Luminar Neo: Beginner's Guide to LAYERS

[@habigscrapbooks]

I'm used to layers in Photoshop Elements but haven't had good luck with them on Neo. Thanks for this video. It helped to understand how to use it better. You are such a great teacher!

[@JimNix]

oh thanks so much, I appreciate that!

[@mauriceprokaziuk337]

Much thanks Jim. This explains a lot of why I wasn't using this tool properly. Now I'm off to go practice.

[@JimNix]

Awesome, have fun Maurice!

[@kiwi2xs]

nice clear intro to layers Jim, just a side note i was onto Neo support over the weekend, and they informed me that your catalogue should not be more than 7000 images (i had 20k+) and this was causing it to slow down and crash, so a good guide sometime would be working with various catalogues.

[@JimNix]

Thanks much and yes I had heard something around 7-10k images in a catalog as well. I think I have about that in my catalog right now but generally am not using it heavily. Thanks.

[@alangauld6079]

I have over 35k images in mine and don't see any obvious slow down. But it's something to look out for, thanks for mentioning it.

[@karelvanpelt9785]

Allthough I am working in On1 since some time, I did appreciate watching your video again (like always!) because it reminds me in a very clear way of the principles of working with (over)layers and I am looking forward to the next lessons! Thank you Jim.

[@JimNix]

thanks so much Karel!

[@leonfisher]

Nicely explained.

[@JimNix]

Thank you Leon.

[@RonaldBrown59]

I remember it took me awhile to get my head around layers when Photoshop added them back in the day. Good job of explaining it in layman's terms. Thanks for sharing Jim.

[@JimNix]

thanks much Ron, I appreciate it!

[@tessadagnely2201]

Thank you, Jim, for this very clear explanation about working with layers. I’m just beginning with it in Luminar Neo and in ON1.

[@JimNix]

glad it helps and thanks for watching!

[@tonybozza9862]

Great video on layers Jim. One layers activity I find quite fun is taking several photos of oneself in a room using a tripod. Then layering the photos so it looks like several copies of oneself in the room. Would that be a worthwhile video ?

[@JimNix]

haha those are funny shots, I can look into it, thanks

[@RalphQuick]

Jim, you have quickly accelerated my raw editing skills in Neo since I started following you 2 years ago. I love your HRD hack techniqe as a transparent layer to bring out more range. It is awesome.

[@JimNix]

thanks for following along Ralph, I appreciate that!

[@charlesmargrave6320]

I have On1 photo raw which I had decided was to be my main dig dark room app but the watching Neo tutorials I am torn over which to use as my main work app. Of course, On1 has the best photo organizing experience which I would use as main cataloging of images. But in future updates do I favor On1 or NEO. Great to have the choices but need to concentrate in mastering one or the other. Great to have problems like this, YES?

[@JimNix]

Yes those are good problems to have. And I agree that it's good to concentrate on one at a time to really learn it. I find Luminar to be quicker and easier to get going with, but both are amazing products and I love them both. Thanks Charles.

[@rickmasters418]

Jim this was an amazing video explaining each area of Luminar Neo. It was easy to follow & well laid out. I to have purchased like another individual ON1 software. After you have explain this software I’m going to purchase and follow you thru your videos and get to understand the software with your help in future video releases. Thanks so much

[@JimNix]

Ok great thanks Rick and glad this helps!

[@gadget_Bob]

Great concise video, Jim. I haven't seen this used a lot for real estate interior photos but wouldn't this be a good tool to use for window pulls where you would use one layer for the interior exposure and one layer with the better exterior exposure and just paint in the windows wirh the exterior exposures?

[@JimNix]

thanks and yes absolutely RE with a window pull is a perfect use for layers

[@sonkieu6889]

Great video. So clear and wonderful explanation. You really have an outstanding pedagogical skill. Thank you so much for your guiding. ❤

[@JimNix]

thanks so much, I appreciate that!

[@AffordablePhotography]

When working with Layers in PhotoShop, I believe that each layer needed to be the same dimensions and resolution. Is that also true when using Layers in Neo? Thanks

[@JimNix]

Yes they need to match up, but you can adjust a layer's size to fit the one below it, etc. That's the Fill/Stretch option I demo in this video. thanks

[@SergNikiforovGordeev]

Thank you very much, Master! Tell me, can we only change the top layer in size, rotate and change the proportion? Are we not smearing a part of it, cutting it off, freely framing it, like a photo? I'm talking about crop.

[@jimlapiana5293]

excellent Jim for simplifying....can you also do one in the future, for On 1.....appreciate!

[@JimNix]

thanks Jim and I can look into doing that

[@AffordablePhotography]

I'm thinking of maybe buying a Nikon Zf camera. It has "pixel shift" and produces .nefx RAW files. Do you know if Neo can work with .nefx RAW files?

[@JimNix]

Sorry but I do not know. You can email their support team for their input, as they will know. Thanks.

[@Niftydad]

Fantastic explanation. Thank you

[@JimNix]

thanks for watching!

[@Teddy-ne3gd]

Very good explained, thank you a lot.

[@JimNix]

thanks for watching!

[@RRZ437]

it will be nice to see features like layer merge and layer group in luminar neo

[@JimNix]

Totally agree.

[@EElgar1857]

So, their concept of "layers" has nothing to do with the adjustment layers available in many photo programs?

[@JimNix]

Correct, these are not adjustment layers in that sense. You can add another copy of the same photo and adjust it or blend it with the base image (exposure blend) but you cannot add a new layer just for a preset, for example. I have begged them for this though so hopefully someday.

[@EElgar1857]

@@JimNix Thanks! It's okay, as I use Affinity Photo also, and it has more adjustment features than I'll ever use, or even figure out! 🤐

[@JimNix]

@@EElgar1857 ha true there is a lot to explore in Affinity!

[@SergNikiforovGordeev]

Master, one more question! Is it possible to rename downloaded presets? And how to delete unnecessary ones? I do not find such an opportunity.

[@paulcritchley464]

Very interesting Jim Ive got Luminar neo had for awhile Been trying to get it write in camera I had VectorWorks drawing program which worked in layer that was easy to use That was easy to use as I could visualise how I’m structureing what I’m doing So I’m struggling with Luminar Neo, can’t visualise what I’m doing Thanks for all your hardwork Cheers have a great day

[@JimNix]

Ok thanks Paul and I am not familiar with VectorWorks but hopefully this video helps you get started on layers in Luminar. It's generally easy once you start playing around a bit. thanks

[@PaulCritchley-u2g]

@@JimNixHi again Jim been trying to download an update for luminar neo And had no luck We’re on copper cable not fibre That’s my excuse Cheers have a great day

[@JimNix]

@@PaulCritchley-u2g oh gosh sorry

[@keithdraycott]

Nice - I'm about to switch from the Evil Adobe Empire. Is there an option to add a transparent layer in Neo?

[@JimNix]

Yes you can add a transparent png file as a layer.

[@kjellhmyhre2374]

Very useful, thank you!

[@JimNix]

thanks for watching!

[@maurosegurah]

Awesome!

[@JimNix]

thank you!

[@kathitremblay9736]

Really enjoy your videos. Interested to hear your thoughts about watermarking with layers. I have found that when I add my watermark and then shrink it down to an appropriate size, it degrades and gets very pixelated. I have tried to troubleshoot this with the Luminar folks, to no avail. I have found that if I export an edited image, then bring it back into Neo, then upscale it before adding my watermark, it helps tremendously, but the workflow is terrible. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

[@JimNix]

Hmm, I am not sure, as I don't use watermarks. Are you saying the watermark gets pixelated, or the entire image?

[@kathitremblay9736]

@@JimNix Just the watermark.

[@JimNix]

@@kathitremblay9736 hmm that sounds weird but sorry I have no idea how to help with that

[@thematt586]

Onions have layers

[@JimNix]

You're so wrapped up in your layers onion boy

[@thematt586]

You know what else has layers? parfait. Everyone loves parfait.

[@JimNix]

@@thematt586 🤣now I'm hungry

[@JimNix]

@@thematt586 I've been singing "Welcome to Du Lac" for a while now!