I’m not the only person making gift suggestions.  Regardless of the sites focus, nearly every blog or magazine on the internet is making suggestions for what you can buy for your friends or family.  In the photography world, you’ll find suggestions for cameras, lenses, memory cards, printers and so on.  I, on the other hand, am willing to share with you the truth:  Photographers (like any other fanatic) are picky about their hardware.  Most will not want you to guess at what lens or filter they want.  They will do weeks of research before even considering such a product for themselves.  It is not likely that you will be able to get something perfect for them, unless they told you exactly what they wanted including a model number.  But any item you get them may very well end up being returned in exchange for something else.  It’s nothing personal, they just have specific ideas and needs, and it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what they want.

Take my advice – Gift cards are the way to go.  Try to figure out what their favorite photography supply store or online retailer may be, and then get them a gift card to that place.  They may not use it right away, but they will appreciate that their next purchase at that retailer will have a slightly lesser impact on their own wallet.

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