Hopefully, you’re doing nice things for the mothers in your life on a regular basis and don’t need any suggestions from us. For those who may need a little extra help finding the perfect gift for their photography-minded mothers– or for photography-minded mothers looking to drop a few hints around the house– we offer this year’s Mother’s Day Photography Gift Guide. Choose wisely. She brought you into the world, and quite possibly wanted to take you out once or twice along the way.
Camera Bag
With 10 or 11 camera bags already in the gear closet you’d think I wouldn’t need another one. You’d be wrong. There’s always room for another camera bag and your mother wants one! For Mother’s Day, though, take a break from the basic black. Kelly Moore camera bags come in different colors and styles, and don’t scream to the world that Mom’s carrying thousands of dollars worth of gear. Pictured here is the Libby.
Camera Cookie Cutters
Sure, you can buy sweets for Mother’s Day, but why not show Mom you really care and make your own? With cookie cutters in three classic shapes (TLR, SLR, and rangefinder…recipe included), she won’t even miss the chocolate. Well, maybe just a little.
Telephoto Kitchen Timer
Timing– as they say– is everything, and you don’t want to take a chance on those cookies burning. Getting them out of the oven at just the right time will be a whole lot easier with this lens replica kitchen timer.
Photography Books
Inspiration comes from all sorts of places, and there never seems to be a shortage of great photography books. One of my recent favorites is “Fictitious Dishes: An Album of Literature’s Most Memorable Meals,” by graphic designer Dinah Fried. For the project, Fried cooked, styled, and photographed 50 meals inspired by scenes from literary classics. Another of my recent favorites is “50 Portraits: Stories and Techniques from a Photographer’s Photographer,” by Gregory Heisler. If you aren’t familiar with Heisler’s work, please crawl our from under your rock and check out this book. You’ll be glad you did.
Massage
It’s a holiday for Mom’s indulgence, and nothing says indulgence quite like a professional massage. Climbing, kneeling, carrying equipment bags, setting up lights, tearing it all down, packing it all up– this business often takes a physical toll. As a photographer, make sure your family knows that a massage might be just the ticket for dialing back on some or all of that stress. If your house is anything like mine, I’m sure your family understands by now that if mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.
F Stop Watch
With f/stops where hour markings should be and an aperture blade design in the middle, this photo-centric watch face might take a little getting used to, but it’s just one more way of keeping the love of photography close at hand.
Family Photos
Photographers spend so much time behind the camera that we hardly ever actually end up in very many photos. Set up a family photo shoot, and let Mom be in the photos for once.
Nikon and Canon Lens Coffee Mugs
These insulated Nikon and Canon mugs are great for keeping hot or cold drinks at the right temperature. The most fun I ever had with one, though, was when I tossed it toward an unsuspecting assistant who was so shocked that he missed the catch. Although he still doesn’t see the humor, the look on his face was priceless.
Portable Power
The Astro3 by Anker (almost) literally changed my life. I’ve never had to charge four devices at once, but knowing that I can keep my phone and tablet juiced while on the road or on location is a huge weight off my shoulders. This unit can fully charge an iPhone six times before it has to be recharged itself.
Something Shiny
And last, but certainly not least, I suppose we can’t lose sight of jewelry– like this pendant necklace — as a popular choice for a Mother’s Day gift.
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I’m a firm believer in the notion that it’s not about the gear, but about the photographer. In some ways, I have similar opinions about greeting card holidays– it’s more about the moms and less about the trinkets. That’s partially why nothing on this list is too terribly expensive. At the same time, though, the mothers in our lives are pretty spectacular women. Show them you care.
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