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If you're searching for a gift for a photographer, the answers are honestly usually fairly easy. If there's one thing that holds true about this wondrous picture-taking thing it's that it involves a lot of gear and a photographer who wants more of it.
It's not our fault. It just happens.
Your biggest challenge therefore may be matching up a gift that your favorite photographer wants with what your budget will bear. The sad fact is that photography, as addictive and wonderfully entertaining and creatively fulfilling as it can be, is also a bit expensive. Case in point: I'd introduce you to my disposable income, but it has been invisible since 2005 - right about the time I took my first photography class.
That Canon 5D Mark II may look as beautiful as it undoubtedly is on the B & H Photo and Video Web site, (a good spot to find just about anything any photographer could need) but you may not be interested in spending a month's salary on it, either. In that case, you could do what I've asked my people to do a few times if they really want to contribute to my heart's desire and chip in a gift card towards the exorbitant cost of the latest thing I just have to have. It might seem boring, but if they really have to have it, the help will be appreciated.
Beyond and besides that, there are many options at all price points that make very cool gifts for people who take pictures, not all of whom need or want the highest-end Canon -or Nikon, or Sony, or Pentax - model. Here are a few ideas:
Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize:
The camera bag I have used daily since the summer of 2008 -the Swiss Gear DIANA bag- is actually more like a camera purse. I take my digital SLR everywhere because I shoot all the time and I never know when I'll need it. I wanted something less utilitarian than the average bag, and I found it for $59.99 at Best Buy. It is available for approximately the same price at Amazon.com.
It has several interior compartments for camera bodies and lenses, and side pockets for batteries, cords and memory cards. I have used it daily for more than a year and it is definitely showing its age so I'm in the market for a replacement.
The Bad Ass Bowler Bag is a very cute option found on PhotoJojo, for $50.
Janine King Designs offers some very attractive handmade options on Etsy. As of today they are still shipping for Christmas.
Help them get out there shooting:
Most photographers can use inspiration and as much as I'm a fan of taking pictures in my own backyard, it's always fun to see and shoot some new sights.
Many metropolitan areas have companies that provide photography experiences at a range of price levels and durations. In the Washington area, Washington Photo Safaris provide opportunities to shoot local landmarks and natural wonders like the annual appearance of the cherry blossoms on the Tidal Basin with the guidance of an experienced professional photographer. I went on a group shoot of the monuments and the National Mall when I was taking photo classes. I learned some new things and it was also fun to be out shooting with other people who enjoyed the process as much as I did.
Owner David Luria links to similar programs in Chicago, Boston, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Ottawa, central Pennsylvania, Baltimore, and San Francisco. I'm salivating over the prospect of the New Orleans Photography Workshop and the Southwest Photography Adventures, but a nice person giving me those would have to throw in some airfare and a hotel room too, so back to the piggy bank I go.
Community colleges and local recreation departments and arts organizations often offer photography classes, so for a longer-term commitment you could help to subsidize your budding photographer's practice of the craft. I have taught outdoor photo classes for women who bring very nice cameras still in the box. Because they fear they won't know how to use them correctly, they sadly do not use them at all. This should not be! It's no use having a fancy camera if you can't turn it on. A class taught by someone who understands the technical side of things can pay off in many ways, not least of which is that a great camera gets
