Photography Article

10 Affordable Gift Ideas For Photographers
By Kevin Downs

While photography equipment is known for being pricey, there are some great gift ideas for individuals who want to buy a nice gift for a photographer without breaking the bank. We have compiled a list of items to make your shopping as easy as possible.

1. Magazine Subscription - Outdoor Photographer is just one of the many photography magazines available, but is a good choice if the photographer enjoys taking picture of nature and landscape. The magazine offers gear reviews, tips for improving your knowledge in both photography and post processing, and provides insight on locations and workshops available. Retail $19.99

2. External Hard Drives - Too many photographers depend on their notebook or desktop to store their files. Not only does this slow down the computer, but it also prevents them from accessing the files if the hard drive fails. An external hard drive will allow you to work faster while providing you with a peace of mind knowing your files are safer. Retail Price $99-$250
3. Flashpoint 42-Inch 5 in 1 Collapsible Disk Reflector - This product is great for adding fill light to your subjects and contains translucent, white, silver, black, and soft gold. This product is easy to breakdown and carry in the field. Retail Price $45

4. Photography Books- There are some great books on photography available at reasonable prices. Pick books that relate to type of photography they enjoy. Also find out if they use Photoshop or another photo editor and see what books are available. John Shaw's Nature Photography Field Guide should be on the bookshelf of every nature photographer. Retail Price $17-$25

5. Digital Photo Frame - The prices have dropped substantially recently without a decrease in quality. We have not found it worth the extra price in most cases to purchase the wireless frame as opposed to one that accepts memory cards or a USB slot. Retail Price $99-$150

6. Memory Cards - It seems every year larger and faster memory cards or available at a fraction of the cost of last year's models. Most photographers always want to upgrade their memory cards for both size and speed. This will require you knowing what kind of memory card their camera utilizes. Retail Price $29-59

7. Photomatix - This software is used to produce High Dynamic Range photography. You can now capture high contract scenes without blowing out the highlights. While there are other programs that do this, Photomatix is the best we have tested to date. Retail Price $99

8. Filters - While most photographers have circular polarizer and ND Grad Filters, some do not carry warming filters or special effect filters. Cokin offers some affordable specialty filters for warming, cooling, and sunsets. It is also important to include a carrying case to prevent the filters from scratches and damage. The Cokin holder isn't necessary as you can simply hold the filter over the lens to achieve the effect you desire.($29-49)

9. Photography Vest - I went through several photography cases before finally settling for a photography vest. It was actually a gift from a friend of mine that is a photographer. I am more efficient now since I can easily have everything organized and accessible. No more forgetting to put something in your camera bag.

10. Subscription to photo.net - While this site is free, a paid membership allows members unlimited gallery uploads, additional photo critique request, a personal imagePRO website, and a favorite image gallery. It is a great way to show off your work and get advice on your pictures. Retail Price $25


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