I love that so many of you are being more intentional about photographing your children – the process of actually taking photos brings so much presence and joy to your moments plus you have the photos as proof of those memories to hold forever. So with that in mind, I wanted to share my top suggestions for beginner photographer gifts!

If a camera is new to you and you want a few new accessories to make your process more efficient, or just more fun, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorites!

1. Quality memory cards – We use the SanDisk Extreme Pro cards for our digital cameras
2. A solid card reader to make the importing process simple and easy
3. A hard drive that will keep your photos safe (I like these!)
4. A fun strap! You can find them anywhere and everywhere online. Something comfortable is most important and bonus points for it being cute!
5. Small pouches for storing memory cards and accessories – I put these on my Christmas list! 
6. A functional camera bag or fanny pack.
7. If you’re shooting film, these cases are so fun and I love the retro look of them!
8. A lens pen, you will need this, especially if you have little kids who will inevitably touch the glass.
9. Subscription to Mootsh – For $16/month you receive 10 printed photos of your month. They come in a sweet little envelope and our kids love looking through them when they arrive. It’s also a great way to be choosey about your printed photos so you’re not overwhelmed and actually print them (instead of storing them on the hard drive)
10. Adobe Lightroom – if you don’t have this yet, grab a subscription! The *best* software for editing (tutorials coming soon, too!)
11. If shooting film, a variety of film to try is fun. Grab a roll of different types so you can play around and find what you love.
12. A collection of random objects – think colorful, reflective, shiny – these are fun to use to create double exposures (you can try this on film AND with digital)

If you’re looking for camera suggestions, take a look at this post for more specific suggestions.