PHOTOGRAPHY GEAR - THE STOCKING STUFFER VERSION

Montreal, Canada, December 22, 2013.

A few low-cost stocking stuffers just in time for Christmas. And I mean just in time.

If there is a photographer on your gift list or maybe you just feel like treating yourself, then I offer a few suggestions below. Most of these items are under $50.00 and even if you or the lucky person you are buying them for already owns a few of them, adding another will not be seen as a mistake. Like all my other gear recommendations on this blog, I own and use all these items.

Having a few $13.99 Frio universal locking cold shoes around will allow you to couple your strobes to light stands. Forget one of these and you better have some $16.99 gaffers tape handy.

Attaching your strobes to a light stand is one thing, but without a $34.19 Manfrotto swivel lite-tite umbrella adapter you won't be able to aim them correctly. And this also allows you to use an umbrella. Again without this you'll be back to using gaffers tape.

There are all kinds of camera straps out there from something you picked up while on vacation to Disney World, to some fancy overpriced leather model. For me personally, when it comes to a camera strap I prefer something simple like a $26.95 Think Tank double-sided non-slip strap.

Two versions of the clamps are shown, with and without the flash shoe.

I've talked about the $61.18 Manfrotto spring clamp with flash shoe, better known as the Justin Clamp,before. When you need to position a second strobe and a light stand is just not going to work, this clamp will get you out of a jam all day long.

I own quite a few reflectors and am well aware that a cheap piece of foam core will do the trick, but if you are a one-person operation, the $49.88 Lastolite 18-Inch mini TriGrip  allows you to easily position the reflector with one hand while holding a camera with the other. Also, if you happen to have an assistant, they will easily be able to hold this in one hand while positioning a strobe they are holding in the other hand behind it giving you some very nice diffused light.

In my opinion you can't have enough bags and while backpacks and other camera bags are quite expensive, satisfy your need to get more organized with something like a $17.75 Think Tank cable management 10 clear plastic pouch. I use this pouch to hold the charger, cables and spare cards for my Fuji X100S. Maybe getting better organized is on your New Years resolution short list?

And finally, if you think the above items are too expensive, you can't go wrong with a pack of ten Think Tank red whips at $7.99. You will be the envy of all the other photographers with tangled cables.

If you've read this far then I thank you for indulging me while I recommend some products via the Amazon associate program. I don't write this blog for profit, but the few dollars I mange to earn a month does provide me some satisfaction.

You don't want to be out in this weather shopping, do you?

I hope you all had a great year in photography and I wish you the best in the New Year.

Thank you again for visiting blog.jfwphoto.com in 2013 and remember to get out there and shoot!