Know someone that is interested in photography? Or a tinkerer who wants to present their work in a better light? Then we have a guide for you! Here are some project and gear recommendations to help you find the perfect present.
Make them a photo with DIY bokeh effects (Free, if you have the equipment)
Use your leet photography skillz to make a photo that you can give as a gift, with a bokeh filter made from a piece of cardstock.
Stereo pinhole camera ($50)
I once met a photographer who claimed that pinhole cameras could capture the essence of your aura in ways that regular cameras cannot. Now, we won’t guarantee that yo’ll get the same results with this camera, however you will be in for some old-fashioned 3D goodness.
Strobist Starving Student SX1 Lighting Kit ($250)
This kit includes almost everything that one needs to get started with DIY flash photography, including soda straws to make your own snoots. Just add camera!
Clamp light ($7).
On a budget and want to improve your indoor photography? The key is light, and the more control you have, the better. High-end flash equipment is nice if you can afford it, however regular incandescents will do the job nicely in a pinch. Clamp light stands are great because they’re cheap, easy to arrange, and easy to store.
Light: Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting ($31)
Having fancy equipment is nice, however it’s even better to know how to use it. Learn the basics of controlling light to take photos with this book.
High Speed Photography kit ($125)
Use light to take pictures of things that you can’t see with the naked eye: balloons popping, bowls breaking, liquid splashing. This kit includes everything that you need to make it happen, including a hackable controller, high-speed flash, and disposable camera.
Brooxes Electric Autokap Kit (BEAK) ($82)
Get a jump start on kite aerial photography with this kit from Brooxes. The kit includes parts to build a rig that slowly rotates your camera while snapping photos, so you have a good chance at getting just the right angle. It’s designed for cameras that have the ability to trigger on an infrared port, but will also work with cameras supported by CHDK.
DIY Reflector-Diffuser (~$6)
Does your favorite photographer like to take pictures indoors? Set them up for some great results with this homemade flash diffuser, and say goodbye to red eye!
Gorillapod ($22 – $100).
A tripod is an indispensable accessory for your camera, but who wants to carry them around? Instead, slip one of these pods into your backpack, and you can attach your camera securely to any of the naturally occurring stands that you find at your destination.
Photojojo! Insanely Great Photo Projects and DIY Ideas ($22)
Perfect for the crafty photographer, this book is full of fun things to do with all those photographs that are sitting on ones’ hard drive. Get one for the photographer in your life, or snag a copy for yourself and make one of the projects as a gift!
Flickr Pro account ($25)
After you have taken a bunch of amazing photos, you probably want a way to share them with the world. You can certainly post them on your own website, however using a dedicated photo hosting site makes it easier for others to find and appreciate them.
In the Maker Shed:
Want more? Stop by the Maker Shed. We’ve got all sorts of great holiday gift ideas, Arduino & Arduino accessories, electronic kits, science kits, smart stuff for kids, back issues of MAKE & CRAFT, box sets, books, robots, kits from Japan and more.
Holiday Shipping Deadlines in December:
04 (Fri) – Deadline for microscope shipping
11 (Fri) – postal shipping deadline
14 (Mon) – ground shipping deadline
18 (Fri) – FedEx 3-day shipping deadline
21 (Mon) – FedEx 2-day shipping deadline
22 (Tue) – FedEx overnight shipping deadline
*Customers experiences on orders with these ship methods placed after these dates may vary, the dates listed are what we call “safe dates”
USPS (Any Method):
Due to the high volume of mail that the postal service deals with around the holidays, order by Dec. 10th, however, many packages are lost or delayed in transit and we do not replace or refund any orders lost using this ship method, we strongly encourage you to not use this method in December.
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