Photographic Gift Suggestions by Peter Gold mpa

I’ve had quite a few e-mails lately asking me for suggestions for unique photography-related gifts that could be purchased for this Christmas season. Here’s a collection of items to fit every budget…

Stocking stuffers can include tabletop miniature tripods or Gorillapods, spirit levels that fit in the flash shoes, a remote shutter cable, lens cases, books, electronic flash units and a good lens cleaning kit. There is always interchangeable lenses, filters, light meters and rain gear for the camera. Light reflectors are available in a variety of sizes and prices as well. They range from 12” round to 52”.      

Everything changes so fast in the digital world that there’s always something that needs replacement. New point & shoot cameras have much less shutter lag than earlier models so if  their camera is at least two years old, it’s could be time to replace it. If the camera is still okay, how about a camera case, more memory cards, card cases, accessory lenses, underwater camera cases, tripods, tripod heads, monopods and LCD protective film.

For digital SLR owners, there’s always lenses, LensBabies, Pinhole body caps,
sensor cleaning kits, flash units, lens filters, rechargeable batteries, camera bags, backpacks, laptop cases and photography vests.

Of course, if they have everything they need to take photographs, there’s always inkjet printers and papers, replacement inks, monitor callibration software, photo manipuation software such as Photoshop Elements 7 or Photoshop CS4, daylight color-balanced lighting, digital frames, portfolios, archival CDs to store digital files, portable digital storage viewers like the Epson P-7000, photography courses and other educational gift certificates, membership to NAPP (National Association of Photoshop Professionals). Have you thought about picking up a computer peripheral like a Wacom tablet or an external hard drive with Raid backup to archive all the images they are creating.

If they have everything listed above, they have too much anyway. Invite them to the movies, buy them a bucket of popcorn and pick up some photography gear for yourself.

‘Til next month, happy shopping. 

Peter Gold
The Camera Store
pgold@thecamerastore.com