Christmas is just around the corner and holiday shopping is underway. While my other gift guides focus on broader groups of gift recipients, this one focuses on photographers. Why photographers? Because I said so Because I am one, and I know what they want, what they really, really want.
Most of these products are tried and true items in my own arsenal, while some better be will hopefully be under my tree this year! These are foolproof recommendations and gifts I always give to my photographer friends. I hope you like them!
All the items in pink are links to where you can find these awesome products!
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Manfrotto Camera Backpack – This magnificent camera bag is the one I’ve been using for well over a year. It’s traveled to multiple cities with me for shoots and doubles perfectly as a day bag because of its functionality and comfortable padding. It features multiple zippered compartments as well as a very handy and ergonomic tripod strap system on the side. I can carry my camera body with an attached lens, an additional lens, batteries, and charger very comfortably in the padded compartment. I always get tons of compliments from my photographer friends and have finally found camera bag peace. Best $140 I ever spent!
- HP Sprocket – This handy-dandy little device is the HP Sprocket (How cute is the prismatic blue color?!) – it’s one of the items that I’ve hinted at pretty heavily to Santa. It’s a little wireless printer that connects to your phone via Bluetooth and a paired app. You can quickly and easily format your phone images and print a 2×3 in a matter of minutes. Not only is this a great way to have physical copies of your camera photos, it’s a fairly common frame size for you to use around your home!
- Glass Triangular Prism – Creative and out-of-the-box photography techniques are all the rage now. Prisms are a tool that not many photographers would buy for themselves, me being one of them. I have gifted this exact prism and it was so refreshing to use because it forced me to try something new. There are so many cool things you can do with prisms, they’re such cool gifts.
- YONGNUO YN685 Wireless Flash – Being a natural light photographer, I rely solely on the sun for my lighting. That being said, I’m very intrigued by off-camera lighting and this particular flash has great reviews. The price is amazing for a flash that offers high-speed sync (HSS) and TTL. This is another
“it better be under the tree”wish list item. - Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM – This speaker is seriously amazing. For every situation in life, ever. Why is it great for photographers? It helps set the mood. I work with a lot of new models who are still learning the ropes, so playing their favorite song helps them come out of their shell. It’s also waterproof and it floats, so it can handle being in even the most extreme shoot locations. Get it, then come back and tell me how amazing it is.
- HP Pavillion 21.5 inch Monitor – I’ve been in the market for an additional monitor that I can link to my MacBook Pro so that
I can watch The Real Housewives of AtlantaI can get a better view of what I’m editing – it’s 21.5 inches and only $89! What a bargain! - SanDisk Extreme Pro 64GB Memory Card – This is a no-brainer. Memory cards are like hair ties – they vanish mysteriously and at the most inopportune times and we can always use more. This particular one is my absolute favorite. It has very fast transfer speeds and the SanDisk brand has never let me down.
- Anker 8-in-1 Portable SD Card Reader – Most computers have built-in memory card readers but they can act up every once in a while (mine has currently given up on existing). It’s always worth having an external memory card reader for just-in-case moments.
- Think Tank Cable Management 10 – All photographers have cables – too many cables – and they always seem to be knotted or strangling some gear in your backpack. Having a clear pouch is a great organization tool and saves you from having to open up different pouches on set and wasting precious time. I’m a huge ThinkTank fan, and for good reason. Their quality is amazing and reliable, and their products last. I have multiples of this pouch and I swear by it.
- Peak Design Slide Strap – I’m not gonna lie, I’m kind of obsessed with this strap. I still have my old faithful strap but since switching to a mirrorless camera, the lack of weight makes it not function the way it was intended. Que this gorgeous strap. Not only is it great to look at, it has detachable tabs so you can go from wearing your camera to putting on a tripod in seconds. Time is precious during a shoot, and this strap is a game changer.
- Neewer 5-in-1 Light Reflector – I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in the middle and wished I had a fill light (I’m a natural light photographer.) This is the exact reflector I use and it has saved the day multiple times. You can control the temperature of the light you’re reflecting by using either the silver or gold, diffuse sunlight and you soften the light by using the white reflector. It’s an indispensable tool and people will be thrilled to receive it.
- Fairy Lights – Fairy lights, like the prism, have dominated Instagram – they can also be hard to find during certain times of the year. You never know when the mood will strike to add some cool lighting to a shoot, so having a set of battery operated fairy lights in your camera bag at all times means you’ll never miss a creative opportunity!
- Wasabi Power Battery and Charger – I recently switched over to a mirrorless camera and it eats battery power like no other. This set (for SONY, but you can by a set for whichever camera you’d like) not only includes a charging block with standard wall plug prongs but also includes a car charger attachment AND 2 additional batteries! What a steal! I bought two sets and I might just be getting a third!
I hope you enjoyed my picks for Photographers! What else do you think would make an awesome gift for a photographer? Let me know!
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