With Christmas fast approaching, we're on the lookout for ideas for Christmas gifts.. Do you have one or more photographers in your circle? In this article I'd like to give you some ideas for gifts for them. I'll be talking more specifically about outdoor photographers (landscapes, nature, travel, etc.) who always need a few things to make their lives easier 🤓. Indeed, from shooting to uploading images the journey is long and the needs can be numerous!
A photo backpack
It's a great classic, but above all it's indispensable. All photographers need to transport their equipment all year round. From bulky bags for carrying lots of equipment to small lightweight bags for short photo trips, you need at least two. What's more, the bags need to be at least adapted to the style of photography you practice.
For exterior photography, according to if you're a wildlife photographer with a 300 or 400mm lens, you'll need a sturdy bag to carry it in. (or even a special bag) If you're doing macro photography, there will be slightly fewer requirements in terms of size. for landscape photography, a wide-angle lens is still less imposing 😉 !
Personally, I particularly appreciate the Lowepro brand very comfortable for the back on long walks (and yes, as the hours go by, it's not insignificant), modular as you like for the interior layout, (the central part accepts a 300mm) it's big enough for me to take my equipment and quite compact despite everything.
Having had the same bag for several years now, I can confirm that they are particularly resistant (not a single seam has broken so far) despite the heat, the cold, the rain, etc. (this bag has been through it all 😱) What's more, a specific rain cover is stored in the bag's pocket (floor) that you unroll over the whole bag in case of heavy rain (very effective).
I chose this bag, because it was very comfortable on the back, but also around the waist. But best of all, when you want to open it, you take your arms out of the straps and you can keep your waist closed, turn the bag in front of you, and open it. As you can see from the photo, the bag opens from the front (the side that's on your back if you prefer 😜 ), so you don't have to put it on the ground (no water, no mud ... ) and the system holds !!! It hasn't cracked yet!
A protective cover
This is another accessory that I find rather indispensable for outdoor photographers. After all, we have photos to take every season, and not all seasons are kind!
No matter how well sealed our cameras and lenses are against humidity and dust, serious additional protection is not a luxury. If there's the slightest flaw, dust, sand and rain will end up getting in somewhere, and electronics don't like that 😢 !
This protection will also be particularly useful near waterfalls, where droplets fly everywhere!
A mini tripod
More practical than the big ones for my taste, the little tripods are super handy A must-have for macro or proxi photography. It's light, compact, easy to carry and very manoeuvrable, so you can be close to the ground in any position to get very close to your subject!
But there's more, they can be used as secondary tripods for many other things You can use it to hold your smartphone so you can take reels or selfies and share them on social networks, or stand on a table for lighting purposes... Some ultra-flexible tripods are also extremely handy for hanging on anything!
In short, since I got my petit Velbon I'm even more aware of its usefulness 😅.
Accessories to protect against the cold
We're not specific to photography here, but when you're spending hours outdoors in winter, good cold weather gear makes all the difference. It allows us to resist and hold out longer, so there's a better chance of getting good photos! Generally speaking, outdoor photographers are well equipped with heavy clothing, but small accessories such as under-gloves, chapkas and special cold-weather socks are always useful! So welcome gifts for Christmas 😜!!! There are even special gloves for photographers so that you can hold and operate your camera properly.
Photo editing software
So far we've been talking about external equipment, but There are also technical requirements for post-production, such as computer hardware and software.. In general, when you've been taking photos for a while, the production flow has already become established or is becoming more refined. But the artist is constantly evolving and software such as On1 Photo Raw or Luminar Neo are very useful additions that can save precious time. during photo retouching. This means you can spend more time in the field shooting and less time developing and retouching.
If you would like to purchase On1 Photo Raw, you can use the discount code " DRAGONSTREET "to obtain 15% discount on On1 productsof even to get 10% on Luminar Neo.
Reducing On1 Photo Raw and Luminar Neo
If you would like to purchase On1 Photo Raw, you can use the discount code " DRAGONSTREET "to get 15% discount on On1 products, from even to get 10% on Luminar Neo
Training (in software or photography)
As mentioned in the previous paragraph, a photographer is an artist, and an artist is always looking to progress. They never arrive at their goal (and that's the whole point 😍 ) and are always on the road to progress. We all learn from each other, and that's the richness of our passions. A training course in photography keeps us up to date in the use of software (which is advancing rapidly technologically) or a training course in your own type of photography to constantly improve both your technique and your art.
I'd like to take this opportunity to invite you to visit my training courses on On1 Photo Raw and Capture One.
I hope these Christmas ideas help and inspire you,
See you soon,
David
