10 Christmas Gift Ideas for Photographers
This week on the luminous journey, I would like to do something for you, to do for others, if that makes sense. If you have someone in your life who’s into photography, you’re going to want to hear this list. These are 6 products that I would strongly recommend as a Christmas gift for the shutterbug in your life.
Everything I’ll describe for you is something that I own, that’s helped me to level up my game. They all deliver good price-performance ratios, and I have only had positive experiences with them. I won’t get too much into technical specs, that information is already out there if you’re interested. I will let you know the functional reasons that make these products worth buying. There are so many camera accessories out there, a little insider info is a big help.
Tripod: Leofoto Ranger LS-325C
It’s important to have a sturdy tripod from the get-go. When you get to your photo location, you don’t want a wonky tripod with loose knobs. You’ll look amateur, and there’s a good chance your nice new camera will go for a tumble. My suggestion for you is the Leofoto Ranger LS-325C. It’s a carbon fiber tripod. This is the keyword you want to go for when looking for a tripod.
Carbon fiber tripods are stiffer, lighter, more weather resistant, and in general, stronger than aluminum. I know it’s tempting to just look at the price tag and click on the Amazon Basics tripod. But please believe that the recipient of that will secretly call you cheap, and will almost immediately throw it away.
Besides the material, what I also like about Leofoto Ranger LS-325C how versatile it is - (1) all-around ball head capability lets you level your shot on any terrain, (2) It can be used low to the ground which makes it extremely suitable for macro photography. (3) the legs are equipped with the Twist-Lock system, the tripod can be folded in and out very quickly. The included spike feet are easily screwed under the tripod when you want to work on a softer surface. On the side and bottom of the tripod body you will find threads for such accessory arms, or a sandbag for extra stability.
Insider tips:
Let the person know to never leave the mounting plate at home or else you will be like me in middle of the desert trying to stabilize the camera on top of the tripod using metal wire and tape.
Remind them that a good tripod gets respect. Set it up, and watch people move out of your way in ways that they will not if you’re just holding up a smartphone. This is not only a tripod, it’s a reservation for a choice photo spot.
2. Wireless shutter release: JJC Wired Wireless Shutter Release Remote Control
A wireless shutter is a massively underrated accessory. This will allow your photographer friend the freedom to move around the shoot, to set up lights, props, or effects in front of the camera, and not be tied to the shutter button. They can jump in the frame and take the photo when they want, rather than holding a goofy smile for 10 seconds not quite sure when the timer will go off.
For me, when I do my long exposure night time shots, I don’t want to stand behind the camera holding the shutter button down for a minute or more. I want to get into the scene and light paint. Also I don’t want to have to worry about the camera shaking when I sneeze. Now that I have one, my only issue is remembering to bring it along with me on shoots.
There are wired remote shutters as well, but I prefer the freedom of a wireless. You may have seen in a previous video my wired release stopped working, and that spurred me to spring for a wireless one. So glad I did, I won’t be going back. I went with the JM-2 from JMC. It was low cost, and it specifically says it’s compatible with my camera. You will have to figure out what kind of camera your giftee has, different brands use different connectors. Photographers love talking about their cameras though, so just drop a “wow, great picture, what kind of photo do you use?” on their instagram page.
Next on my list is something that you can give to literally everyone, doesn’t have to be a photographer at all. This one works for any social situation that needs a little ice-breaking. Particularly good for weddings, birthdays, family reunions. I like to bring it to an event, take a couple photos, then pass it around for other guests to snap whatever they find interesting. There’s a nostalgia to instant photos that gets people into it.
There are some modes you can choose from, but I find it best to just leave it on A for automatic, and have at it. If you’re really trying to get great shots, you’ll have to spend some time getting to know the camera, but it really is possible to just pick it up and snap away.
I love this feature, it even has a little mirror on the front, so you can make sure to get everyone into the selfie. No need to be intimidated, even my 1 year-old nephew was able to take his first selfie with it - insert photo -
It’s really quite easy to use, just pop in the film cassette. The first photo is a blank, remember to pop that one off first. Once you take the photo, just lay it down on a flat surface. No need to shake it, and definitely don’t touch it, or it will smudge. I’m giving you this information, because you’ll probably end up buying one as a gift for someone, and then getting one for yourself for funsies.
4. Prop: Sphere
The next one is going to turn someone’s world upside down! Meet the lensball. I actually got this one as a birthday gift, and I love it dearly.
You’ll want to go to instagram and check #lensball to see how people use it, the possibilities really do get my creativity flowing. I love to make a boring scene interesting, and this is certainly a way to do that. The thing I like most about it is that it gets you in a mindset of almost re-imagining the world, seeing it in a different way. It quite literally warps your mind, how cool is that?
Please though, do not give this to someone absent-minded. On a bright, sunny day, this thing has a way of snapping you out of your hypnotic dream state rather quickly. Think ants under a microscope. Definitely keep it in it’s bag until it’s ready to use, and a great companion gift would be something like these heat-resistant gloves. Seriously, it’s so cool, it’s hot.
5. Bag pack
I know so many people who are into photography, and just toss their lovely DSLR into a plain old backpack or purse. I cringe. Give them the gift of organization and security for their camera. The one I use is from Thule, a Swedish company. See the compartment in the bottom? It has these velcro dividers that can be arranged to fit a camera and lenses. This prevents them from bouncing around and knocking against other objects in your bag. Then it has the top compartment for less breakable things, and even a large pocket to carry your laptop as well.
The thing I really love about this one in particular is the hip belt. With this I can carry around my heavy camera, lenses, cleaning supplies, wireless shutter, lens ball, instant camera and more, without debilitating shoulder and neck pain. It even has a spot in the side where I put my Leofoto tripod.
Also, I’ve had great luck going through airports with it. For some reason, if you tell security it’s a camera bag, they don’t ask you to take out all your stuff.
6. Book - It’s what I do by Lynsey Addario
I didn’t really expect to get into a book about a war photographer, it’s certainly not my genre. Once I got into it though, I realized that there’s so much written here that inspired me to keep progressing, keep pushing forward to create that beauty where no-one else can see it. I’d probably recommend this a bit more strongly for the ladies, they’ll appreciate the fierce determination and perseverance for sure. But the gentlemen out there could learn a thing or two from it as well. It made me feel as though there are things out there worth sacrificing for, and isn’t that something we all need?
And that’s my list for this year. I’ve put links to all these in the description. We’re getting down to Christmas crunch time, I do hope this helps you avoid any awkwardness, and be the best Santa you can be. Then have one of your little elves tickle the like, subscribe, and for sure the bell, or you’ll end up a grinch. Nobody wants to be a grinch. Thanks once again for all your attention, big Christmas love to one and all.
