Halo Pro is a niche application that focuses on halation precision and creative expression.
Other applications like Dehancer and Filmic do a lot of steps to emulate film, but Halo Pro specializes on the hardest part of emulating the film look — the halation effect. The soft glowy edges adding range and a magic feel to the image.
Furthermore, other software is only 8-bit precision which works great for film but for photo it's simply not matching the quality photographers expect. With 32-bit float, the gradients and blurred colors get integrated into the image rather than slapped on. 32-bit also allows you to add halation at any time in your workflow — you're not limited to adding it as the last step before exporting.
The project was started by solo developer and professional photographer Alric Ljunghager in 2024, entered beta in February 2026, and is explicitly built for M-series macOS computers. Expected to remain in beta until 2027, with Windows/CUDA support planned.
Core Features
Halation Engine
Multi-pass processing with variable spread and color channel control.
Independent adjustments for highlight threshold, diffusion radius,
and chromatic response.
Mist & Diffusion
Optical diffusion simulation including bloom characteristics,
contrast reduction mapping, and film-accurate softening curves.
Film Response
Complete signal chain with highlight rolloff, toe compression,
and grain modeling. LUT integration for established workflows.
Precision Masking
Non-destructive luminosity and color range selection with
feathering controls. Isolate effects to specific tonal ranges.
Pricing
Free Version
Complete Toolkit
Full halation, mist, and film simulation with masking capabilities.
Includes LUT support and full bit-depth import/export.
Professional
Extended Workflow
Lightroom plugin integration, batch processing for video sequences,
and priority access to updates and new features.
System Requirements
Currently Supported
macOS with Apple Silicon (M1–M5)
Minimum: 8GB RAM, macOS 12.0+
Recommended: 16GB+ RAM for high-resolution workflows
Planned Support
Windows with CUDA acceleration
Intel Mac with Vulkan support
Additional platforms based on demand
Installation
01Download the application package
02Move to the Applications folder
03Right-click and select "Open" on first launch
04Allow initial startup time for macOS verification
05Configure Lightroom integration if using Pro
Beta
This application is currently in beta. While extensively tested for core
functionality, users may encounter edge cases. Feedback is actively
incorporated into development priorities.
Development Timeline
Development & Updates
Follow the journey from research to release. Halo Pro is being built with precision and care.
2024
Research & Foundation
Done
Halation Research
In-depth study of film halation characteristics and light behavior through emulsion layers.
Done
Halation Emulation
Core halation emulation functions developed with accurate light diffusion modeling.
Done
Mist Emulation
Optical mist and diffusion simulation functions for film-accurate softening.
Done
Masking System
Precision masking functions for selective effect application.
Done
Slider-Based UI
Intuitive slider-based user interface for precise control.
