Father's Day Gift Ideas for the Aspiring Writer/photographer Dad

Contrary to popular belief, not all dads are meat-grilling, sports-loving necktie-wearers. Dads of the world have varied interests, hobbies and aspirations. Some dads are writers, some are photographers, some are passionate about music, and some are all of the above.

These are the fathers that, when Father's Day rolls around, it might be difficult to find the right gift. Barbecue aprons are on sale, and that striped necktie would look great with his blue shirt, but do not fall victim to the Father's Day conundrum - not all fathers are the same.

If you are too lazy to make a gift for your artistic father - the way it should be - these gifts should be just as good.

Books
Chances are if that special father is a writer, he is most definitely a reader. A gift certificate to his favorite bookstore is nice, but finding that book he has been looking for or that one he never knew about is even better. Drop hints to find out what books he wants, but maybe has not got around to buying.

Specific books for the writing father include a copy of the most recent edition of the Writers Market and the Guide to Literary Agents. Books about writing are always helpful as well. Stephen King's book, On Writing, is a winner. Or you can just hit the Classics section. Every bookstore has the classics, and usually at a discount compared to other books.

Pens
Nice pens - the kind that inspire steady writing and not handshaking insanity - are expensive. The laptop junkies may not find the same value in pens as an old-school writer, but a couple decent pens and a nice notebook is often inspiration to get started on a new project. Expensive gift sets might be overkill. Aim for a step above ballpoint and one below monogrammed steel.

Web site
Many aspiring writers take to the Internet to fine tune their skills and help get their name out there. Those same writers are also probably not making much money with strictly web writing. With that said, fathers are very resource minded. They want something they can use. Help your aspiring writer father by purchasing a domain name, or kick in to help build a Web site.

Camera Accessories
Any serious, aspiring photographer has at least the essentials. A decent DSLR and a mid-range lens. They might not have much more than that. Camera gear is expensive, and the smaller less expensive items quickly add up to a large total cost. A photographer can never have too many camera batteries or memory cards, especially if they currently only have one.

For more enterprising gift givers, lenses are an immediate tool to give a photographer brand-new avenues to explore. Lenses are also very expensive. Fortunately, for under $100, one of the sharpest, best lenses is available. The 50mm fixed lenses, available for many different camera bodies, provide far and away the most bang for your buck. Google lists many different stores that carry this lens as cheaply as $75 plus shipping. Ebay is another option for lenses, but take great care in shopping online for camera equipment.

Artistic fathers will appreciate useful gifts, but more than anything, they will appreciate quality time with their families. A day trip away from home to photograph and discover new experiences may be just what he needs. A chance to share his passions with the people he loves most. That and a big steak.