A Photographer’s Wishlist | by Abi Coop
Having photography as a passion, whether it’s your profession or a beloved hobby, means there’s always more gear we crave, as well as other handy accessories, and charming photography-themed finds that make perfect gifts. Here’s a curated list, in no particular order, and across a range of budgets, of my favourites to spark some ideas for your wishlist this Christmas. Feel free to share this blog with your loved ones (perhaps with a few items highlighted) or maybe just treat yourself!
Fun accessories:
Copper tubes, ring prisms, Lensbaby OMNI sets…
These accessories are incredibly fun to experiment with. Use them to create rings of fire, shaped bokeh, colourful patterns, unique reflections and other captivating effects by positioning them between your camera lens and your subject.
Lensbaby OMNI is a creative filter system for adding flair to your work by shooting through specifically engineered objects. They come as wands, which you can either handhold in front of your lens or attach with magnets to a screw-on ring. There are a wide variety of different wands available for creating all sorts of different artistic in-camera effects. The original set comes with the screw-on ring (available in 2 sizes) and has 3 wands - the crystal seahorse, the stretch glass, and the rainbow film. There are then several different expansion sets available to add more light, colour and reflection magic to your images. Lensbaby currently have a Black Friday Sale on, and my Lensbaby Ambassador code WCOOP can be added to this, saving you 40% altogether on these kits!
Fingerless gloves
Winter is cold, so it’s important to wrap up. I typically go with layers as I often will get warm walking about, plus doing all kinds of yoga-like movements to get my shots. However, my hands inevitably get cold when exposed to the elements while holding my camera. A good pair of fingerless gloves helps keep them toasty whilst still allowing me to adjust my settings, press the shutter button and review what I have captured.
Let’s Celebrate course
Education is an investment, so as well as providing you with inspiration for this festive season, our course equips you with skills that you can continue to use and build on into the new year and beyond. The course includes all genres, and is divided into three main sections: preparation, shooting and editing, taking you from the initial inspiration to the finishing touches of a glittery overlay.
Check out the Let’s Celebrate Holiday Course Here!
If you’re looking to take your learning even further and progress your photography in 2025, I also offer one-to-one mentorships. These can be tailored to suit you, both in terms of timescales and also bespoke to your personal goals.
Learn More about one-to-0ne Mentorships Here!
From Thanksgiving through to Cyber Monday, there’s 25% off everything in the Framed Focus shop, so be sure to take advantage of this fantastic offer! Just use code BLACK25 at checkout!
Lensball
Another fun photography accessory, a Lensball is glass ball that creates an inverted image. As light is refracted through the ball it acts like a fish-eye lens with a distorted panoramic field of view. You can either hold it and include your hand in the frame - a “becoming the subject perspective”, have someone else hold it or place it on a surface. You can even try flipping the resulting image vertically (such that the virtual image in the ball is the right way up) and see which you prefer.
Photographer Merchandise
Mugs, keychains, jewellery, t-shirts, chocolates, tree ornaments… there are so many cheesy, sentimental or cute photography based products available that make perfect stocking fillers. These knick-knacks are fun to choose and to receive, and can be practical - both for their intended purpose and for use as props in your photography! Did you know The Framed Focus has a merch shop?! You can check it out here!
Memory Cards
A photographer can never have enough memory cards, and it’s always worthwhile keeping a spare one in your camera bag. Watch out for Black Friday offers on these are there are usually some good deals to be found. Look for ones with a fast write speed.
Lego Camera
A great novelty gift providing the opportunity to sit away from a screen for little bit, whilst still keeping your brain active. There are a couple of different options at different price points. The cheaper option is a 3-in-1 retro camera (which can also build as a video camera or a TV). The other is a replica of the Polaroid OneStep SX-70, which offers the additional element of nostalgia. Once built you could keep your model to decorate your office or home working space, or again use within your photos. I don’t have either of these yet, but I do enjoy capturing my husband’s light up Lego models (he’s a big Lego fan!)
Camera Strap
Camera straps, both neck straps and wrist straps, come in all colours, patterns, materials and lengths. There’s something for everyone and it’s a great way to add personality to a photographer’s kit. You can even get ones with a name on! Mine is a soft, stretchy fabric in my favourite colours. It’s super comfortable and even has a little zip pocket for my lens cap (obviously I still manage to regularly lose them!)
There are countless other great ideas to consider: camera bags, external hard drives, cleaning kits, tripods, rain covers, ND filters, drones, action cameras like GoPros, or even new lenses and camera bodies!
I hope these thoughtful and creative gift suggestions spark some inspiration, whether you’re treating yourself or shopping for the photographer in your life. What’s on your wishlist this Christmas? Let me know!
