Unique gift ideas for photographers

Trying to find the perfect gift for a photographer?

I’m sharing my personal favorite photography essentials and camera gear that I use daily as a wedding photographer. Great for any photography lover — whether they’re a beginner just starting out or a seasoned professional who already has all the gear.

Low-quality gear is my biggest pet peeve so you won’t find any cheesy gifts here. This gift guide includes everything from inexpensive, practical gifts to high-end, luxury presents that are perfect for a birthday or holidays.

Looking for a thoughtful thank-you gift for your photographer? You can’t go wrong with a good candle, a relaxing spa day, or a treat or two.

• Instant Print Camera: Best for printing fun photos on the go
• iPad Pro: Best for editing photos on the go
• Loupedeck+: Best editing tool for faster editing workflows
• Quality memory-cards: Best essential gift for any photographer
• Cozy work from home essentials: Fun & cozy gifts for photographers who work from home
• Noise canceling headphones: Best for working in loud places
• Harness for carrying two cameras: Best for wedding, elopement or portrait photographers
• Skillshare membership: Best for ongoing creative learning
• 50mm lens: Best lens for beginners and pros
• Rechargeable Batteries: Best useful and affordable gift
• Camera clip: Best for photographers who love to hike or travel with their camera
• Walking pad: Best for working at home and staying active
• A sunrise alarm clock: Best for photographers who do sunrise sessions
• Digital Picture Frame: Best for photographers who love showcasing their own photos
• Compact mirrorless camera: Best for their personal photos
• Weighted vest: Best prep for carrying heavy cameras

Instant print camera: Print out fun Polaroids

They may already have a fancy camera, but a fun print-out camera can be great for personal photos! I love a classic Polaroid or this new hybrid digital/instant print-out camera! Both cameras will take the Instax Polaroid photo paper.

I found these magnetic clear frames for your fridge and I’m ordering 100 immediately. These would make a super cute and inexpensive photography gift.

iPad Pro: for editing photos on the go

If you’re looking for a bigger gift for a birthday or Christmas, an iPad Pro is perfect for editing or working on the go. I personally love it for culling my photos on Lightroom Mobile and doodling on ProCreate. I took lots of fun classes on SkillShare for creating in ProCreate and loved expanding my creative skills!

It can obviously be used for so much more and I love having my iPad with me for traveling or work on the go.

Loupedeck+: to speed up editing workflows

The Loupedeck+ is one of my favorite tools for editing my photos. It speeds up my workflow (if I remember to use it) and I’m able to make my edits more precise with the customizable dials and controls. You can use it for both photo and video editing. I have the Loupedeck+, but there are a few other more compact designs.

Quality memory cards for cameras

Good-quality memory cards are a must for every photographer and they are always on my list to buy. Watch out for just any memory cards on Amazon. It’s crucial to invest in reliable, professional-grade cards rather than opting for cheaper alternatives if you have a photography business. Make sure to check the type of memory card the camera requires.

Most cameras take SD cards, but every camera is different. Mine takes both SD cards and CF express cards. I personally love the Sony Tough SD cards and the Lexar CF Express. Both are incredible quality memory cards for professionals and fast cameras!

Cozy work from home essentials

My work from home ‘uniform’ consists of anything cozy for a work from home editing day. My essentials are, cozy slippers, a heated blanket, A Yeti to keep my coffee warm (or an Ember mug.)

Noise canceling headphones for working from home or coffee shop

These JBL noise canceling headphones are my favorite headphones and can’t believe how often I use them. My boyfriend has these Sony headphones and has loved them as well.

I use them for so much more than headphones. I also use them for using type-to-text for my blogging and they play a big part in my day-to-day! They really help with speeding up my workflow process.

Camera harness for carrying multiple cameras at once

This harness allows you to hold two cameras (sometimes more) and is a must for a wedding, elopement or portrait photographer. It makes changing gear easy and accessible.

My typical setup is my 135mm lens on one camera and my 24-70mm lens on the other.

Skillshare Subscription: Creative art classes and online workshops

I first got a Skillshare Subscription when I wanted to get a little more creative and take easy art classes essentially in every subject. I started with watercolor classes and other creative classes but also found that I loved their other educational courses like SEO, Ads, and anything else related to business foundation.

It’s the perfect gift for someone creative in your life if you’re not quite sure what they want! This will give a good mix of everything.

50mm Lens: an amazing and affordable lens for beginners

If they’re a beginner photographer and just getting their camera gear figured out, a 50mm lens is the perfect place to start! There are many different versions of quality of this lens, but the 50mm 1.8 is my favorite budget-friendly lens to start with! You’ll need to get the correct mount for whatever brand of camera they have.

I also love this for traveling as it’s SO lightweight. The cheaper one does have some focusing issues, but it’s still a fun and gorgeous lens! If you want a higher quality lens, the professional grade 1.2 is such an amazing lens!

Rechargeable batteries for camera gear

I love these rechargeable batteries! I bought them to use as batteries for my flashes, but I find myself using them ALL over the house. Be sure to buy the charger with a big pack of batteries. I always want to add more to my battery collection – both for my camera bag and for my home junk drawer.

Peak design camera clip for hiking with your camera

This camera clip for your backpack makes for the perfect gift under $100! I got this for Christmas and I was so excited about it! It did take me a little bit of time to find a backpack that it would fit on, but it is so handy and for someone who loves hiking and traveling, it was the best gift. I also got the handle strap with it which I was surprised with how much I use it and love it!

I’m adding their camera packs to my Christmas wish list and very excited to give them a try!

A walking pad for walking while working for the active photographer

I’m personally adding this walking pad to my Christmas list so I can edit or work while walking. I think one of the hardest parts of my business is sitting in front of a computer editing and I crave time outside or movement. I’m nervous and excited to try this.

A sunrise alarm clock for sunrise sessions

I guess this one could be for anyone, but if they’re waking up at 3AM for sunrise sessions, they need this sunrise alarm clock. Nothing makes me more furious than waking up with a blaring alarm. If you’re giving this to your partner, this is basically a gift for yourself.

An Aura digital picture

The perfect gift for displaying photos of their travels and adventures! The Aura Digital Picture Frame has been a hit in 2025 for gifting pretty much anyone in your life. You can send photos right from your phone to the frame.

Still not sure? Check out this list of what’s in my camera bag for more gift ideas!

Mirrorless travel camera

They may already have a camera for their photography, but this compact and lightweight mirrorless Fujifilm camera would be perfect for traveling or their own ‘personal photos.’ It has ‘presets’ built in so you don’t have to edit which I think any photographer can appreciate not having to edit more photos.

Weighted vest

Not exactly photography related, but as a photographer carrying multiple heavy cameras and lenses at once, training with a weighted vest helps so much to prep my body for a busy season.

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