Aperty - First Thoughts About The New Portrait Editing Software

In this exclusive first look at Aperty, the latest portrait editing software from Skylum, I explore how this tool can transform your editing workflow as a professional portrait or wedding photographer. With over 35 years of experience in portrait photography and editing, I dive into Aperty's advanced AI-powered features, including automated blemish removal, skin smoothing, and batch editing, that are designed to save you hours of editing time.
🔥 Buy Aperty
👉 bit.ly/BuyAperty
If you're using Photoshop or Lightroom for your portrait editing and need to speed up your workflow, Aperty could be a game-changer.
In this video, you'll get a full breakdown of the software’s capabilities, see live editing demos, and hear my first impressions. Plus, I answer some frequently asked questions, including what’s missing from Aperty that portrait photographers might still need. Stick around to the end for my honest thoughts on whether Aperty is right for you, and learn how it compares to other portrait editing software like Luminar Neo.
Key Takeaways:
✔️ AI-powered tools for effortless portrait retouching, including blemish removal, skin smoothing, and facial reshaping.
✔️ Designed for professional portrait photographers, Aperty saves time with batch editing and one-click presets.
✔️ Plugin support for Photoshop and Lightroom makes Aperty easy to integrate into your existing workflow.
✔️ Features like eye enhancement, makeup tools, and contour adjustments make portrait retouching simple and efficient.
✔️ I discuss what’s missing from Aperty, such as more detailed masking options and advanced jawline reshaping tools.
✔️ Early access to Aperty is available for select users, with a full release coming soon.
✔️ FAQs answered: Why wasn’t this built into Luminar Neo? How does Aperty compare to other portrait editing apps?
Check out the video for all the details, and be sure to subscribe for future tutorials as we dive deeper into Aperty’s full capabilities. If you’re ready to streamline your portrait editing, this might just be the tool for you!
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●▬▬ Articles Mentioned
📷 Luminar Neo Review
My review of Luminar Neo
➜ www.digitalpho...
I recently spent a few weeks test-driving several photo editing software. My extensive review of them can be found here:
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See which editor turned out to be the best in my opinion.
📷 PHOTOSHOP TUTORIALS
See more Photoshop tutorials on my website:
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Learn more about photo editing
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📷 FREE PHOTOGRAPHY COURSES
Expand your photography knowledge by enrolling in one of our free courses:
Photography Basics for Beginners:
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Portrait Photography Key Concepts Course:
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Darlene Hildebrandt is a Skylum Software Ambassador:
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Affiliate Disclosure:
Digital Photo Mentor may be an affiliate for products that we recommend. If you purchase those items through these links, Digital Photo Mentor will earn a commission. All efforts are made to ensure that affiliate links are disclosed in accordance with the FTC. I am an Amazon associate. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. You will not pay more when buying a product through these links.
#Aperty #portraitediting #portraitphotography

[@raylynch8419]

Another great video Darlene. Thanks for sharing.

[@DigitalPhotoMentor]

You are so welcome

[@DigitalPhotoMentor]

For anyone who asked about which cameras Aperty will support, here is the answer. I checked with the team. The camera support will be the same as that of Luminar Neo.

[@djr3386]

Thanks for your clear and concise review.

[@DigitalPhotoMentor]

My pleasure!

[@kym-bid-bidstrup3623]

Outstanding detailed review. Really appreciated. Thank you.

[@DigitalPhotoMentor]

My pleasure!

[@CW-yg7qm]

Aperty seems like a smaller package of Evoto. Would be nice to have an app that does all.

[@DigitalPhotoMentor]

I haven't tried Evoto yet, will do a full comparison once the full version is released

[@mickeystine3100]

Cool program 👍👍

[@DigitalPhotoMentor]

Thanks did you pre-order Aperty? Is that something you'd use?

[@mickeystine3100]

@@DigitalPhotoMentor maybe I'd use it. One thing though wife said it's a form of cheating photographing women

[@DarleneHildebrandt]

@@mickeystine3100 cheating? LOL how so? The issue is that current lenses and digital technology are actually so much sharper than film back in the day that we can capture more detail and texture than ever - more than you'd see with the naked eye. So some of the smoothing and softening is just countering that. But to each their own and if she wants natural, do that for her photos.

[@KrunchyJD]

I would like to see dodge and burn added as well as more body edits then just thin/ thick. Also it really should edit neck.

[@DigitalPhotoMentor]

I agree

[@KrunchyJD]

​@@DigitalPhotoMentor So far it's very overrated, I purchased it with a perpetual licence. Would not recommend subscription. It's a disappointment so far. Hope updates improve it.

[@DJJDBass]

Can you export the files as Raw? Just trying to figure out workflow… between it and LR, PS or Luminar Neo .. currently I open everything in LR and after a basic edit I open them up in PS ad a smart object and edit from there… Luminar Neo it typically used as my last step being used as a pluggin. I use stamped visible layers and smart objects a lot to keep the image in raw format.. thoughts?

[@DigitalPhotoMentor]

Not sure didn't try that but likely not. But you can use it same as Neo as a PS plugin.

[@DJJDBass]

Hi there your video says if you purchased the lifetime software it will be available October 31st is that still correct and if so where can I get the software download?

[@DigitalPhotoMentor]

If you pre-ordered it early it may have been delivered today. Check your email. Everyone else November 7th

[@phatape]

i got mine

[@DigitalPhotoMentor]

@@phatape good to know thanks - so what do you think so far?

[@acneubauer]

I remember that you had problems with the beta version , that there were some white blocks appearing in the photo, was that with Neo or with Aperty ? Because I just updated Neo to 1.21.2 . And am I the only one who has still white blocks my photo in the preview window? Sometimes they go sometimes they stay. Sometimes it's okay in the preview of catalogue but not in the preview of edit. And the white block is always visible in the film strip. When I export it the photos, okay.

[@DigitalPhotoMentor]

Yes it was Aperty but I had a Black box appear when I used certain tools. Now that it's been updated that issue is fixed. Doesn't happen anymore

[@bretteortiz]

Definitely need a mask refining tool for the AI sliders. In case the highlights contour feature does well on the cheeks but the nose is way "over cooked," as an example. And having it work as a plugin for LUMINAR NEO would be game changing seeing how Aperty is just starting and is still lacking in the features department. (As all new programs are.) I'd love to start an edit in aperty and finish with my favorite slider in Neo, mystical, without exporting and importing. All of my other wishes, you already covered. 😂This was by far the best in depth and HONEST review that I've seen and not just hyping it up. Bravo Ms. Darlene. 🎉 And thanks for being our voice to the design team. High fives from Oklahoma. 🖐🏼

[@DigitalPhotoMentor]

Thanks so much. I always try to be as honest as possible. I see a lot of potential in Aperty but it also needs several things to be a complete tool

[@KrunchyJD]

There still is no body skin smoothing, or blemish removal, you cant de select photos and add more andvits slow, despite the fact i have a Ryzen 3950 with 64 gig ram and a NVIDIA gtx 4070ti graphics card..

[@DigitalPhotoMentor]

Mac or windows? Report it to Skylum

[@simonchilds2928]

Watching your video review, I couldn't help but notice the issue of texture loss. While batch processing might efficiently tackle facial blemishes, it completely overlooks the neck and other areas of the skin. This creates a bit of a paradox-you're saving time on one part of the image, but then having to manually correct untouched areas, which defeats the whole purpose of batch editing in the first place. It strikes me that there is a stark variation in quality of automatic editing depending on the image. Frankly, I feel that there are better more economical solutions on the market that allow you to make more individual changes and still batch process like Portrait Pro - Its always worth doing the research to find what works for you. To me this feels like an underdeveloped software project that Skylum is looking for its customers to foot the bill for. This begs the question - why would any self respecting portrait professional consider paying over the odds only to have to wait years for it to come into line with the current competition? Answers on a Postcard please :-)

[@DigitalPhotoMentor]

No postcard, just a reply. Well I'm gonna try and compare it with Portrait Pro and others. Time will tell I guess

[@simonchilds2928]

@@DigitalPhotoMentor - Hey Darlene, I completely agree - Thank you for another excellent review 🙂

[@DarleneHildebrandt]

@@simonchilds2928 No worries thanks for watching, please share it too! THanks

[@hazard3020]

Expensive at €25/month for the subscription from November unfortunately !!! I'm scared to say this...but i might go Portrait Pro AND Adobe and still save $$$$

[@DigitalPhotoMentor]

So if you purchase it now you will pay $199 for 2 years, that's only $8.29/month (€7.42) and Portrait Pro top level product isn't that inexpensive either it's about $200 and you likely have to upgrade that annually to get all the new stuff they add.

[@hazard3020]

@DigitalPhotoMentor no Aperty is $254.99 ish currently per license (allowed to be installed on 2 devices.) Not that i actually have $254 available as I'm a Senior ! 🙈 Maybe they will cut the subscription price by 50% when reducing the number of allowed installs to equal 1, minimising costs for Customers. Hopefully they will as a) there is no Android App so folks perhaps WON'T be making use of 2 installations unless they are wealthy and have a Server Farm in the basement b) Software looks interesting and some great features - thanks for your excellent comments and updates yet again. c) I do appreciate features will be added over time. But so will Adobe and On1 and DXO etc etc..

[@hazard3020]

Portrait Pro is $80 for the version with RAW support and batch edits. As opposed to the basic jpg only option ($60) or the upper option. Adobe Subscription is $99\year for Lightroom AND Photoshop AND Cloud Storage (20gb lowest level)

[@DigitalPhotoMentor]

@@hazard3020 Well no this is a product for professional photographers who need to installs or more. If you're a senior and you're retired you likely will do fine with Luminar Neo and you don't need this one

[@hazard3020]

@DigitalPhotoMentor i DO think its worth paying £9/month on Subscription. Per month, 31days in advance, each Month by Calendar Month, as required. And automatically cancelled if not. But not a "2+ years in advance Payment" which might not be illegal but is borderline illegal for something that doesn't exist. Hey you could just imagine if The Federal Government started charging folks Battery Charging Costs 2 years in advance...

[@marcdeckard7064]

Subscription only! Count me out.

[@DigitalPhotoMentor]

Not if you buy it now. Last chance to get lifetime license. But you do get that many other portrait editors are subscription right? Evoto and retouch4me use credits so you will pay even more

[@AXNJXN1]

Thank you for sharing the notes on this. I now know I'll not be buying this. Nothing but a complete sneak cash-grab from Luminar. No reason they couldn't have added these coding parameters to Neo. Strictly a way to grab more cash. Think of it this way; they 'know' their current algorithms are succinctly inferior for facial editing and decided to build a one-off product. It makes marking sense, but leaves Neo customers screwed to have to pay even MORE to get these skill sets that Photoshop already has. The scope of Luminar from it's early inception was to be powerful, and affordable. They're quickly sliding away from this context and vision.

[@DigitalPhotoMentor]

I agree in part. But I'm also not a software engineer so I have no idea what's possible. As for making Luminar users pay more, this isn't for everyone as I said in the video. This is for high level portrait photographers. I'd go out on a limb and guess that the vast majority of Luminar Neo users are not into portraiture.

[@AXNJXN1]

@@DigitalPhotoMentor Keep up your great work. Enjoy viewing your channel edits.

[@DigitalPhotoMentor]

@@AXNJXN1 thank you so much