Top Ten Gift Ideas for a Beginner Photographer

Photography is not only a profession many enjoy; it is fast becoming an extremely popular hobby since the introduction of digital cameras. So if you have a budding photographer in your family or circle of friends here are the top ten gift ideas for a beginner photographer, taking into consideration they already have a camera.

1. Photography book
Whether your beginner photographer is aspiring to become a competent amateur or sought after professional there are some basics of photography that they will need to learn. Today there are some excellent photography books on the market and one or more of these are an excellent gift idea for a beginner photographer. Books that beginners would appreciate include those cover composition and image editing. One of the best books on exposure is called Understanding Exposure Revised Edition by Bryan Peterson and it a must for any photographer. It has stunning photo examples and techniques are explained in simple to understand terms.

2. Camera Care Kit
Whether your beginner photographer is using a relatively simple point and shoot camera or learning to use their first digital SLR properly, looking after their camera will be important. Pay a visit to a local camera shop an put together a camera care kit that includes a camera cloth, lens cleaner and book on how to care for your camera.

3. Filter
One piece of equipment that photographers use is a filter. There are a large variety of filters that serve different purposes. One of the best filters to give a beginner photographer is a polarizing filter. A polarizing filter helps to remove atmospheric haze and greatly improves the colour quality of a photograph. It is one of the first filters a photographer should have, making it a top gift idea for a beginner photographer. When choosing a filter it will be important to know the exact camera model the beginner photographer has to ensure it will fit properly. Sometimes it is required to purchase a special attachment piece.

4. Spare Battery and Charger
Digital cameras use a lot of battery power and it is always best to have one or two spare while out shooting, just in case the power runs out. Digital cameras take different kinds of batteries. If possible get rechargeable ones and purchase the correct charger to include with the gift. You will need to know the camera model for this gift as not all cameras take the same batteries.

5. Camera Bag
A snazzy, roomy camera bag is a great gift idea for a beginner photographer. Look for a durable bag that has waterproofing, sufficient padding and plenty of places for extra lenses, batteries and memory cards. Low Pro is a common camera bag maker and makes some of the best camera bags.

6. Memory Cards
If your beginner photographer is using a digital camera then the gift of memory cards will be happily received. There is nothing worse than being on a trip or out shooting than seeing a great shot and not having any more room on the memory card. So any photographer will want to have a few spare to ensure nothing gets missed.

7. Photo Printer
With the popularity of digital cameras came home photo printers. There are a large amount of photo printers available that allow photographers to print their own photos at home. Due to the popularity the price of these printers is reasonable and you are certain to please any beginner photographer with this gift.

8. Photo Paper
One thing your beginner photographer will want to do is print off their photos to share, so one of the top ten gift ideas for a beginner photographer is photo paper. Photo paper comes in a variety of sizes. You may want to get an assortment of sizes or a specific size that fits the photo printer of your beginner photographer.

9. Photo Album
A gift of a photo album will be welcome with smiles of thanks by your beginner photographer. Photo albums come in all shapes and sizes with a variety of plain and themed covers. Use your knowledge of the recipient to pick an album that would suit their tastes. One thing you will want to ensure it that the album contains acid free paper, this will ensure that the photographs are better preserved.

10. Notebook and Pen
When a beginner photographer is learning it is a good idea for them to take note of the photographs they are taking such as the weather, exposures used and photo numbers. This will allow them to correctly analyse their work to see where they went wrong and what they did right. Try to pick a good quality notebook maybe leather bound and a good quality pen that they can keep in their camera bag.