In the saturated landscape of photo editing software, one name has shaken up the status quo in recent years: Luminar Neo. Published by the Ukrainian company Skylum, this software made a bold bet: to replace complex settings with an artificial intelligence (AI) capable of “understanding” the image.
From its modest beginnings as Macphun to the revolution of Luminar Neo, dive into the history of a company that wants to allow everyone, beginner or expert, to create the photo they imagined in a single click.
From Macphun to Skylum: A Story of Passion
The adventure began in 2009. Paul Muzok and Dmitry Sytnik, two friends passionate about computer science and photography, founded Macphun Software. At the time, they developed various applications for iPhone and Mac, still looking for their path.
The Photography Turning Point
Over the years, their shared passion for images took over. They decided to focus all their energy on creating intuitive photo tools.
- 2016: Launch of the first version of Luminar. It was an immediate success on Mac.
- 2017: The company opened up to the Windows world and changed its name to Skylum, marking its international ambition.
- Innovation DNA: Unlike established giants that evolve slowly, Skylum bets on speed and technological disruption, not hesitating to completely reinvent its software with each major version.
The Artificial Intelligence Revolution
What sets Luminar Neo apart from its competitors (like Photoshop or Lightroom) is its massive use of AI to automate tedious tasks. Skylum doesn’t want you to spend hours cutting out a subject or creating complex masks.
The Era of "AI Tools"
Starting with Luminar 4 (2019) and especially with Luminar AI (2020), the software introduced features that seemed magical at the time:
- Sky AI: This is Luminar’s signature feature. In one click, the software detects the sky, replaces it with a spectacular sunset or starry night, and relights the entire scene so the colors match perfectly. It even handles reflections in water.
- Structure AI: Instead of adding sharpness everywhere (which damages faces), this tool identifies objects (buildings, rocks) to reinforce details only where necessary.
- Portrait AI: Whitening teeth, smoothing skin, enlarging eyes, or removing dark circles is done via simple sliders, without ever having to manually select the face.
Luminar Neo: Modular Maturity
In 2022, Skylum launched Luminar Neo, the most advanced version to date. It synthesizes years of research and responds to user criticism by reintroducing layer management, which had disappeared in the previous version.
A Modular Architecture
Luminar Neo is designed to evolve. Rather than waiting for a big annual update, the user can add Extensions according to their specific needs:
- Noiseless AI: To intelligently reduce digital noise.
HDR Merge: To merge multiple exposures. - Focus Stacking: For macro photography enthusiasts who want perfect sharpness from foreground to background.
- Background Removal AI: To remove a portrait’s background in a split second.
This “à la carte” approach allows for lightweight software that only gets heavier with the tools you actually need.
Democratizing Photo Editing
Skylum’s mission is clear: to make editing accessible to everyone. Where Photoshop requires a steep learning curve, Luminar offers a clean interface and immediate results.
- Attractive Price: With its licensing model (often perpetual or flexible subscription), it is a serious economic alternative.
- Flexibility: Luminar can be used as standalone software or as a plugin for Photoshop or Lightroom, thus integrating into existing professional workflows.
Better Organization for Better Creativity with Peakto
Luminar Neo excels in the creative transformation of the image, but its library management (the catalog) remains basic compared to dedicated software. Moreover, Luminar users often have scattered photos: some edited in Luminar, others in a folder, and others in Apple Photos. This is where Peakto (by Cyme) becomes the indispensable partner.
The Alliance of Creativity and Order
Peakto acts as a central hub for your images:
- Unified View: Peakto gathers your Luminar Neo catalogs and image folders without moving them. You have an overview of your entire digital life.
- AI Search: Instantly find a photo edited in Luminar Neo two years ago by simply typing “Mountain sunset” into Peakto.
- Version Management: Peakto understands edited files. It allows you to easily navigate between your original RAW and the version sublimated by Luminar’s AI.
By combining the creative power of Luminar Neo with the organizational intelligence of Peakto, you free your mind from technical constraints to focus on the essential: the emotion of your images.
Editing Reinvented for the Modern Creator
From a small Ukrainian startup to a global leader in “intelligent editing,” Skylum has proven that it is possible to reinvent digital photography. With Luminar Neo, technique fades away in favor of artistic vision. It is the ideal tool for those who want spectacular results quickly, while keeping the freedom to tweak every detail.
