The Best Gifts for Photographers, According to Professional Photographers and Photo Editors

“Cool camera bags that don’t look like camera bags are always awesome,” says Melissa Hom, a staff photographer here at New York. She recommends the brand Ona, which is based in New York and makes all-leather and waxed-cotton messenger-style bags. Although it’s a little more expensive than other options, it comes in black and brown and is reminiscent of a vintage Coach bag, not the clunky nylon numbers you might typically associate with camera bags. There’s a less expensive canvas version available, too.

Freelance photographer and filmmaker Luke Boelitz swears by his Hadley Pro, in part because it “doesn’t scream ‘camera bag’ to a casual observer.” That doesn’t mean it’s impractical, though. The Hadley Pro is “the best camera bag for carrying a DSLR and two lenses, but it’s small enough that even when it’s jammed full of camera gear, it’s not too heavy to walk around with all day.” Boelitz owns the khaki-and-tan messenger bag.

“I was gifted a Langly bag a few years ago that I really love,” says Amy Lombard, a photographer who has shot for the New York Times, Vice, and New York, among others. “I use my Langly bag for every shoot — so often that I actually need to order a new one. It’s shockingly roomy, can fit two cameras, two lenses, two flashes, a huge bag of batteries, a laptop, an external hard drive. It’s traveled everywhere from alien-themed brothels to square dances all across the United States.” It’s also supportive. “With heavier equipment comes shoulder and back pain, and the straps are cushy enough that it softens the blow. It’s terrific if you’re on the go quite a bit, which my lifestyle tends to be,” Lombard says.

Another option for a globe-trotter comes to us from Harriet, who says this one is her go-to for carrying gear on flights. “It perfectly fits my digital kit as well as two or three film bodies and additional lenses,” she says. “Super sturdy and dependable.” She notes that the Air version is lighter to lift, making it easier to stow in an overhead bin than the brand’s original, heavier models. “It also makes you look like a badass,” she adds.

Faibyshev told us this camera strap was recommended to her by a salesperson at Adorama when she was first starting out. “I loved it so much I just bought myself a replacement for my first worn-out one purchased years ago,” she says. “It’s nothing fancy, but the thick, stretchy neoprene absorbs all the shock and keeps my neck and shoulders in good shape throughout the day.” The strap comes in plenty of different colors, too, should you want to pick out a brighter one to gift.

If the photographer’s style is a bit more utilitarian, Boelitz likes this simple yet practical camera strap from Peak Design. “The strap is a nice, almost seat-belt material that feels good on your neck and doesn’t get sweaty like thick neoprene straps,” he says. “The quick connect system makes it easy to take off the camera if you’re using a tripod, and it comes with an extra pair of connector dongles, which are compatible with all the Peak Design straps. I have a bunch of these for all my cameras.” Anthony Lee, a photographer and content creator, says he uses Peak Design for all of his cameras straps as well. “The leash is the smallest and most compact of the lot but will still hold my DSLR without any issues,” he says. He also likes the minimal and high quality feel of the straps: “possibly the best part about them is that you can easily clip or unclip from one camera to another.”

If you’re looking for something small — and less expensive than a carbon-fiber tripod — Angela Pham, co-founder of Deitch + Pham, recommends gifting “fast memory cards. Those are the items you always lose, so it’s great to have a good reserve.”

Lee recommends this Pelican micro case for protecting SD cards or any other small gear like dongles or cables. “I bought a one to store everything in one small, tough, waterproof container for an easy grab and go. It’s a perfect organizational solution,” he says.

If you want to give the gift of peace of mind, nothing says safe and secure files like an external hard drive. “External hard drives are one of the least exciting things to spend my money on, but they’re also one of the most essential,” says Faibyshev, who told us she’s “constantly” running out of hard-drive space. “I’ve had luck with Seagate drives over the other brands (knock on wood), and I recently added this one to my collection. It’s a good deal for the size.”

This small electronic flash for your camera or phone comes recommended by photographer Andrew French. “It has accessories such as color gels and diffusions,” he says “It’s a great way to dip your toes into playing with camera flash.”

French recommends this small, continuous light that fits in your pocket. It attaches to most tripods and has built-in magnets so you can quickly stick it to a wall or even the back of your phone for a photo shoot on the go. “It’s great for stills or video, and it won’t break the bank, either,” French says.

Sticking with the practical theme, David Williams, who often photographs for New York suggests this gift, which any photographer will almost certainly use. “Chances are you need batteries for something, so stop them from spending money on new batteries by giving some rechargeable ones,” he says. The Panasonic Eneloop Pro Rechargeable Pack is his favorite (and the favorite of prepper John Ramey, who told us they’re the only batteries he’ll buy), and the batteries come charged and ready to use straight out of the package. Once they start to run out of juice, all you have to do is plug them into the charger that comes with them.

If some help with on-the-go cord management is needed, travel photographer Gray Malin told us about this all-leather Dopp kit that does double duty as a toiletry bag and a holding place for cords. “What’s great is that it’ll last forever, and it holds everything,” he says. “Sometimes I put other things in there, like loose cords. It has a side strap, so you can pull it out and hold it easily instead of having to hold it like a football.”

“Recently, I have been loving this pouch,” says Boelitz. “I love the matte-black color. It’s great for batteries, memory cards, filters, cables — basically anything. It’s also just a great fanny pack for normal stuff.”

Edith Young, Repeller’s photographer, photo editor, and a writer-at-large, thinks Ilford’s disposable black-and-white cameras are “ideal for scenarios when you’d like to be shooting film but would rather not risk toting your camera around (i.e., if you’re on a boat, if you’re a couple to several margaritas deep, if you are venturing into pickpocket-heavy terrain, etc.).” Harriet also recommends this camera, especially “for weekends when you just want to take pictures casually with a click.”

“Something that I think is super-fun are the Instax Wide cameras,” says photo editor Heather Casey. “The film is about twice the size of the Instax Minis, and it feels a little more sturdy.”

Photographer, Steph Estrada also recommends you pick up some 35mm film, like the Kodak ColorPlus, to add a little character your analog photography.

French recommends you “book a tintype photo session at Penumbra to get a one of a kind photograph.”

If you want to give a photographer a gift that helps them put their — or their photographer friends’ — work on view, Faibyshev suggests these metal gallery frames from Blick. “I use these frames often, for gallery displays and at home,” she says. “The silver and black are especially sleek and super-lightweight, which makes them easy to transport and hang.” They’re fairly versatile, too: When Faibyshev has a print that doesn’t match the available frame sizes, she’ll buy a mat that fits the frame and put it over the print; once the print is framed within the mat, it “still looks great.” 

According to Williams, the photographer who loves that ubiquitous lens mug might also like to adorn a camera bag with some hyperspecific camera-themed pins made by photographer Julian Master. “The enamel pins are really fun,” Williams says.

“The introverted hoodie is one of our biggest sellers this year,” Lewis says. “It’s for photographers like myself who could talk for hours about cameras if left in a room full of photographers.”

Many photographers we spoke to suggested giving a photo book as a gift, but if you’re not sure of the person’s taste in pictures, or if you think they might like something that’s a cross between a book and an activity, take fine art and commercial photographer Holly Andres’s suggestion and gift The Photographer’s Playbook. “I love this book and find myself repurchasing it over and over after gifting my copies to fellow photographers,” she says. “It’s a collection of insights, observations, and suggestions from some of today’s most compelling photographers — Philip-Lorca diCorcia, Roger Ballen, Katie Grannan, Stephen Shore, Alec Soth, Alessandra Sanguinetti, just to name a few.” The book includes everything from practical exercises to philosophical ones, says Andres, which makes it “a treasure trove revealing secrets and creative tips from the minds of our favorite photographers.”

“I always love giving and receiving books from friends,” says photographer Chantal Anderson. A current favorite is this book, which collects essays by photographers “describing images that never were made,” she says. The book includes contributions from over 60 photographers, including Alec Soth, Deana Lawson, and Mary Ellen Mark.

“For any photographer interested in color theory, this collection of essays by Kassia St. Clair is thoroughly entertaining,” says Anderson. The book includes stories about 75 different shades, dyes, and hues, and it delves into how specific colors relate to fashion, politics, and art.

Faibyshev told us she loves art-postcard books; they’re her go-to gift for the person who has everything. “This is an oldie but goodie,” she says. “You can tear them out and hang your very own Weegee artwork on your wall.” This one might make an especially appealing gift for a photographer who loves New York City history.

We here at New York also agree that print isn’t dead, and you can gift a subscription to our magazine, too.

If you want to give a gift that’s both socially conscious and photography related, Harriet suggests making a donation to Girls’ Voices. “They partner with grassroots organizations in local communities across the world to empower young women to tell their stories through photography and film by teaching them the basics of cinematography and storytelling,” she says.