How can I recreate Instagram’s Lux effect in Photoshop?
Asked 4/28/2013
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2 answers
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I’d like to mimic Instagram’s Lux effect in Photoshop. From the example I have, the Lux version looks like it adds punch and detail rather than applying a strong color filter. What Photoshop adjustments best reproduce that look?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
3
I borrowed your image to try it in Image View plus more 3, which I made myself so I know all the underlying algorithms.
I think this is pretty close, albeit the colours may be a bit different (my weakness as I am colour deficient).
What I did was:
Local contrast enhancement. Adobe calls this "clarity". It is similar to the unsharp mask with a very large radius.
Boost saturation. My program does this in the Lab space. Other software may do this in other spaces (e.g. HSV) which can result in different colours. It may also be a selective saturation boost like a proprietary "vibrance".
But I would conclude it is these two operations that is incorporated into "Lux"; a local contrast enhancement, and a saturation booster of some sort.
Originally by user11455. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11455
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A close Photoshop-style match for Instagram’s Lux effect is usually a combination of:
- Local contrast enhancement — in Adobe tools this is similar to Clarity, or you can approximate it with Unsharp Mask using a large radius and restrained strength.
- Increased color intensity — boost saturation moderately, or use Vibrance for a gentler, more selective color boost.
So the overall Lux look is less about a special filter and more about adding midtone/local contrast plus a color boost. In Photoshop, a practical approach is:
- Increase Clarity if using Camera Raw/Lightroom controls.
- Or simulate it with local contrast techniques such as a large-radius sharpen/contrast method.
- Then add a modest Vibrance/Saturation increase.
The exact color result can vary depending on how saturation is applied, but those two adjustments are the main ingredients described in the community answer.
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