Shopping for a photographer? We’ve got you covered.
Our holiday buying guide will help you pick out the perfect gift for the photographer in your life. Beginners, pros, and everything in between, we have something in mind for all skill levels.
This guide helps summarize several of our articles which feature more details and other options. Make sure to check out the full articles linked below if you’d like the complete breakdown and insight into our gift ideas!
If Santa can’t get these items delivered in time, you can always rely on us! Our gift certificates are the perfect gift idea for those in hurry!
Best Camera For A Beginner
Our Pick: Canon M50 mirrorless
This terrific mirrorless camera is back from last year’s list and for good reason. 24 megapixels, 4k video, 143 auto-focus points, face-section, and easy to use; there’s not much more you’ll want or need! Still curious? Read our full article here.
Suited for:
Beginner/intermediate photographers, travel, street photo, and video enthusiasts
Notable Features:
Lots of customizable buttons mean easy access to your manual settings
The back LCD screen is both touchscreen AND articulating (i.e. swivels and flips), making it great for photo and video
Speaking of video, this camera has super high res 4K video, which, along with the moveable screen, makes it an excellent choice for all you vloggers and YouTube stars out there.
Available certified and refurbished directly through Canon—highly recommended by the BPW!
Price:
Around $650 with the kit lens
Runners up: Nikon D5600, Sony a6000, and more. Read up on the other great cameras we love in our full article “Gear We Love: Cameras for Beginners 2020”
Best Tripod
Our pick: Magnus TR-13 Travel Tripod
Love ’em or hate ’em, a tripod is a quintessential piece of kit for every photographer. The Magnus is our reigning champ this year as the best buy for beginner and intermediate photographers alike. We’ve been using this camera for workshops and personal photoshoots for several years now and the combination of price, size, and simplicity makes this an easy choice for us to recommend.
We have a few new additions to our overall list of recommended tripods, so make sure to read the full article here.
Available at B&H Photo for $70.
2020 Holiday Wish List: Best Photography Gifts
Photography is an incredible hobby/passion/small business to have, but it sure does require a lot of accessories! Before you get lost on the internet looking for gizmos and gadgets (that may or may not really help a photographer), check out our full article on these essential gear and accessory gift ideas that every photographer really needs!
Read the full article here.
Top Photography Workshops
The best way for any photographer to grow is to practice, learn, share, and then practice some more! Photography workshops cut through the noise of the internet and help photographers get direct answers, understand new ideas, and improve their skills better than any other method. In addition to our in-person workshops, this year we also introduced a slate of online classes to help students continue their education from home. Here are our top picks:
For Beginners: Digital Cameras I
This one-day workshop is by far our most popular and for good reason. Here we introduce students to manual mode and move away from needing to use auto-mode. Photography stops being a mystery, and we explain the ins and outs of a digital camera giving the photographer control over their pictures.
Online options: We split up our Digital Cameras I class into three parts for easy and fun online learning: Camera Basics 1, Camera Basics 2, and Camera Basics 3!
For Intermediates: Portraiture
In this workshop, you will learn the essentials of portrait photography. We will start by introducing you to the vocabulary of portraiture, commonly used camera settings, and posing fundamentals. From there, you will work with a model and practice in both indoor and outdoor settings, all with an instructor by your side.
Online options: In Camera Essentials 1: Image Quality, you’ll learn about the key camera settings that affect your picture quality. During class, we’ll take the time to explain and discuss the difference between JPG and RAW file formats, different color options, and how to avoid grainy photos.
For Advanced: Time-lapse Photography In-Depth
Learning to make time-lapses can be broken down into two segments: “capture” and “post-production”. Both elements are detail-oriented but offer tremendous creative rewards. In this workshop, students will be guided through both aspects with in-person, hands-on, as well as remote learning tools. You’ll finish with critically important experience and technical know-how to create your own time-lapses.
Online options: By learning the HDR method (High Dynamic Range) in our online HDR Photography Explained class, photographers will learn to capture any scene with confidence in getting every last drop of detail.
For Editors: Lightroom Basics Series
Step up your photography game by becoming an editing master! Throughout our online Lightroom Basics series, you’ll come away with an understanding of how to use Lightroom Classic for organizing, basic edits, as well as more advanced editing tools.