Fret not! There are holiday stocking stuffers available for your favorite photographer! Better yet, they cover the needs of a wide-ranging swath of holiday budgetary restrictions. I don’t know about the holidays at your home, but I do know that, growing up, my stocking stuffers ranged from chintzy thingies purchased at discount stores in the 11th hour to honest-to-goodness super-useful cool gifts. Now, I am not being thankless when I mention the super-thoughtful (not) trinkets received, but it was the über-cool stocking fillers that always made the warmest impressions.
As usual, I took an office poll here at B&H Photo to get some ideas of what the local shutterbugs thought were awesome stocking stuffers. If you want some too-big-for-hosiery ideas, click here. But, for stuffing stockings, here is a list of 20 for your enjoyment!
Old School
Let’s start with a curveball here. Film. Remember that stuff? If you are young, you might be curious about the photographic medium, but have never tried it. If you are older, chances are there is a film camera somewhere in the house. In a closet. Up there on that shelf. In that box. Get a 5-pack of Kodak Porta and go make some art!
Get Closer
Extension tubes are basically spacers that live between your camera and the lens. They allow the lens to focus much more closely than it can without the tubes. Putting tubes like these inexpensive Vello Manual Extension Tubes on your camera is one of the least expensive ways to experience close-up macro photography.
Light It Up
Tiny. Powerful. Rechargeable. Waterproof. Bright as a coastal lighthouse at full power. The Lume Cube packs 1500 lumens of light—that is 5x more light than my super-bright cycling headlight—in a tiny little package that can slip directly from your holiday stocking into your camera bag and easily satisfy dozens of artificial-illumination needs.
Edit Away
Most digital photographers post-process their images on professional photo-editing software, but many beginners do not. This is a shame because, once you learn a little, you can do a lot with your images. A gift of a year’s subscription to Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop is definitely a gift that keeps on giving and, when you think of the monthly cost, very reasonable for what you get. As a digital subscription, you can really buy this at the last minute, if you need to.
Instant Art
We have been saying it for a few years, but instant-film photography is still quite the rage. If you don’t believe me, try it out! Some of these cameras will stretch the fabric on a garden-variety stocking, but some are compact. Regardless of the size, grab some instant film and start making holiday memories right away. There is power in a printed image.
Remote Control
An unlikely companion in the rookie’s camera bag, the wired cable release is a meaningful accessory that is nearly a requirement for some not-so-advanced photographic endeavors like night photography or time-lapse photography. The Vello ShutterBoss II packs a timer, remote, and other functions into its body. Match up your camera brand with the correct ShutterBoss and start doing some cool stuff with your camera.
Bend It
One of the more innovative solutions to the age-old problem of stabilizing your camera, the miggo Splat SLR Mini Tripod is flexible and versatile, and some of them glow in the dark (a feature that makes almost anything cool). You can wrap it around things, wrap it around your camera, hang it, or use it like a table-top tripod. The Splat is ready for many chores.
Be a Hero
A bit on the spendy side—only use as a stocking stuffer if your other gifts are… disappointing—the GoPro HERO6 will likely find a place of honor with any photographer, even if they aren’t spending the weekend snowboarding or the summers in the surf. The GoPro is a completely capable camera that simply can go where “regular cameras” cannot. And, it fits in a standard Mk 1 Mod 0 stocking. You are welcome.
Make it Fun
Photography is many things, but one thing it should always be is: fun. Maybe your photographer lost their way, or maybe it is time to try something different. Well, look no further than the line of Lomography and Holga film cameras. Some cost more than others, but all are capable of serious fun photography. Experience medium format photography. Build your own 35mm camera. Take awesome photographs.
The Gift of Education
As a photographer, I am constantly learning new tricks and techniques and refining my craft. I am a proponent of the formal photographic education, as well as the slightly less formal ways you can learn photography. Our friend Scott Kelby has been molding the minds of photographers of all skill levels and ages for many years and a digital subscription to his lessons gives you access to hundreds of online photo courses covering wide-ranging topics.
Don’t Forget
Everyone needs memory cards for their digital cameras. And, you can pack a ton of the SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO SDXC cards into a stocking. Also, an extra memory card reader like this USB 3.0 Dual Slot number from Lexar or this Delkin Universal Memory Card Reader are always nice to have—take it from someone who has bought more than one card reader at a premium price while traveling from home.
L as in Love
The L-bracket is one of those photo accessories that very few people have, but the ones that do find them indispensable and feel disadvantaged when they no longer have one attached to their camera. Let’s cut to the chase: if the photographer in your life uses a tripod more than a little bit, they will likely love having an L-bracket to let them flip the camera from horizontal to vertical in seconds instead of fumbling with the tripod ball head’s 90º notch.
All Around-er
Another of the pricier options for a stocking, the Ricoh Theta V 360 4K Spherical VR camera takes your wide-angle photography into new, or better said, all directions. Want to do a group photo during a holiday party? Don't get up from the table—just put the Theta where the roast or turkey sits and take a photo of everyone while they gather around the table. Of course, you can do more with it—a lot more.
Filtration
Ranking up there on the usefulness scale, a polarizing filter like the Formatt Hitech 77mm Firecrest SuperSlim Circular polarizer is a great addition to any outdoor shooter’s camera bag. The polarizer is pretty much the only filter that produces effects that cannot be digitally simulated. Also, the Variable Neutral Density Filter, like this one from Tiffen, allows you to dial in darkness to prolong your exposure and get silky smooth rivers and waterfalls. Figure out your loved one’s largest lens and get a filter that fits. If you are feeling super thoughtful, grab step-up rings so the filter fits his or her other lenses.
Gnar-ly, Dude
Again, spendy. However, sometimes price can be justified by super-coolness and usefulness. The GNARBOX Portable Backup and Editing System is perfect for the adventure photographer or photojournalist on assignment. More than just a backup system, it connects to your smartphone and allows you to edit images without a bulky laptop or even a heavy tablet.
Everybody Loves a Buddy
Does the inside of your camera bag lack personality? It won’t after you add some LenzBuddy lens rear and front lens caps. Funky designs and colors help you personalize your gear, or just go with the focal length labels and forget the days when you would pull the wrong lens out of the black abyss of your disorganized camera bag.
Strap It
I’ve said it before, and I will say it again: there are better camera straps than the one that shipped with your camera, and there are ones that don’t give free advertising to your favorite camera brand. When I ask folks for gift ideas, the camera strap is always on the list and the one camera strap brand that keeps getting mentioned is Peak Design.
A Leica
Many Leica cameras will fit into a stocking but few allow you enough leftover funds to purchase said stocking. Made in Germany, this Leica Money Clip is rarely carried by Leica shooters since they, after purchasing their Leicas, are out of cash.
End the Bumpiness
One difference between amateur video footage and that with a professional look is stabilization. To stabilize your GoPro camera and keep things portable, you can use a device like the FreeVision VILTA 3-Axis 2-in-1 Gimbal instead of a complex rig system. Also, coming soon for your mobile phones, Freevision is releasing a smartphone gimbal.
Cards are the BEST!
Guess what ALWAYS fits into a stocking? The B&H Photo Gift Card. Everyone raves about the gift card and I did as well in my hands-on reviews of the physical B&H Photo Gift Card as well as the Electronic B&H Photo Gift Card.
Gifts Galore
Nothing above striking a chord? Check out the Apparel & Collectibles section of the B&H Photo website for great gift ideas like lens mugs, T-shirts, camera cookie cutters, ball caps, and more!
What do you want to find in your stocking? Let us (and your secret gift-giver) know in the Comments section, below!
