Over the past few months we’ve been paying far more attention to Luminar NEO as photographers are increasingly making the switch with from Lightroom or Photoshop. In fact, it was only a week ago that we ran a storing explaining what’s new in the recent NEO update 1.8.0.

Now one of our most trusted instructors says he just made the transition from Lightroom to NEO, and he explains why in the quick tutorial below. As he explains, “There are five reasons why Luminar NEO is better than Lightroom.”

Toma Bonciu is is a professional Romanian landscape and adventure photographer, and a very popular educator. So when he makes a bold claim like the one above, we stop and pay attention (and you should too). Every photographer has their own editing style, favorite software, and a workflow that works best for them, so keep that in mind while listening to Bonciu describe his preference for NEO.

Bonciu says “I was pleasantly surprised by the new version of Luminar NEO and in some ways I think it’s better than Lightroom because it offers functionalities that I’m used to having in Photoshop.” He also prefers the manner in which NEO’s various tools work.

The biggest advantage NEO has over Lightroom in Bonciu’s view is the ability to create a mask when using any tool. It is important to note, however, that once you create a mask and make adjustments, “NEO doesn’t let you go back and change the mask.”

Another reason for Bonciu’s preference over Lightroom has to do with how NEO organizes layers in a manner similar to Photoshop. He says that, “With this type of layering you have perfect control, and you know for sure that a modification can affect an entire image. Again, there’s a drawback that Bonciu’s is willing to overlook for the reasons he explains.

There are three more reasons for Bonciu’s claim that Luminar is better than Lightroom, and he explains each is a very clear, straightforward manner. So if you’re thinking about making the switch, you’ll want to watch this lesson from beginning to end.

There is much more to learn about shooting and editing outdoor photographs on Bonciu’s popular YouTube channel, so be sure to pay a visit.

And don’t miss the tutorial mentioned above, explaining what’s new in the recent Luminar Neo update version 1.8.0.

The shooting and editing tutorials we post typically come from long-time pros, because the vast knowledge they share is a great way to up your game. But every so often it pays to listen to accomplished amateurs who are still in touch with their formative years and what they learned along the way to improve their skills.

Waseh Ahmad is an evolving landscape and street photographer who is quickly refining his work, and today he presents “the top four skills I learned in my first year of photography.” Following his straightforward advice is a great way to shorten your learning curve.

Ahmad begins with this important note: “The last thing you want to do is spend hundreds or thousand of dollars on a trip, and end with bad photos because you weren’t prepared, conditions weren’t right, or you chose a poor destination.” So listen up, because you’ll learn straightforward tips for avoiding these pitfalls in barely 11 minutes.

Skill #1 is pretty obvious for experienced photographers, but for beginners not so much. Put simply, once you get out in field it’s important to make a mental shift and start observing the surroundings like a photographer, rather that how you look at the world when you’re a “normal person” going about your daily life at home.

By doing the above you’ll begin to notice key factors like effective compositions, areas within the frame with the best light, and distracting elements that might spoil an otherwise great shot. In other words, you have to wear a different hat when there’s a camera in your hand.

Another important skill that’s worth developing as soon as possible is what Ahmad calls “taking more keeper photos.” At first this sounds obvious until you understand what he means. In short, forgot about your camera’s burst mode, hoping that one shot in the sequence will be a winner. This involves slowing your roll, taking a more thoughtful approach, and shooting better rather than more images.

Tip #3 is one you may have heard before,. but it bears repeating, and that’s the simple fact that careful planning dramatically improves your odds of success. This involves more than choosing a picturesque destination and knowing the most favorite spots in the area.

You’ll also want to check weather conditions, what time of day offers optimum light, and understanding the type of subjects you’re likely to confront so you can bring the most appropriate gear. The fourth skill Ahmad describes is equally valuable if you want to make the most of your excursion.

After watching the video head over to Ahmad’s instructional YouTube channel where you’ll discover more helpful tips and tricks. And check out another basic tutorial we posted recently, with several helpful tips for beginning bird photographers.

For the past few weeks we’ve been bringing you installments of an ongoing free Lightroom Masterclass from the PHLOG Photography YouTube channel. The lessons cover everything the basics to more involved tasks, and we have a new one for you today.

The episode in the video below is Part 5 in the series, demonstrating the most effective way to sharpen photos and reduce noise. The goal of instructor Christian Mohrle is to make these adjustments in the proper sequence of your workflow and obtain natural looking results.

As with all Mohrle tutorials, we urge you download his example Raw file using the link in the description beneath the video so you follow along and make the adjustments yourself in real time. Mohrle explains why sharpening is usually the last thing he does.

The sharpening process begins in Lightroom’s Details panel that includes three different sections. One displays a preview image that can be adjusted for a specific portion of the shot, ideally one with clearly defined edges. Next is the sharpening section that provides several options, and finally there are the important noise reduction tools.

The lesson begins with sharpening and Mohrle walks you through the straightforward method he prefers. As you’ll see, is easy to change the amount, radius, details, and masking as you proceed. Mohrle suggests the best settings to use and explains how each of the sliders work to precisely regulate the adjustments you make.

Mohrle takes the same step-by-step approach to explaining noise reduction techniques. Here you’ll learn the basics of the process, as well as how Luminance Noise reduction and Color Noise reduction interact for a great final result

You can find earlier episode of this series on Mohrle’s YouTube channel, along with a wide variety of other tips and tricks.

We also suggest you watch a video tutorial we posted earlier, explaining how to use the powerful Color Calibration tool in Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw.

Here is my dilemma. Since discovering OpenAI’s DALL•E 2 image generator a few weeks ago, I’ve had good success and great fun creating images I’m truly proud of. No, it’s not photography, but it’s still pretty amazing. More importantly, however, it raises a fundamental question: Is it ethical to publish AI-assisted images instead of photos of living, flesh and blood models, even with clearly-worded disclaimers? Frankly, I’m torn by this predicament.

If you’re not familiar with OpenAI’s DALL•E 2, spend three minutes reading our review from Feb ’23. In a nutshell, DALL•E 2 uses AI to convert plain language text strings into realistic—and/or wildly implausible—images and art. DALL·E 2 generated the image you see above based on my written description of my daughter’s West Highland White Terrier. Plus a red hat. 

I’m not trying to fool anyone and neither is OpenAI. They make it very clear that DALL·E 2 must not be used for unethical, immoral or illegal purposes. They prohibit nudity and warn against infringing on the copyrights of others. DALL·E 2 renderings that appear on social media, news media and other vehicles of public consumption must include a clear disclosure that AI was used in the creation. Follow this link to read OpenAI’s Content Policy. 

Then what’s the worry?

Critics I admire and trust have suggested that recent advancements in AI (e.g., DALL·E 2) threaten traditional photography, music composition and other forms of art, as well as all forms of written creations. And despite the fact that I’ve used it recently in a manner that possibly encourages others to do likewise, I have to agree that there are grave potential dangers.

Every week, it seems, we read news about the abuse of AI by students, online romance site cheaters, scammers and others. And now criminals (I can’t call them “pranksters” because putting lives at risk is not a prank) are using AI-driven voice synthesizers to automate swatting calls. If you don’t know, “swatting” is the reprehensible and condemnable practice of placing totally fictious emergency calls that trigger police and other public safety personnel to be dispatched to a specific location en masse to deal with an in-progress crime that does not exist.

Using AI-assisted artwork to illustrate an article is not a hazard of the same magnitude, but it’s not entirely innocent, either. There are rumors that some AI applications anonymously plagiarize the works of others in whole or in part. We’re not referencing DALL·E 2 here, and we’ve never seen verifiable evidence that copyright infringements actually occur.

So am I experiencing angst or a guilty conscience? A little of both, I’m afraid. I would never—not even in my craziest dreams—use AI of any type to write words for me. That fact makes me question whether or not it’s acceptable to use AI to make pictures except for my personal and private entertainment.

I rationalize all of this by thinking that written words are sacrosanct because they come from inside my head 100%. My words are influenced and tinted by others’ words, but they still originate within me. I don’t even use a thesaurus and so far haven’t regretted it. Photos, on the other hand, are external. And better yet, AI-conjured images are formed by my words. Even Plato said that all art is thrice removed from reality (or something like that).

So, see? I can talk myself into almost anything using this kind of logic and paraphrasing a famous philosopher.

I’ve also more-or-less convinced myself that, “someday, everyone will be using AI for nearly everything that requires creativity.” This may or may not be true, but even if it’s totally accurate, that’s not a legitimate excuse for me to help make this happen sooner rather than later. And it doesn’t mean AI-supercharged creativity will ever be ethical even if it becomes widely practiced.

The harsh truth is that those AI images, pseudo photos and other ersatz art all came from somewhere, just like the ripped-off high school term papers, romance site profiles, bogus CVs and other abusive abominations of AI. I’m not willing to believe (perhaps incorrectly) that a few hundred lines of computer code can create a lifelike photo of the Golden Gate Bridge, a Siamese cat—or anything else.

So you see, I’m sort of stuck. I guess I should ask AI for a resolution. So I did. Here’s how ChatGPT, also from OpenAI, suggested as a resolution.

“DALL-E is an artificial intelligence model developed by OpenAI that can generate images from textual descriptions. The ethical use of DALL-E to create photos and publish them depends on several factors.

“Firstly, it is important to consider the source of the textual descriptions used to generate the images. If the descriptions are generated in a way that infringes on someone’s privacy, dignity, or rights, then using DALL-E to create images from those descriptions would be unethical.

“Secondly, the intended use of the generated images should be considered. If the images are used for commercial purposes without obtaining the necessary permissions or compensating the rightful owners, it could be considered unethical.

“Thirdly, it is important to consider the potential impact of the generated images on society. If the images are used to spread harmful or misleading information or to promote hate speech or discrimination, it would be unethical to create and publish them.

“In summary, the ethical use of DALL-E to create photos and publish them depends on various factors, including the source of the textual descriptions, the intended use of the images, and their potential impact on society. It is important to consider these factors and act responsibly to avoid any unethical behavior.”

Exactly what you would expect to hear from a machine, right?

But the second point hangs over my head like the sword of Damocles.  “If the images are used for commercial purposes without obtaining the necessary permissions or compensating the rightful owners, it could be considered unethical.”  Who are the rightful owners? Do they even exist? How could I possibly compensate an entity that I cannot identify? And is OpenAI intimating that the fruit of their algorithms requires any sort of “necessary permission?”

I do not enjoy conflict, but neither do I stringently avoid it. For now, I’ll set this controversy—and AI imagery—temporarily aside as far as Shutterbug is concerned and save it for the idle hours when I want a distraction that’s kind of like photography. Maybe someday soon digital cameras will have an AI mode that doesn’t require a subject.

What do YOU think? Please visit Shutterbug’s Facebook page and express your opinions. Have you tried AI imagery? What has been your experience? AI is an epoch-making phenomenon and we’d love to hear your opinion.

Disclaimer: As you’ve surely guessed, every image in this story was created with a big assist from DALL·E 2.

—Jon Sienkiewicz