora for many years was the adjustable gradient tool. Sure, I could take many more steps in NEO and accomplish the same effects. To make the plugin better it should be accessible when using NEO as a filter AND add the ability to blend in the effects as we want to.
It’s hard to figure out Skylums strategy. Their target user is the beginner or weekend warrior. I like a few of their ai tools but I just can’t work them into my workflow since their products have such a short life span.
I currently use Aurora19 and the Nik Collection's HDR Efex Pro (I find they work slightly differently and sometimes one or the other will be better). I'm looking forward to trying the Neo plugin when it arrives in a few days time. The one thing that is missing that Aurora has is the tone-mapping controls so if you really do want "neon dog vomit" you're stuck!! 🙂 As for controlling the amount couldn't you merge the original with the HDR in Neo layers and vary the opacity setting?
Hmmm… I am feeling my way with Aurora and Neo. For images that do not have the dynamic range Anthony is exampling here, I still find Aurora useful. Currently I am playing with a single raw image in Aurora and exporting. Then bringing this image as a layer in Neo over the (original) editing image. I apply blending modes and opacity to the Aurora layer. Sometimes duplicating the Aurora layer. Such as one Luminosity layer (at opacity that works), and soft light layer (at opacity that works. The base image is edited and adjustments made to layers as things progress. Don’t know if this is a worthwhile workflow, but interesting to play with. Excellent contrast can be achieved. Would this work with HDR Merge? I export from Aurora as a .png file not .tiff
How is this program / plugin different than any other like CaptureOne's, Photoshop's, Lightroom's built in, or Photomatix? There is nothing different between any of these programs.
Luminar NEO takes a very different approach than Photoshop, Lightroom etc. All programs that I love, but all very different. In terms of rendered result (which is ultimately what we care about) this HDR plugin is lightyears ahead of what Photomatix creates.
Hi Christopher. No bother at all my friend. So the Lumminar X memberrship is a different setup than the NEO plugins. You either need to buy the plugin, pre-own Aurora 2019 OR rent Luminar NEO through the yearly subscription. bit.ly/HDR4NEO has the current best option to get the merge tool.
Aurora has reached its end of life cycle as far as updates go. Skylum feel it is feature complete. People will no longer be able to buy Aurora. 😒 This isn't so much a replacement as it is a plugin for NEO. However it uses Aurora's brilliant HDR algorithm.
Anthony, thanks for the video and the tips. I think both the tips on dodge and burn and the full edit would be useful. I have on occasion used Aurora HDR on a single image and am impressed with what it can do in some cases with that. I wonder if it will be the same with the HDR plug in. I also wish that Skylum would add the clone and stamp tool back. I find it much more useful than the dodge and burn because there are so other ways to do dodge and burn with masking and layers and brushes etc. I agree with you that HDR is not a useful tool for everyone, but there are occasions when it brings out things in a photograph that can't be done otherwise.
Hi Charles, that's a really good point re single image HDR. Clone and stamp is really useful and thankfully it will be added to Luminar NEO in an upcoming update. There's not a definitive date as yet though...
Great question. I guess it depends on the product. However, for my product work I find bcause I'm in control of the light setup, the dynamic range is controlled to be within what the camera can capture in a single frame. This luxury of crafting the light is hat's missing in large scale shots of landscapes, architecture etc.
@@AnthonyTurnham right. Yes, that makes sense. If ever you get the time to do a product video that would be great. A guitar as the product would be even better!
More than this you can use masks for the sky and invert mask for sky in Adobe Lightroom and be done with it instead of using bracketed images filling up your SD card and Hard Drive. I've been using it for a few months now and it works perfectly well. I just use one image and then use masks and make corrections....
Valid points mate. While I love the mask tools in LR and that approach is great for exposures that fall in the cameras sensor dynamic range, for other more contrasty applications hdr is still the best option. I did a video on the quality improvements with LRs merge to HDR for not only increasing dynamic range, colour accuracy in highlights, but a reduction in noise throughout. But the quality in the file is dependent on the end need. Cheers for your thoughts on it. Appreciated 👍
Hi Anthony. I have Aurora 19 and want to ask if the HDR algorithm it uses has been improved in Luminar Neo or is it the same? Yes please, HDR tips would be useful...
Thanks for an excellent explanation of the appropriate use of HDR in photography. My Olympus em5 mark III has this HDR feature built into the camera. So I doubt if I would be interested in the HDR Merge plug-in. But still, a very informative video.
Besides merging 3 photos, try putting a single photo in HDR Merge and hit Merge. I get some really great results. If its overdone bring the HDR Merge results back into Photoshop with the original and File stack the two and adjust the opacity of the HDR Result. Great Tool.
so you have to have a few pictures of the same picture to get this to work? hmm i don't usually take picture of the same thing multiple times. can I still use it?
Hi mate. Actually yes you can! If you feed in just a single image the HDR tool will still bring out shadow and highlight details for you. Raw works best as the file holds the most data for the tool to work with. You can also use the same photo twice to control the effect. Run the HDR tool on it and load it as a layer on top of the original. You can then use a mask on that layer to reveal the HDR effect only where you want it and to the intensity that you want.
QUESTION: You say that after tone-mapping your RAW image set in Aurora HDR 2019 any further editing is "irrelevant" since you can save your image and edit further in an image editing program like NEO. But doesn't Aurora HDR 2019 create a 32-bit tone-mapped image like Photomatix Pro, and when exporting the file to be edited in NEO or PS the image is reduced to 16-bit? Isn't it best to edit in 32-bit (more data to work with) rather than 16-bit?
Hi Rich, TBH once the merge is done and all the highlight and shadow details are recovered 32bit editing is overkill. The exported tone mapped 16bit tiff has more than sufficient data to work with. Personally I was never a big fan of the Aurora tool set but I was a fan of the result it created from the merge.
Hey Anthony, how many files can you merge together? How would this work for Astro images? Can you use HDR merge as a stacking module for Luminar Neo? I haven’t bought Neo yet but will soon, I would be interested to see if it would work for Astro images which take up a fairly decent percentage of the photos I enjoy taking and need to edit.
Thanks @Jeff Canar. Yes, up to 10 images. I've done an astro edit video on Luminar. It does a solid job 👌 As for stacking using the HDR Merge tool... I'll need to do some testing to see. It's a nice idea though 💡, and I love a good hack!
I have another problem. I mistakenly import many unnecessary files into my Luminar Catalogue. Please how do I get rid of these files from Luminar catalogue without affecting the files in my disk drive?
Hi Kareem. In the Library you can right click on the folder containing those images and there's an option to remove from library. The photos will still be in tact on your hard drive.
HDR TIPS and FULL HDR Edit thanks for your help Anthony, I got Neo and Aurora HDR bundled for on sale for like £39 so am I still eligible for the free upgrade?
Hi Mate. If it's Aurora 2019 then I believe so. Use the link, log in to your Skylum account and pop it in the checkout. I believe the system should then validate the order as no-charge.
Thanks for all the requests! 🙏 You can see the video on tips for getting the most out of the HDR plugin here: ua-cam.com/video/_TEVlg3pnM8/v-deo.html Let me know in the comments what your favourite tip is! And if you don't have the HDR Merge plugin yet you can get the current best deal here: bit.ly/HDR4NEO 😃
I've purchased Merge, so I need the full HDR edit, thank you.
Thank you Anthony and would love to see a full HDR edit in future :-)
Excellent video Anthony! Full HDR Edit video and HDR tips! Thank you!
HDR Tips and Full HDR Edit, great video, thanks
I got a little confused about how the HDR Merge window appears. I found it and thank you for the use hints. Keep up the good job.
Thanks Anthony
HDR tips. Cheers!!
I would like both HDR tips and full HDR edits, thanks Anthony, love your videos!
Thanks Colum!
Thanks for the intro to HDR plugin. Would really appreciate a walkthrough of a 'Full HDR edit'.
Full HDR Edit please. Great insight Ant.
I would like to see both the HDR Tips & Full HDR Edit. Thank you very much Anthony!
Excellent walkthrough of this new tool. As an Aurora user I am very much looking forward to this to arrive on Thursday!! I like your taster about the tips you have so......"HDR Tips" please!!
FULL HDR EDIT -PLEASE. NICE JOB ON THE VIDEO!
Ooooh! So glad I already own Aurora 19! Also please give us HDR TIPS & a FULL HDR EDIT.
HDR Tips please. Great videos. Love them. Very helpful.
Full HDR Edit. Thanks so much!!
HDR Tips! Full workflow too! Thanks for great content!
You Sir are a legend. I’ve recently come across your channel having looked up Luminar Neo. Really enjoy your videos. I’m a newb when it comes to photo editing and Luminar Neo makes it so easy. Keep up the tutorials 👍🏽
Thanks mate. Cheers for watching!
Full hdr edit please and thank you sir!
Full workflow please.. This software needs it. It's made to help beginners and we're all online looking to grow our skills with this whole program not just the plug in.
Thanks Troy. I'm thinking bout doing a complete workflow vid for NEO. Complete beginners guide... 😀
@@AnthonyTurnham I shit real estate photography. After watching hundreds of flambient videos I decided to outsource it. But just working on brackets I've shot and regular photos this program has blown my mine. Replacing sky and messing with HDR is incredible but I'm sponging up as much info as I can find and have had this for two days now.
Thanks so much for this video, I have been up ing & ahhhing about whether to get this or not.
Great to see how natural the merges look. I'd shied away from it and probably had the wrong idea about what HDR was actually for! I've pre-ordered so I got the skies and presets for free. Thanks for the link
Cheers Nathan. Yeah, believability and authenticity for the win! It uses Aurora's Quantum Engine which has been my go-to for years. I'm really pleased to see it integrate with NEO!
I have been using HDR aurura for my drone pics and then transferring to NEO, so guess if this improves my work flow, why not! FULL HDR EDIT would be good for me too! Keep them coming...........
Great description of what HDR is and the limits of the camera!
Hey Andrew always good receive your advice. HDR Full Edits pls..AU
Thanks Ian 😀 (It's Anthony btw. All good though, I've been called worse 😆)
@text me on telegram 👉@AnthonyTurnham- With age and apologies it may of been interpretive text with your name.. Anyway pass the prize on as I can't do telegram m'ages - I tried but no go..
Excellent and yes please for any HDR TIPS 👍
HDR tips, please. I have Aurora so when I heard about this plugin I thought, come on Skylum, stop dropping spanners in the works. By the time I am getting used to a version they always come up with a whole new bargain. They already caught me 4 times with Luminar (no regrets). So I thought, not this time. BUT, thanks to this Informative vid (and curiosity) I realise they made it free for Aurora owners.
Good thinking Luminar! And thanks Anthony!
Full edit will be great as well. Thanks
HDR tips and Full EDIT would be great. I've just tested a couple of images and appreciate how easy it is compared to some other programs. Also do really like that it is not over-baking it. I first started using HDR about 10 years ago and am guilty of producing some of the neon-light stuff early on. Love how natural my first two came out. Thank you for posting!
Absolutely Christopher!!! The natural result is the BEST thing about it (for me and my workflow anyway! 😀)
Thanks!
HDR TIPS and edits nice intro to the new feature
HDR TIPS and FULL HDR EDIT would be great! 😀
The update for Luminar NEO (v1.2) drops on July 28th. You can pre-order the HDR merge and get some free goodies here: bit.ly/HDR4NEO If you'd like to see what I thought of the dodge and burn tool, you can see that video here: ua-cam.com/video/xujelHdXjEU/v-deo.html Let me know if you'd like a deep dive on getting the most out of HDR. Thanks for watching. You guys are the best! 😀
Is there any chance for HDR merge tool comparison from the new Luminar Neo plugin and Lightroom Classic? Thank you Anthony.
Thanks for the tutorial. I ordered a copy through your link.
@@kamilkubalik7762 nice idea 💡
I used to use HDR before and ever since I've been using Adobe LR masks doing HDR's has become history...
Hi Ravi. Yeah, I'm a huge fan of the latest LR masking options. There's so much fine control to be had.
Thanks for the video. I would like to see both the HDR Tips and Full HDR Edit. Do you know if Skylum is planning on supporting an HDR pano merge?
Hi Mike. I don't know the specifics, but I do know Skylum are looking at expanding the functionality of NEO. So maybe a pano tool is in their plans...
Thank you Anthony, as always great tutorial.
Wonderful, simple, jargon-free, practical demo of the HDR feature. Thank you, Anthony :)
Thanks Kym!
HDR TIPS & FULL HDR EDIT would be terrific… for a single, non-bracketed, non-RAW image. I tested this with a couple of my older images and was impressed with the results (wish I could attach an example here but alas, UA-cam doesn't allow that). Unless I'm missing something, it appears that I can only access HDR Merge by bringing an image directly into Neo vs via the Photoshop plugin route. What I'd like to see is a side-by-side comparison between the original and HDR merged images.
As to those who complain that they find the quick advancements in technology are driving them crazy, I’d say I find this the most exciting time in image editing. I began with Photoshop v1.0 back in 1991 and for the past 30 years it has remained about the only game in town. AI has brought a plethora of new players into the image editing field. More than that, the new players are creating new ways of image editing that are more intuitive and less complicated. Plus, the prices for the technology have dropped significantly. Bottom line: for the $600/year I pay for the Adobe suite of products, I can buy several new image editing software programs. To date Topaz and Skylum seem to have the best products for my needs and 50, 90, 150 bucks here and there is a cheap investment for something I own forever when compared to the $600/year I pay to rent the Adobe suite.
Here ends my anti-rant rant.
Merge to HDR is also great for eBay photography where the subjects are further apart than f-stops will allow (ie focus stacking). I still have Aurora and use it from time to time. Yes, please, HDR edit tips!
Would love to see you do a real estate image edit using hdr, From start to finish. Love your tips and editing process has help me greatly.
HDR Tips, Full HDR. Thanks
Moonpie
Thank you Anthony. Do Raw edits matter when merging with the NEO plugin or the Aurora desktop app? I was thinking that raw files are converted to 8/16 bit tiffs before the merge with the option to export with or without raw edits. I don’t use Luminar AI or Neo as raw editors. It’s confusing when Skylum reinvents the wheel every time they want to incorporate new technology. I really miss AI’s amount slider and wonder if there is any difference between AI’s presets and Neo’s templates. I assume there is since they changed the terminology wanting to signal a difference. Or maybe their developers just hate user experience and consistency. I just hate learning a new interface every 6 months and being left with Luminar 4, Luminar AI, and now Aurora HDR that are essentially dead in the water now that Neo is out. And once again being updated adding features as time goes on (clone, dodge/burn, extensions) until the next new thing comes out…. Luminar Cleo, new consumer promotion with early adopter discounts and promise of new tools, cue the 500 social influencers link below rinse and repeat. The pain of keeping current with just these two products is rapidly outweighing the benefits. Sorry for the rant. Nothing against you. You always have the very best content.
Absolutely agree. Not a rant, but an expression of frustration. Neo is not fully developed and has too many incomplete parts. For example, the AI masking is close, but not really usable. I should stop ranting. It is good as a plug in for Lightroom which I hoped to drop.
Thanks Anthony for your excellent tutorials. Yes, I would to see both “Tips” and “Full HDR Edits.”
Thanks Stephen!
Yes, full HDR edits
HDR tips: I use AuroraHDR for single photo edit. The improvements in shadows and highlights are impressive, and resulting improved image makes editing in Neo simpler. Could you demonstrate single image HDR adjustment as part of Neo workflow?
That sounds like a good addition to show. I'll see if I can cover that too. Thanks.
I do the same thing.
HDR tips
thanks for the video
G'day Anthony
I agree with you 100% about the use of HDR.
I've been using Aurora HDR for about 16 months and it's amazing.
I often transferred my files to Neo let it do the nitty-gritty stuff.
So I'm so happy to get this new 1.2 Neo, when it comes out.
Please do a full edit with Neo HDR.
The next step to make Neo a truly amazing programme, I would like to see a focus stacking tool, and maybe an Ai Gigapixel type of tool.
Now that would be awesome!
Havagooday mate
Greg
Hi Greg. Yes, absolutely! I hear you on Aurora. It's so much better than any other HDR software. So it's nice to see its algorithm live on! Just for clarification, the HDR Merge tool is available the same day/time as the Neo update, but it is an optional plugin you'd need to buy.
Skylum look to have plans for expanding the functionality of NEO through plugins so, perhaps, we'll see focus stacking appear that way.
Dear Anthony,
Thanks for your viseo.
As a slavish devotee of the Colorchecker Passport II, what photo ((of the Colorchecker) would I use, would I do the same 3 bracketed photos of the Colorchecker color chart, create a HDR version then make a profile from that?
Regards Newell
Is there a batch process for HDR Merge on all files in a folder? HDR TIPS & EDITING PROCESS! 👍💪👌
At the moment there's no batching with the tool. I'm hoping they add this functionality.
HDR tips. Heck, Yeah!
HDR tips please.
Full hdr edit. Nice one bud. Good chanel.
Thanks Chris!
Hello Anthony. I saw your tutorials using Luminar Neo for architecture photography. I am familiar in using Lightroom and then Photoshop for my images and/but today I bought Luminar Neo. What are your thoughts about using Lightroom to mass export the original files straightened and slightly edited as raw files(mostly white balance. I shoot 5 brackets) and then import them in Luminar. I'm not used to (3 hours user) straighten the images through Luminar. I think i can make it in batch but i will figure out tomorrow. Your tips are great. Greetings from Greece. Im sorry for my poor english :) Cheers
Hi Chris, If you have LR and Ps I'd be using them to get my images looking pretty good (full tonality, retouched, straightened etc.) and then using Luminar in a batch edit for a finishing enhancement. Just a light sprinkling of an appropriately crafted preset. Keeping the settings very light. It's very effective for this. I sue either Luminar or ColorEfex Pro (bit.ly/nik-collection-dxo) for this final batch editing.
Can you do bulk edits of bracketed shots? I'm thinking more for real estate interior photos.
Currently the bulk editing isn't there which is a shame. I'm hoping that functionality will be added with an update. But we'll have to wait and see.
Can you do a demo video fixing the white balance and pulling windows for real estate?
do a YT search for Anthony Turnham real estate videos. He does much of work in LR but does terrific edits of real estate. Not sure what the words "pulling windows" exactly means but if you are wanting to balance exposure to show the outdoors nicely, just increase exposure and other sliders as necessary but mask just the windows. It can be a bit of work and sometimes doing a copy of the mask can be useful but I found even using PhotoScape X I could get images that I was happy with by using this method.
I'm curious how HDR merge works with real estate or architecture in dealing with color cast.
I might put a video together specific to that. Nice suggestion!
@@AnthonyTurnham with as much editing as it takes to do good real estate photos with bracketed images, an advanced hdr workflow, mixed with some AI, would be amazing. Seems doable if Luminar is looking for a useful application with high demand. Thanks!
When saving the hdr image, does Lumi give you any other option than TIF? Unless it allows .DNG or the original raw format, LR will be a better option for me.
Yep, LRs 32bit HDR dng is a great file. I'll still use it for certain applications too. The big advantage of NEO's plugin though, is it does the tone mapping, whereas we still need to recover the detail from Lightroom.
How do we use this with Lightroom? I installed the plugin for Lightroom but can't seem to get it to work. Can get it to work from Luminar NEO. Any ideas?
Hi Mitchell. It's a plugin designed to run in NEO. It's not a Lightroom plugin, sorry.
hdr tips plese
Great video Anthony. I just started playing around with night shot images, painting with light. Would this feature work if I HDR merged 3-4 light painted images which each illuminated a different part of my subject?
Hmmmm, probably not. In HDR usually the merge works best (and it's what the program expects) if the scene remains unchanged between exposures. However, you could use layer blend modes to add the new light from the painted shots in "lighten" mode. If this all sounds a bit complicated I've got this video ua-cam.com/video/wvhmGcCKgHk/v-deo.html that expands on layer blend modes. And I also cover it in-depth in my new course www.anthonyturnham.com/courses/luminar-neo-course (currently NEWYEAR 25 saves you 25% on the course)
Thanks for this - it’s one thing knowing something at a concept level, another to see it explained in detail. Just wondering, though, how this is different (and presumably better) than what the iPhone camera app does natively. Should I switch it off in my iPhone app.
TBH it'll probably be a similar algorithm in the iPhone. If that's how you shoot and capture your images and you're happy with the results, then why switch. I know the HDR Merge produces EXCELLENT results as I'm very familiar with the Aurora algorithm it's adopted. So if you do want to go that way then, yes, capture your shots with HDR turned off in your iPhone.
@@AnthonyTurnham Got it, yes, thanks. Would you say something like this has more value for manual cameras.
Hi Anthony: What are your thoughts on using HDR Merge on an unbracketed jpeg? Or single photos in general? Thanks!
Hi Ron. Check my more recent video. I've covered a single image edit there. Definitely using raw would be preferable than jpeg.
BTW, your riff on the skeptical lady made me laugh. Took me back to my Python-watching days….
I usually use Lightroom for HDR, a comparison video would be nice. Thank you
Yes! I was coming to ask how much better he thinks it is than Lightroom's HDR.
Nice idea for a video! I'll still be using LR merge too as they work very differently. LR creates a 32bit dng file with initially zero tone mapping. Whereas Neo creates a "completed" tone mapped 16bit tiff. Each serves a purpose. Great suggestion!
Full HDR edit please
Does it do batch like aurora?
Currently there's no batching. Hopefully their developers will be adding that in....
I’m currently using Luminar 4 and I’m interested in getting Aurora HDR, do you know if I can buy it as a standalone or do I have to buy it with the new version (Luminar neo).
Hi Enrique. Aurora has been discontinued unfortunately. BUT thankfully the engine behind those realistic merges lives on in the HDR merge extension. It only works as a plugin (or extension as Skylum call them) for Neo. I think they've got a black Friday deal going here: bit.ly/NeoPlugins
Full her edit and tips please. 😀
Hi Anthony, I have Aurora HDR , how do I get the new update please?
I believe if you go to the download link and then make sure you're logged in to your Skylum account the system should know you're an Aurora customer. Please note as I mentioned it's Aurora 19 owners that are eligible. Not previous versions. Good luck. Enjoy the new plugin!
HDR edit tips, please.
I’d like to see a full hdr edit. I have received an email indicating I am eligible for the plug in for free (I did previously purchase Aurora), but haven’t yet downloaded it. Your video has inspired me to do so.
Hey mate. Yes, if you're eligible to get it for free, I'd be jumping all over that!
HDR tips would be good / full HDR
HDR Tips, please!
Anthony, why did you not mention that Skylum left out the batch mode in the HDR processing?
You've got it covered William 😄
I was using the pre-release and wasn't 100 that batching wouldn't be there. I still think it's likely to make an appearance. But that's just a hunch.
I would like to see a workflow of Neo + HDR merge as a plugin to PS, not as a standalone which you just demo-ed . Thanks
of course we want HDR tips ^^
Anthony - as always I love your videos. Sadly the plug-in will not replace Aurora in its present incarnation and really does not save me much quantifiable time having it as a plugin rather than a stand-alone. I start every photo edit in photoshop and use Aurora as a filter which you cannot do with the plugin. I truly wish they just had updated Aurora. One of the many useful tools for any of us that have used Aurora for many years was the adjustable gradient tool. Sure, I could take many more steps in NEO and accomplish the same effects. To make the plugin better it should be accessible when using NEO as a filter AND add the ability to blend in the effects as we want to.
It’s hard to figure out Skylums strategy. Their target user is the beginner or weekend warrior. I like a few of their ai tools but I just can’t work them into my workflow since their products have such a short life span.
I currently use Aurora19 and the Nik Collection's HDR Efex Pro (I find they work slightly differently and sometimes one or the other will be better). I'm looking forward to trying the Neo plugin when it arrives in a few days time. The one thing that is missing that Aurora has is the tone-mapping controls so if you really do want "neon dog vomit" you're stuck!! 🙂 As for controlling the amount couldn't you merge the original with the HDR in Neo layers and vary the opacity setting?
Hi Alan. That's exactly the approach I'll be taking for fading the amount of the effect! 👏 You're ahead of the game sir!
Hmmm… I am feeling my way with Aurora and Neo.
For images that do not have the dynamic range Anthony is exampling here, I still find Aurora useful. Currently I am playing with a single raw image in Aurora and exporting. Then bringing this image as a layer in Neo over the (original) editing image. I apply blending modes and opacity to the Aurora layer. Sometimes duplicating the Aurora layer. Such as one Luminosity layer (at opacity that works), and soft light layer (at opacity that works. The base image is edited and adjustments made to layers as things progress. Don’t know if this is a worthwhile workflow, but interesting to play with. Excellent contrast can be achieved.
Would this work with HDR Merge?
I export from Aurora as a .png file not .tiff
How is this program / plugin different than any other like CaptureOne's, Photoshop's, Lightroom's built in, or Photomatix? There is nothing different between any of these programs.
Luminar NEO takes a very different approach than Photoshop, Lightroom etc. All programs that I love, but all very different. In terms of rendered result (which is ultimately what we care about) this HDR plugin is lightyears ahead of what Photomatix creates.
Hi there sorry to bother you, Do you get HDR Merge when you subscribe to the Luminar X Membership pro Thank You.
Hi Christopher. No bother at all my friend. So the Lumminar X memberrship is a different setup than the NEO plugins. You either need to buy the plugin, pre-own Aurora 2019 OR rent Luminar NEO through the yearly subscription. bit.ly/HDR4NEO has the current best option to get the merge tool.
@@AnthonyTurnham Thank You for letting me know, I went and brought the HDR Merge in the end and very impressed by it.
Are you able to merge photos for macro work? I am guessing not but would like this in future (not limited to 10 photos)
Hi Rob, it's for merging exposures only. I think we MAY see a seperate plug-in for focus stacking in the future though. Just a hunch though...,
So, this is the future of, or successor to, Aurora 2017-2019??
Aurora has reached its end of life cycle as far as updates go. Skylum feel it is feature complete. People will no longer be able to buy Aurora. 😒 This isn't so much a replacement as it is a plugin for NEO. However it uses Aurora's brilliant HDR algorithm.
Anthony, thanks for the video and the tips. I think both the tips on dodge and burn and the full edit would be useful. I have on occasion used Aurora HDR on a single image and am impressed with what it can do in some cases with that. I wonder if it will be the same with the HDR plug in. I also wish that Skylum would add the clone and stamp tool back. I find it much more useful than the dodge and burn because there are so other ways to do dodge and burn with masking and layers and brushes etc. I agree with you that HDR is not a useful tool for everyone, but there are occasions when it brings out things in a photograph that can't be done otherwise.
Hi Charles, that's a really good point re single image HDR. Clone and stamp is really useful and thankfully it will be added to Luminar NEO in an upcoming update. There's not a definitive date as yet though...
HDR Tips :D
How might this work with product photography?
Great question. I guess it depends on the product. However, for my product work I find bcause I'm in control of the light setup, the dynamic range is controlled to be within what the camera can capture in a single frame. This luxury of crafting the light is hat's missing in large scale shots of landscapes, architecture etc.
@@AnthonyTurnham right. Yes, that makes sense. If ever you get the time to do a product video that would be great. A guitar as the product would be even better!
HDR Tips please
More than this you can use masks for the sky and invert mask for sky in Adobe Lightroom and be done with it instead of using bracketed images filling up your SD card and Hard Drive. I've been using it for a few months now and it works perfectly well. I just use one image and then use masks and make corrections....
Valid points mate. While I love the mask tools in LR and that approach is great for exposures that fall in the cameras sensor dynamic range, for other more contrasty applications hdr is still the best option. I did a video on the quality improvements with LRs merge to HDR for not only increasing dynamic range, colour accuracy in highlights, but a reduction in noise throughout. But the quality in the file is dependent on the end need.
Cheers for your thoughts on it. Appreciated 👍
Hi Anthony. I have Aurora 19 and want to ask if the HDR algorithm it uses has been improved in Luminar Neo or is it the same?
Yes please, HDR tips would be useful...
Hi Rick. I know it is "based" on Aurora's algorithm. But, there may well have been new advancements under the hood.
Thanks for an excellent explanation of the appropriate use of HDR in photography. My Olympus em5 mark III has this HDR feature built into the camera. So I doubt if I would be interested in the HDR Merge plug-in. But still, a very informative video.
Thanks Timothy
Besides merging 3 photos, try putting a single photo in HDR Merge and hit Merge. I get some really great results. If its overdone bring the HDR Merge results back into Photoshop with the original and File stack the two and adjust the opacity of the HDR Result. Great Tool.
Yes it's a good technique! I've covered it in a couple of vids but ended up using the resulting hdr as a layer in Luminar rather than Photoshop.
so you have to have a few pictures of the same picture to get this to work? hmm i don't usually take picture of the same thing multiple times. can I still use it?
Hi mate. Actually yes you can! If you feed in just a single image the HDR tool will still bring out shadow and highlight details for you. Raw works best as the file holds the most data for the tool to work with. You can also use the same photo twice to control the effect. Run the HDR tool on it and load it as a layer on top of the original. You can then use a mask on that layer to reveal the HDR effect only where you want it and to the intensity that you want.
QUESTION: You say that after tone-mapping your RAW image set in Aurora HDR 2019 any further editing is "irrelevant" since you can save your image and edit further in an image editing program like NEO. But doesn't Aurora HDR 2019 create a 32-bit tone-mapped image like Photomatix Pro, and when exporting the file to be edited in NEO or PS the image is reduced to 16-bit? Isn't it best to edit in 32-bit (more data to work with) rather than 16-bit?
Hi Rich, TBH once the merge is done and all the highlight and shadow details are recovered 32bit editing is overkill. The exported tone mapped 16bit tiff has more than sufficient data to work with. Personally I was never a big fan of the Aurora tool set but I was a fan of the result it created from the merge.
HDR Tips…Please 😀
Hey Anthony, how many files can you merge together? How would this work for Astro images? Can you use HDR merge as a stacking module for Luminar Neo?
I haven’t bought Neo yet but will soon, I would be interested to see if it would work for Astro images which take up a fairly decent percentage of the photos I enjoy taking and need to edit.
It says right on their website; "merge up to 10 brackets"
Thanks @Jeff Canar. Yes, up to 10 images. I've done an astro edit video on Luminar. It does a solid job 👌 As for stacking using the HDR Merge tool... I'll need to do some testing to see. It's a nice idea though 💡, and I love a good hack!
I have another problem. I mistakenly import many unnecessary files into my Luminar Catalogue. Please how do I get rid of these files from Luminar catalogue without affecting the files in my disk drive?
Hi Kareem. In the Library you can right click on the folder containing those images and there's an option to remove from library. The photos will still be in tact on your hard drive.
Could you compare with capture one HDR?
Nice idea. I like a good comparison!
If I already have Aurora 19, would there be any benefit to adding it to Neo?
Well, I guess you're working from a one-stop-shop. You're not flip flopping between programs.
HDR TIPS and FULL HDR Edit thanks for your help Anthony, I got Neo and Aurora HDR bundled for on sale for like £39 so am I still eligible for the free upgrade?
Hi Mate. If it's Aurora 2019 then I believe so. Use the link, log in to your Skylum account and pop it in the checkout. I believe the system should then validate the order as no-charge.
HDR tips AND fulle HDR edit please!
Loooks like fake contest winners comments are flooding your site here
Does Neo have DAM?
Does Merge work with both raw and jpeg? Did you mention this at the start?
Yes it works with both!