Christmas Wish List

With Christmas coming on quickly, here are some Photography related tips for you to print out and leave lying around where Santa might see them. Feel free to circle or check the ones that most appeal to you.

1. A camera. This will be the “best Christmas ever” present if you can swing it. We have posted earlier about suitable cameras (and the under $500 amateur models just won’t cut it). The Nikon D-7000 with a 18-105 lens will run about $1500.
2. Okay, so that won’t work. How about a tripod? You can pick up a useful one for a tad over $100, and fairly good ones at about double that. Things to look for are the ability to pan, for taking motion pictures, and the ability to get the camera on and off the unit quickly. Portability is important ... you need to be able to lug this around easily. And durability is important as well. A tripod gets tossed into a car trunk and jostled about. A cheaper unit will just have to be replaced sooner.
3. Software is always cool. Getting a copy of Adobe CS 5.5 is probably out of the question at $899 student pricing, but Lightroom is only $99 for students. It has a wealth of features designed for professional photographers, and getting started on the program will be a plus for students.
4. If you already have the software, how about the book? A really good series for learning the Adobe programs is Classroom in a Book. Lightroom 3 is available from Amazon for $40 (also available at better bookstores). Photoshop CS5 Classroom in a Book is even cheaper, at $30.
5. Our final suggestion is for buying a camera back or case. You can spend anywhere from $100 to over $1000 in this area, and it really is a matter of personal preference. So the tip here is to get a gift card at one of the major camera stores, like Carman’s or Henry’s. Then the budding photographer can make his or her own choice.