Memory cards – The Lens Lounge

It can be difficult knowing what to buy a photographer if you're not a photographer. So, if you have a photographer in need of a gift, this list of photography gifts is for you. If you're a photographer and need to drop a few hints advising your family what gifts to buy you, leave this post open somewhere near them! PS: This post contains affiliate links. Buying something through one of the links won’t cost you anything extra, but we may get a small commission. Camera straps and camera bags I find that the camera straps that came with my cameras can get annoying as they easily get twisted and the material is not that incredibly comfortable. Also, I don't want to advertise the fact that I have an expensive camera around my neck, so I often turn the strap so that the text is on the inside. These camera straps solve both those problems and make great photography gifts! Camera bags I'm not much of a bag person, unless we're talking camera bags. Then I do have to confess to having a collection, because you need different camera bags for different occasions. I have a large Lowepro roller bag for travelling as it's manufactured to airline size restrictions for cabin baggage. If I'm flying anywhere, whether it's for work or for a holiday, I take my essential camera equipment in the cabin with me so that there's no chance that it will go missing en route. For street photography a messenger style bag with minimal gear works well. It's lightweight and isn't an obvious camera bag. When photographing on location, I use my Lowepro backpack, because I can fit in a few lenses and camera bodies, plus additional bits and pieces. I can also attach a tripod to the bag and hang reflectors from the straps. As it fits on my back, the weight is fine, and it's easy to move from one place to the next. Here are a few camera bags I found on Amazon. For more serious camera bags, check out this article: How to choose the best camera bag for you Very practical photography gifts Photography is a strange subject - it is of course creative, but it's also so practical and technical. So some photography gift ideas might seem a bit dull to a non-photographer, but I assure you, the photographer in your life will appreciate these practical photography gifts. Memory cards A good quality memory card is essential when shooting in burst mode, but also if you want to ensure your photos are safe and don't get lost before you can get them onto the computer. I highly recommend the SanDisk brand and encourage you to get the Extreme Pro cards, even if they cost more than the standard memory cards. Memory card storage Now, there's no point buying great cards and then not storing them safely, so here are a couple of great solutions. I love the idea of a waterproof storage for sports and adventure photographers! More options: 5 must have camera accessories for 2020 Tripods Tripods are essential for all types of photography, not just the most obvious choice of landscape or nature photography. When photographing products, mounting a camera on a tripod results in a consistent look to all images in a set. It will also save your back if you're bending over and photographing from above. Different tripods suit different tasks and budgets. The Manfrotto tripod below is a beautifully lightweight, yet sturdy, tripod ideal for taking on location. It also has a 3 way pan and tilt head for positioning your camera accurately. This tripod is a more budget friendly lightweight compact tripod. Lastly, a Joby Gorillapod is incredibly versatile. It's ideal for use on a desk, but the adjustable bendy legs can also be wrapped around a handy tree branch for securing your camera in a multitude of scenarios. Save time editing photos A Wacom Intuos Tablet will improve time spent editing so much. I find it's much easier on the wrist and a lot faster than trying to edit using a mouse. It takes a little getting used to, but once you've used one, you won't want to go back to a mouse. Their selection offers something for all budgets. To make editing time even shorter, using a Datacolor card for accurate colors will definitely reduce some faffing time. Speaking of saving time in editing, using a reflector during a shoot to light your subject will dramatically save time in editing. In portrait photography it will also add a lovely catchlight to your subject's eyes. A 5 in 1 reflector like this is even better as it's so versatile, making the already low cost of it even greater value! Fun photography gifts Maybe your photographer has all the essential gadgets. So, here are a few fun ideas... The Instax camera is a wonderfully retro, fun instant camera and I think this bundle I found would make a great gift for a photographer. And lastly, the perfect mug to make any photographer chuckle. Learning photography gifts For the photographer in need of some help, here are photography gifts I know very well...because I made them! Beginner photography gifts Be The Boss of Your Camera, for absolute beginners, is a video based online photography course that you can take at your own pace. For those with a bit of camera knowledge, but still at the beginner level of understanding photography, our Clicking Clueless to Confident Photographer ebook will be really helpful. Creative photography gifts The next learning photography gift is for photographers who know their camera basics and want to start getting creative. Our most popular download is the first 19 rules of photography composition pdf cheatsheet. Each of these rules is detailed in our Beyond The Snapshot ebook - get all the composition help and inspiration you need in one place. And lastly, our self-paced online Lightroom workshop, Lightroom Express, will get you organized and processing confidently with great results in just hours. Leave a comment If you've got some great ideas for photography gifts, let us know in the comments.