Gift Ideas

[CannonED]

Hi Everyone,
I'm new here and had a quick question to ask. My friends birthday is coming up soon and I wanted to give her a gift "photography" related. She's an art teacher right now but I remember her telling me that she really likes photography so I was wondering if anyone could give me some ideas on what to give her. Now, I can't afford to buy her a camera or anything so keep money in mind, I'd say no more than $80 dollars. Are there any good photography books that I can get her or some type of photography gadget...all I know is that she uses a digital camera. Thanks!

 

[LaFoto]

Hard to tell ... if someone had given me the right polarizer filter for Christmas, I'd have been over the moon, but that did not happen. You would need to know her lens diametre to buy filters.

And what SORT of digital camera does she have?
A compact one that might need a good bag?
Or a DSLR ... but still no tripod?

You might also want to look into TPF's own shop for ideas !?!?! (Link to it in "ideas").

Oh, and welcome to ThePhotoForum.
I take it you like photography yourself, too, and will soon also post your own photos!?!?!?!?!?

 

[The_Traveler]

Ask if she uses PS and, if she does, get her "Masking and Compositing" by Katrin Eismann.
Most useful book on PS I ever had.
About $35 on Eismann's site (www.photoshopdiva.com)

 

[CannonED]

Thanks for the ideas but I was thinking more along the lines of getting her a photography book, a photo album, and maybe pay for a photography lesson; just something more simple and not so techinical. Anyone else have anymore ideas? Thanks again.

 

[Big Mike]

I got a few photography related books for x-mas.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Photographers-Handbook-Third/dp/0756623553/sr=1-2/qid=1168367580/ref=sr_1_2/002-3594405-6366434?ie=UTF8&s=books"]Digital Photographer's Handbook: Third Edition[/ame]
I've been reading and thumbing through it...it looks pretty good.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Book-Photography-History-Technique-Future/dp/0792236939/sr=1-1/qid=1168367709/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-3594405-6366434?ie=UTF8&s=books"]The Book of Photography: The History, the Technique, the Art, the Future[/ame] by National Geographic
It's more of a read though book, than a thumbing through book...so I haven't read too much of it yet. I've read a bit of the 'history' part...I'm more looking forward to reading the 'Technique, the Art, the Future' parts.

 

[ksmattfish]

Do you have any ideas about what subjects (photography related) that she is interested in?

 

[CannonED]

Mmm, not really. I just remember her telling me that she enjoyed photography class in high school and in college, she just took a bunch of black and white photos of people and still life objects.

 

[ksmattfish]

Well I just got a book called "Five Decades" by Arnold Newman full of stunning BW portraits. Arnold Newman was one of the 20th century's most famous portrait photographers. He was known for his photos of politicians and artists. You'd probably recognize a few of the photos. His photo of Igor Stavinsky sitting at the piano is an icon. It's amazing how his portraits of artists seem to almost be in the style of the artist in the photo. I think this book would appeal to both her interest in art and photography. It was my favorite Christmas present.

It's out of print, but available on Amazon.com in paperback for $40+, and hardback for $70+.