With the holiday season just around the corner, now is the time to address the photographer on your list. Plan ahead and save. Here are some thoughtful yet affordable ideas all priced under $50.

Photography Studio Continuous Lighting Umbrella Kit+ Free 27 Watts 5500L Fluorescent Photo Lamp Bulb – (Sale $39.99)

“My light arrived today, and I was very pleased with what I got. The build quality isn’t stellar, but hey based on the price I’d say anyone who complains is a fool. I was actually surprised by how solid it felt. Even though the stand isn’t solid metal, it doesn’t feel like it’s going to break on me any time soon.

The thing I like most about this light is that it doesn’t put out a noticeable amount of heat! The heat is always an issue with continuous lighting sources, as you don’t want your subject to be uncomfortable. I personally worked in a studio for two years where we used three large soft boxes, and if we left them on for a 15 minute shoot it felt like standing on the sun. This light doesn’t have nearly as much power as that set-up but it’s perfect for fill light in portraits or even as a primary light.” customer review

It does the job very well and I have been immensely pleased with the photos I’ve taken with it so far. I would make this purchase again in a heartbeat. You really can’t beat this deal.

Moleskine Large Plain Notebook -$13.77

“Moleskine notebooks are hot and keep getting hotter. What’s cool about these simple black notebooks is how versatile they are. And every time we turn around there are new versions of Moleskines popping up that expand the imagination even further. There is probably no way to capture all of the possible uses for this historically significant design, but it’s worth identifying as many as we can. After all, even if you can resist buying this irresistibly cute and functional notebook, you’ll still need to know how to use the ten Moleskines you receive for your next birthday!” Associated Content

Shooting for Dollars: Simple Techniques for Greater eBay Profits (Paperback) – $24.99

“As a long-time eBay seller who’s taken too many photos to mention, the hints in this book are helping us to re-work our photo set up. I recommend this highly to anyone who has to take photos for eBay or any other web site on which they sell products. ” customer review

eBay Photos That Sell – $26.99

“Using simple, lo-tech language and a wealth of color photos, this excellent book can teach anyone to arrange, light, photograph and even edit macro (closeup) pictures. I bought it sight unseen on a friend’s recommendation, and it’s even better than I thought it would be.
The instructions are always clear and simple, and every instruction is illustrated with full-color, detailed examples. The results make you look like a professional photographer (or could even make you become one!). “ customer review

Joby Gorillapod Flexible Tripod – $21.95

“I still can’t believe that this thing is real! And I’m blown away by the quality of the tripod. The ‘legs’ are stiff enought that it doesn’t fall out of shape as it holds the camera. Each little grey ring around the ball-like pieces are rubberized to help it grip onto objects. I have been able to mount my Canon SD600 and hold one ‘foot’ of the tripod while it remains in the shape I bent it into. The leg didn’t change shape or sag at all. ” customer review

Coby 1.5-Inch Digital Photo Keychain (White) – $12.94

“I would recommend this device to anyone. Makes an excellent gift for grandparents! ” customer review

Canon Deluxe Photo Backpack 200EG- $40.71

“I had so much stuff in my huge LowePro Nova 5AW shoulder bag that it hurt my my shoulder and back to carry it around. Saw the Canon 200EG Backpack and based on reviews ordered one. I am impressed. It was about 1/2 the price of my LowePro bag. Its very well designed with lots of compartments, padding, external straps and quality materials. It holds everything that was in my other bag and I still have more room.” customer review

Nikon Lens Pen Cleaning System – $4.95

“As an eyeglasses wearer and photographer, clean and scratch free lenses is important to me. This tool sweeps away scratch making surface debris with the soft brush on one end and then polishes away smudges with a suction-cup-like device on the other. I have no idea (nor do I need to know) how this thing works but I know it does. Hasn’t scratched yet – and it’s dirt cheap. “ customer review

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