Luminar NEO: How to use the Matte Tool

luminar neo Nov 30, 2022

The Matte tool is a great way to create the everlasting aged look that is popular among landscape and portrait photographers. Don't waste your time with complicated curves and use the Matte Tool's sliders to control the matte look by adjusting the overall effect and the amount of fade individually.

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What is the Matte Tool

The Matte tool can give your photos an aged look with flat colors and high contrast. It works well for both landscapes and portraits to change the emotion of your image.

Introducing the Matte Tool sliders

Standard Settings

Amount

This slider adjusts the overall strength of the matte effect.

Fade

This slider controls the loss of detail that happens in the darker areas of the image.

Contrast

This slider adjusts the relationship between the brighter and darker area of the image.

Color Toning

Range

This slider affects the portion of the image in which the color is shifted.

Hue

This slider selects the color that the image takes on.

Saturation

This slider can be used to affect the saturation of the matte effect.

Getting started with the Matte Tool

Matte tool, just like many creative tools in Luminar NEO, is generally used after the initial image development (in Luminar, Lightroom or Photoshop). Specifically with the Matte tool we suggest you to use it more towards the end of editing as it works well when used globally over the edits. Depending on the effect you require, you can also use the Masking tool to add this look locally on your image.

Matte Tool:

Open the image in Luminar NEO by using the Add Photos button (Cmd/Ctrl + O) in the Catalog module (L)
Move to Edit module (E).
Then, navigate to Matter tool in the Creative section of the editing toolbar (right side).
Open the tool by clicking on the down-arrow at the end of the tool
Move the Accent AI or Sky Enhancer AI slider towards the right until the desired effect is applied to your image

Matte Tool video tutorial

Watch the full video tutorial covering all sliders in this tool.

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