Shopping for the Photographer in Your life

As a photographer, it is hard to go through this season without scoping out my favorite items of the trade on the market. There are so many amazing cameras and accessories out there for photographers of every skill level. If you have a photographer in your life or an aspiring one here are some great gift ideas for making their Christmas morning, feel like they are a kid again!

The On-The-Go

Even professional photographers love to have a good point-and-shoot camera on hand. If you are looking for something small that still gets the job done (better than your iPhone), consider gifting a point-and-shoot camera.

Canon PowerShot:I have been using one of these since college. It's very reliable, takes amazing photos, and is a great alternative to a big clunky SLR camera. They work well in low light and also in sports settings, and are perfect for travel and snapping photos of your kids.

The Beginner

Canon Rebel Package Deal: If you have someone on your list looking to take photography to the next level, you can’t go wrong with Canon Rebel. I have more than one of these and still shoot with them regularly. It's smaller than a full-format SLR, the price is great, and the technology now is so amazing it takes just as high-quality images as a 60D or any other full-format SLR on the market. You will not only get the camera but a zoom lens and SD card to get your budding photo enthusiast started on the journey to becoming a photographer.

The Sports Lover

The Canon Rebel: I can’t say enough great things about Rebels. It is the backbone to how I got my start as a photojournalist. People sometimes confuse the camera with the “quality” of images and yes that often is a factor. But you don’t need a big fancy camera to capture amazing images if you have a good eye for composition. Rebels also are VERY durable. I have tossed mine around and traveled the world with it and it still is going strong! But the lightweight body and the camera speed are what make the Rebel a good sports camera.

Battery Grip: Having a battery grip not only adds to the length of battery time you have, it also makes the camera larger and easier to switch from horizontal to vertical shots. It makes shooting on larger lenses for sports easier. Since the Rebel is a smaller SLR, having a large telephoto or zoom makes it feel off balance. So make sure to grab one of these for the aspiring sports photographer on your list.

Zoom Lenses or Prime Telephoto Lenses: If the desire is for taking amazing sports photos, will a zoom or telephoto lens is needed. Depending on your budget there are a few good options for them.

75-300mm is a good budget friendly zoom option

400 mm prime is great but not a budget friendly buy!

The Semipro

Canon EOS 6D: Having a full-format camera and the appropriate lenses are what takes photography to the next level. Making sure you stay in a budget can be hard because once you start buying full-frame the price goes up for the camera body and the lenses. There is no turning back from here in your investment but it will be well worth the bump.

I have not personally used this camera but have read great things about it. It is full frame but does not coast as much as the 5D, so I would recommend this to anyone not looking to be a professional photographer but that wants to start shopping more like a professional.

Off Camera Flash: once you get into this grade of camera there is no longer built-in flash so make sure you add an off-camera flash to your photographer's wish list. There are a few great options based on your budget.

50 MM 1.4: This lens is a must for someone wanting to take great portraits. It is a great lifestyle every day lenses. The price is manageable and won’t break the bank.

24 MM EFS 2.8: Is a great pocket lens that won’t break the bank but will utilize the full frame and take some great wider primeshots.

The Professional

Canon Mark 5D: Any pro would love a new camera body but once you hit this level of photography the investment in a camera is significant. I shoot with a 5D and love it. I have had it for about five years and it is going strong. They are sturdy and take beautiful, very high-resolution images. When you have a camera like this you need to make sure to upgrade your glass to follow suit!

Canon EF 24-70: Is a go-to lens for me. I have the Samsung version because it is more cost efficient but the Canon EF series is my dream lens. This is great for everyday lifestyle shooting.

Canon EF 85 MM: This is if you are looking for a more affordable portrait lens. It takes beautiful images and is great for lifestyle portraits.

Canon EF 70-200mm: This is almost a rite-of-passage lens for professional photographers. Once you have the EF 70-200 2.8 you have reached professional level. It was something I saved up for over a year before buying and it has been used for countless wedding and events.

Canon EF 100mm 2.8: This is an epic lens for detail shots! It is not necessary but worth having in your camera bag, especially if you do lots of nature or wedding photography. I love mine and even use it for portraits sometimes when I’m looking for a change of pace.

The Traveler

Go Pro: There are lots of travel recs, but if you're looking for the perfect gift for a traveling photographer get a Go Pro! They likely already have an SLR and lenses, so up their game with the Go Pro.

Lowepro Fastpack BP 250 AW II: A great gear bag is essential for traveling photographers. This backpack is a great bag for photographers on the road.

Budget-Friendly Gifts

SD Cards: San Disc Ultra Disc 32 GB or bigger. You can never have enough memory cards and after time they need to be swapped out, so you don’t lose images due to a corrupt card. These come in all sizes and price ranges but are affordable. Be sure to get one with a fast record speed.

Lowepro Passport Sling III: After years of going through bag after bag, this has always been my go to and fallback. It's so easy to use and holds exactly what I need when shooting a wedding, traveling, or just enjoying some camera hobby time. The price point also is great for the quality!

Small Tripod: There are lots of options for this so depending on your photographer's needs pick one you think will be used the most. I have several and use the one I can use with MY SLR and iPhone the most.