As we gear up for the biggest shopping season of the year, we’re presenting our favorite gifts for photographers this holiday season. Thanks to B & H Photo, Mylio Photos, Radiant Photo, MPB, Lumecube, Platypod and Tamron, the sponsors of this year’s Holiday Gift Guide.
Need more gift ideas, and want to see all the latest holiday deals? Check out our Holiday Shopping Guide!
Below are a few of our favorites that are valued under $25 — perfect for stocking stuffers!
Personalized engraved camera straps
Recommended by Julie Powell | $24.38 from Etsy
Why not spoil the photographer in your life with these cute personalized camera straps … just for something unique and stylish!
Giottos Rocket Air Blaster
Recommended by Bob Coates and Pam DeCamp | $17.99; available via B & H
Bob: Dust doesn’t have a chance against Giotto’s Air Blaster. I like the large size but if you need to conserve some space they make some smaller models as well. Having a couple of these, one for the studio, and one for the camera bag can help you keep your gear dust-free. Remember to always have your opening facing down so dust does not resettle inside your camera.
Pam: Giottos Rocket Air Blaster is an invaluable item for any photographer. The Giottos Rocket Air Blaster puffs away dust and debris on camera bodies, lenses, and sensors. If you are looking for an inexpensive gift for the photographer on your list, the Giottos Rocket Air Blaster is $17.99.
Route 66 Abandoned: Under a Western Moon
Recommended by Ken Lee | $25.99; available via Arcadia Publishing
This is admittedly gratuitous. I wrote the book and took the photos, after all. But it is about Route 66 and is a lot of fun, so I think you might know someone who would enjoy a photo and history book about the Mother Road. “Abandoned Route 66: Under a Western Moon” is an unforgettable nocturnal journey on the most famous roadway in the United States, focusing on the Southwest. One of the earliest cross-country highways, Route 66 beckoned many in the United States to migrate west. As businesses and communities grew along the road, it became a beacon of liberation, opportunity, and eventually, loss. With the building of the faster Interstate Highway System, motorists bypassed Route 66. Prosperity evaporated, with many leaving their homes, markets, diners, gas stations, and kitschy roadside attractions to the elements. Wander with the author along “The Main Street of America” as he illuminates these forgotten locales with light, creating haunting dreamlike exposures of several minutes or more. If you are a fan of creative photography or the Mother Road, or have an insatiable curiosity for travel, “Abandoned Route 66: Under a Western Moon” invites you to climb in back, sit tight and take hold for a surrealistic night escape with the top down.
Printique: Premium custom prints and photo books
Recommended by Jemma Pollari | Read Review | various prices under $25 and above; available via Printique
For a truly personalized gift for the photographer in your life, a Printique Photo Book, or Custom Print of one of their favorite photos, would make a beautiful gift. The Photo Book range is budget-friendly and allows you to print lots of photos in attractive, durable books. I particularly like the Hardcover range which I checked out in this review. These books feel durable and I’ve been confidently handing them off to my kids for months with no issues. You could make a photo book for your photographer of their best work, a roundup of 2023 projects, or a deep dive into the archive for forgotten memories.
For prints, the Metal Print is absolutely stunning and brings out the beauty and luminance in photos with as close that you’ll get to a backlit LCD screen. The range of sizes and shapes it comes it makes it a fun option to explore. For example, why not make a beehive honeycomb pattern of hexagonal prints? Metal Prints start at just $17.99 so there is a perfect print for every photographer.
Impact Rapid Connectors
Recommended by Kevin Aimes | from $8.50; available via B & H
Impact Rapid baby to 1/4″ -20 male threaded adapter; $8.50 and Impact Rapid baby to 3/8” male threaded adapter; $8.95
These adapters allow LED lights like the Luxli Cello2 to fit on a light stand. The 1/4” 20 is the US standard. The 3/8” is for European sockets. Move a light from the camera hot shoe to a light stand and creative lighting possibilities open up. This is a great stocking stuffer.
Photographic Journal to Process Your Feelings by Geloy Concepcion
Recommended by Joy Celine Asto | $13.59; available via Amazon
If you also do journaling on the side, this guided photographic journal is a good option. It comes with prompts for self-reflection, healing, and positivity, with tear-away stationery and lined pages for recording your responses to the prompts and the artworks from Geloy Concepcion’s project of the same title. Whether you’re a follower of his project or not, this journal makes for a great gift for yourself or a fellow creative.
Vello White Balance Card Set (Medium)
Recommended by Julie Powell | Read Review | $10.49; available via B &H
Perfect for setting the perfect white balance in photoshoots. Quick and easy to adjust in Lightroom Classic. Just get your model to hold one up to their face at the beginning of the shoot. I adore these as they are small and can fit in your pocket, or your pack or hang them off a light stand.
