A gift for a photographer: Ten ideas to delight someone (or yourself)

Not another tie for Christmas — not even one with red dots. The festive season is drawing closer, and the gift question is becoming virulent. So, I thought I could share ten ideas for a gift for a photographer that will delight. As you, reading this, might belong more to the target group for the gift and less to the intended audience of this article, you might want to share it with your partner/relatives/friends…

Sure, presents are not what Christmas is all about. For Christians, it is a time of faith and hope; for others, a rest from the everyday grind, maybe close to friends and family. But still, many of us like the idea of giving a present to people who mean something to us on the occasion of Christmas. Maybe you find something in this article to buy for a fellow photographer… or to put onto your own wish list. 

Gift for a photographer, idea 1: Send someone back to the future

Heritage: Many photographers, I think, still have a camera from the analogue age somewhere. What about bringing back to life such an old treasure? A few rolls of film are a wonderful opportunity to try it again. Be it classic Tri-X or modern Ektar, you might stir a new old love in somebody. Some vouchers for a good lab should go with the films, otherwise the cost your gift causes for your friend will be higher than the material value of what you bought. 

If you want to extend the gift further, there are still very affordable film cameras around. From new disposable cameras with a Tri-X to modern classics such as a Pentax, Konica, Olympus… you name it. Or, if you think the presentee will make use of it, add a kit for home developing. There are nice offers around with mini-packages of chemicals from Ilford, for example.

Gift for a photographer, idea 2: Wetzlar visit

Experience: Why not give away a pilgrimage to the Holy Gr… errr, to Wetzlar. The Leica Welt has a lot to offer. The new Ernst Leitz Museum sports an interactive and very entertaining presentation about the roots of photography as well as an ambitious programme of changing exhibitions. You can also get a glimpse of the production facilities, and there are two Leica Stores onsite. They offer very nice weekend packages with accommodation and food in the Vienna House Ernst Leitz Hotel, which is part of the Leica Welt (unfortunately, there is not so much to be seen in the works on Friday afternoons). 

If you want to extend the gift, no problem; just add a voucher for one of the stores. Or add a guided tour of the old town of Wetzlar, a very beautiful place. For an even wider experience, throw in a trip to nearby Frankfurt, probably one of the most underrated cities in Germany. On the other hand, a trip to Wetzlar might be quite a gift for our overseas readers. But why not take a detour when you are travelling through Europe?

Gift for a photographer, idea 3: A victory over chaos

Order: Charger, mains cable, USB-C cable, lightning cable, headphones and maybe even some films in their containers: There are always some small parts you are carrying around when out and about for taking photos or while travelling. ThinkTank makes very nice, half-transparent pouches that perfectly serve to organize all the bits and pieces. I particularly like the elastic red cable ties, which really help to keep things in order (you can make more of them yourself with some elastic ribbon and a fastening device, usually called a cord lock). Several sizes are available, and I recommend cable management 10 V 2.0, the smallest option. 

If this is not enough, add some battery pouches for camera batteries or the AA cells for the flash. ThinkTank has some, but Paddy Ludolph, a well-known (and competent!) German photo blogger has battery pouches made from real leather and sells them in his online store. So, if you need something special to give away…

Gift for a photographer, idea 4: Good looks

Fashion: The aforementioned tie or socks with some fancy photography-related designs are bad ideas, hands down. But there are some very nice T-Shirts, some with more or less original messages, others with more subtle allusions to our favourite pastime. I like the one I got from a friend with a print on the back showing a camera leisurely hanging over my shoulder. Another nice one is a graphic representation of the Leica f-stop scale. 

Need another or additional photography-related yet fashionable gift idea? There are very attractive shoulder straps made from rope or leather, colourful or pain black, affordable or luxurious. I love my red one by Artisan&Artist, which is softer than most leather straps, and it consumes not too much space in my bag. Another fine supplier (and featured on my personal wishlist) is Rock&Roll Straps who offer a wide range of things; I personally like the plain black leather straps best. But even if you want to give away something more extravagant, Evris Papanikolas, Mr Rock n’ Roll himself, has great options for you.

Gift for a photographer, idea 5: Wellness for all kinds of gear

Cleanliness: Uhhm, now we are entering a slippery slope. Of course, every photographer keeps his or her gear at all times clean and tidy. No fingerprints on the lenses, no trace of the climber’s sweat on the camera, and no dust wherever. Well, a good lens and camera cleaning kit might be a good idea all the same. The best ones consist of an excellent brush, B+W cleaning fluid and a very good microfiber cloth. They not cheap for sure, so one or the other photographer might be a bit too stingy to buy it. All the better; it works as a gift! 

If such a cleaning kit seems a bit too prosaic for you, think about ways how to prevent your gear from getting too dirty right away. Leaving it in the drawer is no good idea for sure. But what about a good lens pouch such as the ones Paul Glendell manufactures with this small business, Classic Cases, in Scotland? Or probably a sturdy and beautiful Billingham or another quality bag? For a smaller budget, SpinnDesign, a successful Kickstarter project, offers a self-adhesive protective camera wrap, the smallest size being quite suitable for lenses. 

Gift for a photographer, idea 6: Help out in low light

Enlightenment: Photography means “writing with light”, as we all know. And sometimes, it is better to have some extra light. A fill-in flash works wonders, but a small mobile reflector can also be a big help. Unfold it and place it strategically, and you can avoid ugly shadows in faces, for example. There are reflectors with a white or golden surface. Gold obviously gives warmer light, but I would still go for the more versatile white. In some instances, you might want to ask somebody to lend you a hand with the reflector, but it is more useful as a tool than many think. 

And if there is still not enough light for a sharp image, if you want to capture a wide landscape or urban view, add a lightweight Gorillapod to your gift. While not adding light, it extends the photographer’s options in dim conditions by a considerable margin. And don’t be afraid; the Gorillapod is strong enough to carry any fairly compact camera up to a Leica M.

Gift for a photographer, idea 7: Keep important knowledge

Memory: It is rather out of fashion these days, but it is, in fact, very useful to this day: Making notes of the images you took (what did I shoot? when? with which setting?) and browsing through it when assessing the result. You can type or speak all this into your mobile phone, of course, but a small notebook is just nicer. It also serves many more purposes. I recommend either a puristic soft Moleskine cahier (they come in 3-packs) or one of the notebooks by Leuchtturm1917 (do not forget the pen loop!). The A6 size fits very nicely, even into small photo bags. 

And what about adding a beautiful pen or pencil? The legendary Rotring 600 series has just been reissued by a Japanese manufacturer, and the pens seem to be made up to the old standards. You can even choose one in Leica red. Alternatively, the forever young Lamy Safari series is excellent, very affordable and has already gained the status of a modern classic (it just might be a bit large for many notebooks’ pen loops). 

Gift for a photographer, idea 8: You pay the subscription fee

Technology: Taking photos is one thing — archiving and post-processing the other. Of all solutions I have tried, I stayed with Adobe Lightroom. It is incredibly powerful, and it really helps you to get the most out of your images. However, it has a price tag, and I know many photographers who strongly dislike the subscription-based model (I have no objections to it, however). You could save your friend or family member the pain of payment by giving them a Lightroom subscription. They will think of you every time when starting up the software, and you can even renew it on a yearly basis. So, things are settled for Christmas 2023, 2024…

If you want to add a little extra: For Adobe Lightroom newcomers, an introductory course can be helpful. There are many possibilities, from online training to individual tuition in a masterclass format. And almost any regular user will learn something new from a pro if the course has the right format. 

Gift for a photographer, idea 9: Pimp your camera haptics

Haptics: The more pleasure you get from holding your camera, the more pictures you will take, and the better the outcome will be. Haptics and ergonomics are generally underrated when choosing a camera. With Leica products, however, we are already quite spoilt in this respect. But you can always make improvements. I bought my first Thumbs Up thumb rest with the Leica Q (it was included in the second-hand offer), and I was immediately hooked. Leica have now discovered just how useful such a small device can be, and they have their own thumb rests, too. If you don’t know yet which camera your presentee uses, ask and get the right model, as they are all slightly different.

Just in case you want to add something, get an additional soft release button — if the camera of your gift recipient has a standard screw-in cable release connection (true for all Leica M models, Fujifilm X100, and most vintage film cameras). Please be aware that this accessory will do its job very well and that the presentee will end up with images she or he never shot just because the camera was somehow released inside the bag.

Gift for a photographer, idea 10: Defend freedom

Compassion: Most of us practice photography as a hobby. When we use our gear professionally, we can normally do so with freedom. Many photographers are less lucky. They are persecuted or threatened because they are bringing to light what others are trying to hide. In many countries, even in Europe, press freedom is under threat. Taking photos can be dangerous and end in harassment or imprisonment. Organizations such as Reporters Without Borders or Amnesty International give support to (photo)journalists in danger and thus fight for the freedom of the press and human rights. A donation in the name of the gift recipient shows compassion (not the worst to take out of the meaning of Christmas).

What photography-related gifts will you make – or do you hope for (apart from the occasional Noctilux)? Do you have secret tips for seemingly useless gimmicks that will turn out to be almost indispensable? Or have you received items that may have been meant to be a kind courtesy but that were actually rather embarrassing? And do you want to amend or counter the above list? The comments section is yours.

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