10 Things You Want on Your Photography Wish List

Here are 10 photography related items that you probably wouldn’t mind having. Let me rephrase that- 10 items that you’d totally covet if your neighbor had one.

1. Sketching Light, by Joe McNally

The latest book by legendary Life Magazine photographer, workshop teacher and Speedlight master Joe McNally. Schedule for release just in time for this year’s holiday season, Sketching Light is a masterful collection of off-camera lighting tips, techniques, methods, and of course, photographs, all described with the experience, wisdom and wit that Joe is known for. This one is definitely on my list!

2. Fijufilm X10 Digital Camera 

Fujifilm’s latest high resolution, full featured compact camera. Essentially the little brother to the beautiful X100, the X10 is a modern day classic. With a  stylish looking die-cast magnesium alloy body, a 12MP digital sensor, 1080p HD video, RAW capability, manual shooting mode and a very ergonomic design, this thing actually feels like a camera.

3. Peak Designs “Capture” Camera Clip System

I picked up one of these thing at this year’s PND PhotoPlus Expo and I have to say, it’s one of my favorite gadgets of the year. This is an Arca-Swiss compatible QR plate that attaches to your belt or backpack instead of to your tripod by way of a small, sturdy clamp that quickly attaches to your pack strap.

Great for hiking, biking, cross country skiing or other low impact, low bounce activities, the Peak Capture keeps your DSLR secure and very accessible. Makes a great stocking stuffer. Check it out here, watch an 8 second video demo that I shot at PPE, or buy the Capture Clip here at B&H Photo.

4. Manfrotto Pocket Tripod

Another stocking stuffer. The new Manfrotto Pocket Series ultra mini tripod screws onto the base of your DSLR, where it sits there unnoticed. Then, when you need to brace your camera for a shot, you simply unfold the legs, adjust as necessary and BAM!, instant camera support.

They’ve also got one for point and shoots, which will work great on the Fujifilm X10. *hint hint*

5. Kessler Philip Bloom Pocket Dolly

Let’s face it, as cool as time lapse photography is, it’s even cooler when you move the camera. Enter the Dolly. If you do time lapse photography, then you want something like the Kessler Pocket Dolly so that you can start experimenting with motion control effects in your T/L videos.

Better yet, why not just ask for $50 so that you can build your own skateboard wheel, PVC track dolly. Then, save the extra thousand bucks and spend it on gas to get to all those beautiful locations that you’re going to photograph with your new homemade dolly.

6. Apple iPad

Don’t have an iPad yet? Dude… get with the program. If you’re a photographer, you definitely want an iPad so that you can read iPad photography Magazines like Photographers i and Scott Kelby’s Light It, show clients your portfolio, read photography eBooks, and spend hours each week reading articles on Flipboard and browsing 500px photos.

7. Any eBook by Craft and Vision

Beautiful travel collections, concise instruction titles like Ten, Ten More, David duChemin’s creativity driving The Inspired Eye series and a host of other inspiring titles that will light a fire under your photography, Craft and Vision eBooks rock. And every single one of them only costs $5.

8. Any eBook by Ian Plant

Compositional techniques, masterful photography and image processing tutorials, and creative insight from one of the best landscape photographers in the business today, Ian Plant. If you’re a landscape shooter, make sure you get these on your list!

9. Lowepro Photo Sport 200 Camera Backpack

If you’re an active photographer who wants to carry more than just a waist pack and still have fast access to your gear, then trust me- you want this pack.

I got one a few months ago and it has become my number one go-to camera pack. Fits an array of gear, both in the camera compartment and then upper top-loading backpack part, the Photo Sport 200 is the pack I’ve been waiting for. Wish hard enough and maybe you’ll get on too. (Check out my full review of this pack here.)

10. USB Film Roll

Bring back the good old days with these USB film roll drives from the Photojojo store. Each roll holds 4GB of data, which is way more photos than you could have packed inside these little metal cans when you used them the first time around.