If you’re interested in taking your photos to the next level, then Skylum’s Luminar should be the next photo editor you use.
Even if you’re intimidated by photo editing.
Or even if you’re a photo editing expert who knows all there is to know about Lightroom and Photoshop.
Because–as I’ll explain in this eBook–Luminar is perfect for so many photographers.
Anyone who:
- Has never really felt confident using a photo editor before, OR
- Likes another photo editor but wants a quick way of adding gorgeous finishing touches to their images, OR
- Wants to speed up their workflow with amazing AI effects
What’s also great is that Luminar is offered as a 30-day trial, so you can test it out for a while. If you don’t like it, you have nothing to worry about; you can cancel the trial, no problem at all.
(Also note: I do have a special Luminar discount code that I only give out to my subscribers. And I’ve included it in the last section of this eBook. So make sure you read to the end–that way, you can grab Luminar for a special low price!)
And now…
Six reasons why Luminar should be your next photo editor.
1. It’s an All-In-One Editor You Can Use For Everything
Luminar offers a lot of functionality.
It offers everything that beginners could ever need to start editing, but it also packs in enough tools to satisfy professionals.
In fact, you could choose to only work in Luminar, and you’d do just fine, thanks to its comprehensive set of features.
What sort of tools and capabilities am I talking about?
Well, Luminar packs in a full-fledged photo organizer. You can use it to keep your photos nice and neat while editing your images.
In other words:
With Luminar, you’ll never have to deal with annoying folders and subfolders on your desktop.
Luminar also offers a powerful photo editor. You can use it for all your basic edits–adjusting exposure, boosting saturation and contrast, etc.
But you can also use it for more advanced edits, such as HSL adjustments, dodging and burning, split toning, adding custom gradients and vignettes, adding sunrays (yes, there’s a tool for that!), and creating gorgeous, soft glow via the Orton Effect tool.
Oh, and did I mention that Luminar also includes layers and masking?
This makes it possible for you to selectively apply edits to parts of your image, while leaving other parts untouched. It also allows you to group your edits in particular sets, so you’re able to toggle on and off different editing effects.
Nice, right?
Bottom line:
Luminar offers the editing big three:
- Organization
- Workflow editing
- Layers and masking
Everything you need in a solo photo editing program.
(But, as I discuss later on in the eBook, you can also use Luminar to supplement your other editing software. More on that in a moment…)
2. Luminar Is Simple to Use (But Offers Professional-Level Power)
You can make your photos look insanely good with Luminar.
But what’s amazing is how simple everything is.
Simple enough that even an absolute photo-editing beginner can understand things.
That’s why I often recommend Luminar as the best photo editing software for beginners.
And for those who are already experienced as photo editors, it means that you’ll be able to catch on very, very fast.
Take a look at this interface:
It looks easy, right? There aren’t many buttons. There’s not a whole lot to click on.
That’s what Luminar is like all the time.
You have two main modes to work with:
The Library mode, for photo organization.
And the Edit mode, for editing.
Within the modes, everything is simple, well-organized, and intuitive.
It’s also very sleek; Luminar looks and feels modern, like a photo editor from the future.
But I want to stress something:
Just because Luminar is simple doesn’t mean that it lacks in power. You can create stunning photos with Luminar, no doubt about it.
It’s just quick and easy in Luminar, compared to other photo editing software like Lightroom and Photoshop.
3. Luminar Is Cheap and Subscription-Free
These days, the biggest photo editing programs out there–Lightroom and Photoshop–are offered on a subscription-only basis.
If you want to use these programs, you pay $10+ USD every single month, forever. Which is $120+ USD per year, and $600+ USD every five years.
It starts to add up.
On the other hand, you can purchase Luminar for a one-time payment, and it’s very reasonable:
$89 USD.
Less than the cost of a year’s worth of Lightroom.
Now, Skylum does release new versions of Luminar every so often. And you will have to pay to move from, say, Luminar 3 to Luminar 4. But Skylum offers discounted prices for photographers seeking to upgrade, so you still end up paying less than a Lightroom subscription.
By the way…
Do you want a checklist that gives you a step-by-step workflow for gorgeous edits in Luminar?
Completely free?
To gain instant access, just click here:
4. Luminar Works as a Lightroom Plugin (Though It’s Also a Standalone Editor)
If you already use a program such as Lightroom, you may be wondering:
Is it really worth it to add on a second photo editor? Do I really want to spend time going back and forth between Lightroom and Luminar?
Fortunately, you don’t have to.
Because Skylum now offers a plugin called Luminar Flex, which allows you to use Luminar as a Lightroom, Photoshop, and Photoshop Elements plugin.
Best of all:
It comes with Luminar, so you don’t have to choose between the standalone program or the plugin. You can try out Luminar, and you prefer to work within the Luminar Flex plugin, you can start using that, too.
Of course, you’re always free to just stick with the standalone Luminar program and never bother with the plugin. But Luminar Flex does allow you to combine your favorite parts of different programs.
For instance, while Luminar offers photo organization capabilities that are sufficient for most, the options aren’t as comprehensive as Lightroom.
Plus, if you’ve already have your photos in Lightroom, you may not want to bring them over.
So you can organize your photos in Lightroom, then use the Luminar Flex plugin for editing.
Useful, right?
5. You Can Use Luminar Looks for One-Click Edits to Make Your Photos Look Amazing, Fast
Luminar Looks are one of Luminar’s absolute best features. I’m a huge fan, simply because they allow you to enhance your images in about two seconds flat, plus they just make photos look really, really good.
So what actually are Luminar Looks?
Looks are Luminar’s version of presets. Select a Look, and it’ll take your photo from this:
To this:
Or this:
What makes Luminar’s Looks stand apart is how gorgeous and well-crafted they are. You can use them as a starting point for your image, or as a way to add finishing touches, or even as the only editing you apply to your photo, and things will pretty much always turn out looking great.
You also get a huge number of Looks just built into Luminar.
Plus, if you love Luminar Looks, you can always make your own, or you can purchase Looks from other Luminar-using photographers.
(Some incredible professional photographers offer Luminar Look packs for cheap. If you’re not sure where to start, I recommend checking out Trey Ratcliffe’s Look collections. They’re guaranteed to make your jaw drop!)
Basically, Looks are amazing. Personally, I think that they’re worth the price of Luminar, all on their own!
6. The Artificial Intelligence Edits are Outstanding
If you know me and my work, you know I often like to save the best for last.
Which is I’ve left this Luminar feature set until the very end:
The AI editing.
You see, Luminar isn’t just a normal photo editor. It has all the normal photo-editing stuff, but it also offers artificial intelligence tools that will make your jaw drop.
These are mostly effect-based features, which allow you to:
- Swap skies with two clicks
- Add realistic sunrays to your photos
- Add fog to your photos
- Adjust your skies to include moons and planets and other amazing features
They really are quite incredible, and pretty much everyone I know is so impressed by them.
I mean, you can use the sky replacement tool to go from this:
To this:
To this:
To this:
(In about five seconds flat.)
You can also load in skies of your own, so that you can combine a favorite sky photo with a favorite landscape photo and get something even more outstanding.
Now, it’s worth noting that these AI tools aren’t perfect. The sky replacement tool doesn’t always give you perfect result–but when it works, you will be so pleased.
Bottom line:
Skylum’s AI tools are an incredible way to produce effects that would’ve taken you hours upon hours of work in Photoshop (even if you’re already a Photoshop expert).
Plus, they allow you to experiment with effects that you might not have even considered using otherwise!
Why Luminar Should Be Your Next Photo Editor: Final Words
Now that you’ve finished this eBook, you know all about Luminar–and why it’s such an incredible photo editing program.
Luminar is great for everyone, from beginners to advanced editors to professionals.
It doesn’t matter if you already use Lightroom or if you’ve never used a photo editor before.
With Luminar, the sky is the limit.
(And with Luminar’s incredible Sky Replacement tool, maybe not even that!)
Now, you’d normally be able to purchase Skylum’s Luminar 4 for just $89.
Which really is a bargain.
But I talked to the people behind Luminar. I asked them if I could have a special discount for my subscribers.
And they delivered!
So, as long as you enter the code “JAYMES” into the coupon box, you’ll get an extra $10 off your purchase.
How does that sound?
So click here, and be sure to enter the code “JAYMES”:
Yes! I want to buy Luminar for an extra $10 off!
But don’t stop there!
If you’re looking to keep take your photo editing to new heights, I recommend you sign up for my email list, where I send all sorts Luminar tips, tricks, and secrets that I don’t share on my blog.
I’ll also send you my Luminar workflow checklist, free of charge:
The 7-Step Luminar Workflow to Create Stunning Photos
Just enter your email below:
Then check your inbox!
2 Comments
Richard M Bash
Jaymes Dempsey