Lumen Tool

Portrait Lighting Simulator

One Plan
Every module included

Designed for larger screens: Lumen Tool works best on a desktop, laptop or modern tablet. Some parts may run on a phone, but the workspace is not designed for phone use.

Lumen Tool

Full Lumen Tool access. One price, every studio and module, now and later.

€9a month
Unlock Lumen Tool
Key Light, Fill Light, Back Light and Hair Light
Rembrandt, Butterfly, Split, Loop, Rim, 3-Point, Broad and Short presets
Top-down diagram and setup overview
Save, compare, export, print and share setups
Gels, extra skin and backdrop tones, the analysis panel
Photo Tools: Solo light, Key:Fill Assist and focal-length preview
Artist Lighting: Value Study, Form & Shadow and Drawing View
All heads, several with a neutral sculpt or realistic skin
Reference Lab
Color Lab: colored light on a full model
Hand Reference: a posable 3D hand for drawing
Set Builder: build complete 3D studio setups with lights, models and cameras (Beta)
The Archive: 250 MB for saved setups, comparisons, photos and notes
Every new module and head I add, at no extra cost

Have a look inside Lumen Tool

Lumen Tool, where new studios and modules keep being added
Three lights on, with saved setups beside them
The diagram view, seen from above
The setup overview, ready to print
The Reference Lab reads the light in a portrait
The Value Study, the same lighting reduced to five tones
Studio 06, the Color Lab, with colored light layers
Studio 05, a full studio room with a backdrop
Studio 05 camera view of the model
Hand Reference, a posable 3D hand and forearm for drawing
Your portrait beside the head while you set the light
Old man with realistic skin
Young woman up close, realistic skin
Pick a head, new ones added regularly

The Reference Lab

Drop in a portrait you admire. The Reference Lab reads which side the main light came from, roughly how high it was, how deep the shadows are and whether the picture suggests light behind the head. Then it builds a suggested setup on its own head, so you can hold the two side by side.

One click carries the setup into the simulator, with your photo beside the head while you keep working.

The Reference Lab reading the light in a portrait

Good to know

What do I need to run Lumen Tool?

Lumen Tool runs directly in your browser, so there is nothing to install. A reasonably modern Windows PC or Mac with at least 8 GB RAM and an up-to-date browser is a good starting point; 16 GB is better for larger 3D scenes. It is designed mainly for desktop and laptop, although modern tablets can also work well; phones are not the intended workspace, and you can check the full system requirements for the exact details.

What is Set Builder?

Set Builder is a full 3D studio where you can build a set, place models, lights, modifiers and cameras, and plan a shoot. It is fully usable and included in the normal Lumen Tool subscription at no extra cost. It is still in beta while I keep improving it.

Is there only one plan?

Yes. There is one price and it covers everything. I build new modules regularly and they are always part of Lumen Tool. You never pay extra for a module.

Can I try it first?

The homepage has an interactive lighting demo. No account is needed to explore it. Lumen Tool is the full working environment and requires a subscription.

What is Color Lab?

Color Lab is the studio for colored light on a full model. Place up to six soft lights, strips, spots and projectors around the figure, give each its own color, throw patterns onto the model and the background, and compare up to four looks side by side. It is included in Lumen Tool, and the Color Lab guide in Help shows how it works.

Is 250 MB Archive included?

Yes. Every subscription includes 250 MB in The Archive for saved setups, comparisons, photos and notes. You can organise your work, reopen saved setups and download or restore a backup at no extra cost.

Can I cancel?

Any time, in a couple of clicks. You keep access to Lumen Tool until the end of what you paid for, and nobody asks why.

Is it only for photographers?

No. Painters and illustrators use it as much as photographers do. Several heads can be shown either as a neutral sculpt or with realistic skin, so there is something here for everyone: it works for studying form as well as for planning a shoot.

Do you add new heads?

Regularly. Every new head goes straight into Lumen Tool, at no extra cost.

Can I ask for a feature?

Please do. A good part of what is in the tool started as a request. Send it through the contact page and I will tell you honestly whether I can build it.

What if I need help?

Write to me. It is just me on the other side, I read everything and I answer. Most questions are settled the same day.

Monthly or yearly?

Same tool either way. Paying by the year costs €99 instead of €108, so you save €9, roughly a month free.