Luminar Neo: Is It the Right Photo Editor for You?

For years Lightroom has been my main photo editor, with Photoshop on hand for more specialised work. Lightroom and Photoshop are still widely seen as the leading professional tools, but the subscription cost has crept up, with the Photography plan now close to £20 a month on an annual contract, and Lightroom on its own not far behind.

Recently Skylum approached me to look at their editor, Luminar Neo, so I installed the free trial to see how it compared. They also invited me to become an ambassador, which I turned down because it required a level of access to personal data I was not comfortable with. Instead, I bought Neo outright for about £65 as a one‑off purchase, and this blog shares my honest early impressions now that I have lived with it for a while.

What is Luminar Neo? 

Luminar Neo is a standalone photo editor that you buy outright, rather than renting on a monthly subscription. It is clearly pitched at enthusiast and hobbyist photographers who want to improve their images quickly, without needing the depth and complexity of a full‑blown professional suite. The whole experience is built around an AI‑driven, “looks first” approach. Instead of starting with a blank panel of sliders as you might in Lightroom or a stack of detailed tools in Photoshop, Neo encourages you to begin with a preset and AI‑powered adjustments, then refine from there. That shift in emphasis makes it feel more approachable if you are newer to editing, or you simply prefer to spend more time shooting than working through panels of manual controls. 

How I Tested Luminar Neo 

To get a fair sense of where Luminar Neo sits in a real‑world workflow, I used it both as a standalone editor and as a plugin option within Lightroom. For several recent landscape shoots I created two versions of the same images: one edited in my usual way in Lightroom, and another processed in Neo. I then compared the finished files side by side and decided which interpretation I preferred. More often than not, I found myself favouring the Neo‑edited versions, particularly for the way it handled contrast, colour and atmosphere. That said, I did have to rein in some of the effects, as a few results strayed into “over‑edited” territory for my own taste and style. Although I made use of some of Neo’s AI tools, I deliberately avoided the more extreme one‑click options such as sky replacement, which, for me, cross the line into altering the scene rather than interpreting it. Below I have included a selection of side‑by‑side examples, showing my Lightroom edit (left) alongside the Neo version (right) so you can see the differences for yourself.

Strengths of Luminar Neo for Landscape Photography

For landscape work, Luminar Neo’s biggest strength is how quickly it can deliver a pleasing result. Starting with the built in Presets or Enhance AI feature gives you an instant, polished version of an image, which is ideal when you want to get from flat raw image to something presentable in just a few seconds rather than working through a dozen panels.

When you do want more control, there are a few tools that are well worth digging into. The Develop tool allows you to change the core basics – exposure, highlights and shadows and so on – and is a good place to refine the overall look and feel. The Landscape tools, especially Dehaze and Golden Hour, can quickly add depth, clarity and warmth to scenes that looked a bit washed out straight out of camera, without needing complex masking. Light Depth can also be very effective for shaping the sense of depth in a scene, nudging the viewer’s eye into the frame by subtly brightening or darkening different planes of the landscape. Below is a screenshot of the basic Neo panel, with the editing tools on the right hand side.

Luminar Neo main editor window

Where Luminar Neo Falls Short

Although Luminar Neo has impressed me, I’ve concluded that it is not a complete replacement for a full professional editing suite. The most obvious weakness so far has been in the removal tools, which feel a long way behind what is possible in Lightroom and Photoshop. They are perfectly adequate for simple jobs like dust spots but quickly fall apart when you ask them to handle more complex distractions.

Other professionals have also highlighted limitations in Neo’s library and file‑management tools, which lack the depth, reliability and search power of Lightroom’s cataloguing system. Batch processing, detailed local adjustments and masking are also areas where Neo tends to lag behind the more mature Adobe tools. Taken together, these gaps mean that, while Neo is a strong addition to my toolbox – it is not going to replace Lightroom and Photoshop in my professional workflow any time. soon.

So, Could Luminar Neo be the Right Photo Editor for You?

For beginners and improving photographers, Luminar Neo has a lot going for it. The interface feels far less intimidating than Lightroom or Photoshop, with ready‑made looks, templates and simple sliders that invite you to experiment rather than worry about the “right” technical settings. Instead of starting with a blank panel of controls, you can begin with an AI‑powered preset that gets you 80% of the way there, then nudge things towards your own style as your confidence grows.

Neo works best as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, a full Adobe workflow. Lightroom and Photoshop still win when it comes to depth of control, complex local adjustments and heavy‑duty professional work, but they come with a steeper learning curve and an ongoing subscription cost. Neo, by contrast, is a one‑off purchase – typically as low as £65 if you shop around for discounts via Skylum’s own promotions or reputable photography deal sites – which makes it an appealing way to take a clear step up from basic free editing software tools without committing to a monthly bill. Over time there is plenty of scope to refine your use of the tools and develop a more individual editing style, should you later decide to “graduate” to something like Lightroom or Photoshop.

In terms of who it suits, Neo feels ideal for a few clear groups. It is a great option for beginners who want their photos to look more polished, without spending hours learning complex software. Improving landscape photographers can also benefit from its strong one‑click starting points and powerful atmosphere‑building tools, especially if they are happy to do some light refinement rather than deep retouching.

Want some help improving your photography skills?

Don't forget that if you want some direct help with your photography, I offer a range of 1-2-1 photography courses for Devon based folks. If you're not nearby then I also  offer residential workshops for beginner photographers or improving photographers.

About Gary Holpin Photography

As a professional photographer based in Devon, my journey began along the stunning South West Coast Path. Disappointed with my initial attempts to capture its beauty, I embarked on a second 630-mile journey, this time dedicated to mastering photography. Today, I'm a nationally acclaimed photographer with award-winning landscape photos.

I specialize in providing top-notch property photography, business photography, and drone photography services to businesses across the South West. Additionally, I offer comprehensive photography training courses tailored for both businesses and individuals. Whether you're looking to enhance your corporate image or improve your personal photography skills, my training programs are designed to help you capture stunning images.

As an award-winning and widely published photographer, I frequently share my passion for photography and Devon through engaging talks at local camera clubs and community groups. My expertise spans the entire South West region, ensuring that clients from Devon, Dorset & Somerset benefit from high-quality photography services and training.