PixelatedImage Blog

Christmas is coming. So is my birthday. So, overlooking the fact that the perfect gift for the guy who has everything is nothing at all, these are my top-ten great gifts for the travelling photographer. If you’re the spouse of a photographer, look at it this way – they’ll probably buy this stuff, or stuff like it, if you don’t get it for them. This way you don’t have to buy them a tie they won’t like. In the end, you spend less. You can thank me later.

1. CIA World Factbook. Link HERE.

This one is on my list this year. Say what you like about the CIA (and I will, thank you very much) you just know a book compiled about every country on the planet just has to be full of great info. Even if you’d rather just photograph the country and meet the people rather than affect a regime change.

2. Moleskine Notebook, pocket sized, lined. Link HERE.

These are legendary. Their cachet is so artsy-fartsy they should come with a beret and a black turtle-neck. But even if you aren’t that artsy, these are the ne-plus-ultra of notebooks. In fact, I didn’t even know what ne plus ultra meant until I started using a Moleskine, that’s how great they are. I always carry a spare.

3. Leatherman Pocket Tool – Link HERE.

Stuff breaks. Usually at the worst moment. A Leatherman, some duct tape, and some crazy glue, and you should be able to fix anything. Make sure you take it out of your carry-on before you fly. Speaking of carry-on luggage…

4. Saddleback Leather bag. Link HERE.

This is not a budget item. I mean, really, really not a budget item. But if you’re looking for a bag that will last until long after you yourself are dead and feeding the worms, this is it. Heavy duty, gorgeous, made like the love-child between a Sherman tank and a think-skinned cow. Or something. Seriously gorgeous luggage.

5. PacSafe Products. Link HERE

Photography gear is infamously expensive. This fact is not unknown to the evil-doers and shadow-lurkers of the world. Protect your gear with the PacSafe line of travel safes and pack safes. The picture about says it all, but PacSafe makes a number of other products – from camera straps to day-packs. All laced with steel mesh and cables. And also Kryptonite. Put your camera bag in one of these, lock it around the bed frame or toilet and it’s going nowhere.

6. MedJet Assist Evacuation Membership. Link HERE

Hospitalized somewhere nasty? If your loved ones had given you MedJet Assist for Christmas you could be flown to a hospital of your choice. The fine print and restrictions on most consumer medical policies is scary. If you or someone you love travels to scary places, this is an excellent investment.

7. LaCie Portable Hard-drive. Link HERE.

A solid, portable bus-powered harddrive or two means when your laptop gets stolen in Addis Ababa or the harddrive dies in Timbuktu, your images are safe. Because you backed-up your data. And then you put the harddrive in a separate place from the laptop. You did do that, right? I thought so.

8. Blundstone Boots. Link HERE.

Solid boots, handmade in Australia. Slide’em on, slide’em off. Perfect for airplanes and security line-ups. Equally at home in Paris (polish them first, s’il vous plait) or San Salvador. I love my Blunnies.

9. Lexar Memory Cards. Link HERE.

Every photographer I know would love more memory. You know how clever people say “less is more”? It isn’t. Less is less. Only MORE is more. The Lexar 8GB UDMA cards are lots more. More capacity. More speed. More gold shiny label too.

10. A Goat or a donkey. World Vision Christmas Gift Catalogue. Link HERE (canada), HERE (usa), and HERE (uk)

Returning to my earlier premise, and to my favourite soapbox, if your favourite traveler has everything – get him nothing. Instead, spend the money on someone who has nothing. See, the thing about travelers is that as they see more of the globe they realize things are different “out there.” They begin to see the effects of a system in which 20% of the world consumes 80% of the resources. They see poverty that can be alleviated, and sicknesses that are preventable. And as they meet these people it gets harder and harder to just be a tourist.

So buy a goat for a family in Malawi, or an Alpaca for a family in Ecuador. I shoot for the World Vision Canada Christmas Gift Catalogue and I can tell you first hand, these gifts do get there, and they do make a difference.