Top Ten Gifts for Photographers

1. Every photographer needs his or her own tools of the trade, and one gift idea a nice camera bag. A case will protect his or her investment from damage when in transportation or not in use. The gift seeker can purchase a camera bag in various shapes, sizes, and price ranges. Finding affordable bags is easy on the gift giver's budget. I purchased my Kodak digital camera from Wal-Mart last year, when selecting my camera I found a case that fit my needs and camera magnificently.

2. Another tool of the trade would be a tripod. The tripod is used for taking still pictures or long-range shots; therefore, ensuring stability and clearness, providing a better final product. The tripod could mean the difference between a mediocre shot of a river or stream, or a stunning shot every photographer dreams of capturing the heart of the viewer.

Keep this in mind, many digital cameras have digital zoom pre-programmed into the unit, the operator must hold the camera perfectly still if the camera is pushed to this limit, if not the photo taken will not be clear and distortion will be evident in the final product. This is another reason I recommend the purchase of a tripod; discouragement is taken down to a minimum for the user

3. The photographer who strictly uses digital media, an extra memory stick would put a smile on his or her face. This will allow him or her to go for longer periods on a shoot.

4. Digital enhancing software is ideal for the photographer who shoots in digital. I recommend Adobe Photoshop for the serious photo-enhancing professional, and for more user-friendly software for the enthusiast, I recommend Ulead Photo Enhancing Software. Your family member or friend will have many hours of fun creating his or her individual masterpieces. The photographer will be able to create digitally enhanced photos with ease.

They will be able to correct exposure, take out red eye, or if they want paste and cut a photo of President Bush into one of their favorite shots. Another fun and addicting digital software is morphing programs. In the last few years, I have had a stellar time learning to create dream like images that defy the imagination. Whether you turn your children into horses, or want to change your son into his sister, morphing software defies the imagination.

5. Another gift, which keeps on giving, is a membership for a file-sharing site on the Internet for the new photographer or professional. I have personally found sharing my work has increased my picture capturing abilities, and my work has greatly improved since the first picture I took a few years ago. I would recommend the site, Fanartreview.com. Your fellow content providers on the site will always provide useful information for improving your work. The site also allows the creator of the work to sell his or her pieces of art.

6. Buy your photographer a book on photography. Many of the books on the market have a vast and collective amount of information on improving your photography skills, and the self help photography will give them ideas on new and creative ways to take photos.

7. Another tool of the trade, a set of filters for photographer's camera. The filter allows for better picture taking during bad lighting conditions, such as in the middle of the day when the sky is the brightest. The filter will improve on the quality of the picture, giving a deeper blue sky, or add to the effects such a clearer radiant ocean, the enhancements will cause the eyes of the viewer to delve deeper into the photograph.

8. Every photographer would appreciate extra media to save his work on, such as blank CDS and DVDS. Too many times large digital video files will clog even the most organized photographers hard drive, extra space can be freed with a few punches of the copy button to the extra media. A cool fact to remember a blank DVD can hold as many as two thousand digital files, so a DVD copier might be a great gift for the photographer.

9. Every photographer would appreciate film for his or camera, or if the photographer prefers shooting with digital, an extra battery may be a wonderful gift for both the digital and film capturers.

10. The last thing I can possibly think of to buy for the photographer is a new camera. Ask him or her ahead of time a few opened ended questions. What are they looking for in a new camera? Do you take digital or film media? After acquiring some information about the future purchase you might want to go online and do some consumer research. Look for reviews by users who have field-tested camera to make an educated purchase.