Photography Christmas Presents

[HeatherTheVet]

My wee brother was over tonight with his new camera, an entry level Nikon DSLR of which he is rather proud. He got a deal from Argos so he's got the basics - bag, tripod. I gave him my lenspen because I'm a good sister really, once I've stopped hitting him. I asked him if there was any gear he wanted for christmas, but he didn't really know.

It got me thinking - What good photography christmas pressies are out there? What are your favourite shopping websites? And (because I know we'll be making our way in this direction anyway) what is on your list for Santa?

 

[Yeats]

Well, Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure is often recommended reading for new photography enthusiasts... I didn't glean much from it, but I had an older version and already understood the basics of exposure, so perhaps it was wasted on me. But the new 3rd Edition is supposedly more inclusive of digital, so that may be a good bet.

A comfortable neck strap makes a dandy present, IMHO.

 

[HeatherTheVet]

Merry Christmas to me? COURSER Washed Canvas Vintage CAMERA Waist Hand Shoulder Bag with Protect Pad | eBay

 

[Boid]

I agree with Chris on the recommendation, Understanding Photography great for someone starting out. I bought a copy for my office as reference for all the newbies.

Also share this link with your brother -
The Three Basics of Exposure and Photography on Vimeo

I'm currently have this on my wish list -
Magnum Contact Sheets: Kristen Lubben: 9780500543993: Amazon.com: Books

That bag looks cool!

 

[pdh]

Merry Christmas to me? COURSER Washed Canvas Vintage CAMERA Waist Hand Shoulder Bag with Protect Pad | eBay

Does the vintage folder come with it as well?

 

[Andrewteee]

How about personal lessons? Just share what you know, even if by email or video chat. Quicker and more personal than a book.

My wife and I are buying ourselves a new dining room table and chairs for Christmas but beyond that there's nothing else we want. The adults in our family try to avoid things as gifts. Instead we give experiences, like a weekend away together on the coast or something. Though my dad still asks for a good bottle of wine. Food's a great gift too.

 

[Jock Elliott]

Awesome idea

Andrewteee hit the nail on the head: I think personal lessons is a stunningly great idea. . . expertise and attention . . . what's not to like?

Cheers, Jock

 

[Luke]

My fave place to browse for camera geekiness is Photojojo. Unfortunately, it's heavy on iPhone related stuff, but there's still some pretty cool little gems in there. One of my faves is a build-it-yourself (!) TLR camera kit for a mere $20 ....... The DIY Twin Lens Camera Kit - The Photojojo Store!

and this is the tripod I would LOVE to have, but it's way too much money for a man in my income bracket, but I'd feel just like Ansel Adams (and I'd be getting a workout every time I carried it, too!)
Parabo Press: Homepage

 

[Luke]

in another thread somewhere today someone had a link to an article in a magazine called f11. I've been spending most of the day marveling at the photos and reading every article. A truly gorgeous magazine about photography. It would make a GREAT Christmas gift.

 

[Livnius]

Great find Luke...will definitely have a good look at f11 when I get home on the laptop.

Photography Xmas present for a newbie ?

How about a Flickr Pro account ? I forget how much they are, $20 I think. A great way to get someone into the idea of not only viewing other people's photos and hunting groups and topics of interest....but also, of sharing his own stuff.

 

[Andrewteee]

f11 reminds me of Ag magazine, which was by far my favorite photography magazine. And it was all about photography - hardly any gear talk at all. Sadly, the editor passed on and the magazine seems to have joined him.