I got a fun email over the weekend. It was from a mother. She was looking for Christmas gift ideas for her daughter. “Any accessories that you think would be beneficial for a budding leisure photographer?”

I thought that was a fun question. So I replied with some ideas, and thought this whole concept would make a good blog post too.

There’s no end to the amount of photography gadgets that are out there, so I’ve just listed here the things that I think of as being “beneficial” or that I think would have been fun to have received as a budding photographer. The items are in no particular order, and I think they would apply to just about any kind of photographer:

Extra SD Card

Photographers can always use another one of these! They’re always getting lost or damaged somehow. And it’s amazing how cheap a 32GB or 64GB SD card can be nowadays.

Battery Grip

This is one of those “extras” that any photographer can do without, but they can make taking pictures easier and more comfortable. It’s a great gift for guys with big hands who have small cameras.

Camera Buddy with Squeaker

Will the photographer you’re shopping for ever be taking pictures of children or babies? This is the perfect little gift! It hides the intimidating aspect of the camera and the built-in squeaker gets children looking at the camera, keeps their attention, and often makes them smile as well. I never do a young-family photo shoot without one of these if I can help it!

External Hard Drive

Though more on the expensive side, this is what most budding photographers need to free up space on the family computer or their own personal laptop.

Lens Mug

While it’s not exactly “beneficial” per se, you’ll be sure to get a good laugh out of the photographer you give it to.

Lens Wipes

I know, boring. But I find these to be better than a lens cloth. A lens cloth get dirty quickly and is easily lost in the wash. From my experience, keeping a handful of these in the camera bag just makes life less complex.

Joby Camera Strap

This is the best camera strap I have ever used. It’s worth the money, and will make any photographer look more professional overnight.

Peak Design Anchor Links

If your photographer doesn’t need, want or like the Joby strap, these anchor links might be super handy for whatever other strap they happen to have. It makes taking on and off the default camera stap super easy, like for tripod users or anyone who wants to move a strap from one camera to another quickly and efficiently.

Bokeh Masters Kit

I’ve never used anything like this before, but it sure looks like a lot of fun! Would depend on the kind of photographer you’re getting a gift for. I’d probably only use one or two of the shapes they provide, but it looks like you could make your own too.

Battery Holder

While not a necessity, something like this could sure be handy!

Memory Card Holder

Again, not necessary, but often I wish I had one of these to keep track of all my memory cards.

Photographer Wristbands

If they’re into wristbands, these could be fun.

Jump Drive

Who doesn’t need another one of these? Be sure to get USB 3.0.

Light Wand

I’ve never used one of these before either, but it sure looks like a toy an advanced photographer would appreciate.

Online Photography Course

What good is it to have fancy equipment and classy gadgets if the photographer has no clue how to use them?! Sometimes just the thing a budding photographer needs is a little coaching or an online homeschool photography course. How about  gifting them a few months of Lenspiration membership so they can get exactly that?

You have any other ideas? Tell us what photography gadgets and accessories you have found helpful or fun in the comments below!

Merry Christmas everyone!