Luminar Neo, the newest creative image editor from Skylum, has a variety of tools that can help improve your photos. One of the most powerful features in Luminar Neo is the ability to use a tool multiple times. It enables you to create stronger effects, or produce local adjustments, at different levels, for varying parts of a photograph.

StructureAI, two ways

Edits Tab in Luminar Neo

This photo has already had several global adjustments, meaning the effects have been applied to every pixel in the photograph. You can view the tools you’ve used in Luminar Neo by clicking on the Edits tab. To complete this photo, there are a couple of enhancements I’d like to add using the StructureAI tool.

  1. Add additional mid-tone contrast and clarity in the foreground on the shipwreck and rocks
  2. Reduce the detail and clarity in the water closer to the horizon.

Using two instances of the StructureAI tool, along with a tool mask to affect specific areas, makes this possible.

StructureAI on the rocks

To add a tool, switch to the Tools tab in Luminar Neo. Select StructureAI and increase the Amount and Boost sliders, paying attention to the rocks and shipwreck in the foreground.

By default, the effect is applied everywhere in the photo. To restrict the added detail to the foreground, click the Tool Mask, and paint the effect over the rocks and shipwreck.  

The Tools Tab in Luminar Neo with StructureAI and a Tool Mask

Switch to the Edits tab. StructureAI has been added to the list of tools used. If you need to modify any previous adjustments, click on it in the Edits tab, and make any necessary changes.

Luminar Neo Edits tab with first instance of StructureAI added

StructureAI on the water

Once again we’ll switch to the Tools tab in Luminar Neo, and click on the StructureAI tool which has been reset and is ready to use again.

Luminar Neo Tools Tab with a new instance of StructureAI

This time we’ll use negative structure to soften the details in the water. Decrease the Amount slider in StructureAI, and pay attention to the texture of the water closer to the horizon.

The effect, by default, is applied to the entire photo. To soften the water, click on the Tool Mask, and paint the effect over the ocean.

Luminar Neo with StructureAI tool mask applied

If we switch back to the Edits tab, we see that there are now two instances of the StructureAI tool.

Luminar Neo Edits tab with StructureAI added twice

Using a Luminar Neo Tool, multiple times

In this example, we used StructureAI to show you can use a tool several times in Luminar Neo to affect different areas of a photograph. You can also use a tool multiple times to create an even stronger effect. The possibilities are endless in how you can use Luminar Neo’s tools, multiple times to make your images amazing.