I can hardly contain myself — by Joe Reifer
All the product links on this list will take you to B&H Photo (except the flashlight, which is available on Amazon). B&H is an honest, reliable place to buy photo gear at excellent prices. I hope some of these ideas are useful!
- Hands on Guide to Creative Lighting DVD – Even though this video uses Nikon flashes, Bob Krist and Joe McNally offer a wealth of lighting techniques and strategies that are useful for anyone who’s interested in shooting portraits on location. — $39.95
- Canon TC-80N3 Timer Remote — A must for night photographers. I used a standard remote and a kitchen timer for a long time. Once I got a TC-80N3 I kicked myself for not doing it sooner. — $136.95, or Nikon MC-36 Remote — $129.95
- Streamlight Stinger Flashlight — well made, very bright, beautiful warm light, rechargeable. Expensive but so worth it. — $82.23
- Zeiss Lens Cleaning Kit — Forget ROR or whatever brand of cleaning liquid you’re using. The Zeiss fluid is the best I’ve tried. No streaks, no residue. — $23.00
- Wacom Bamboo Fun Tablet — If you do a lot of retouching or selective adjustments using masks in Photoshop, this graphics tablet has a great feature set, size, and value. — $199.95
- Domke F-3X Ballistic Shoulder Bag — I’m a recovering camera bag-o-holic. The black ballistic nylon Domke F-3 (super compact) is still my favorite shoulder bag. The perfect size for many different shooting applications and camera combinations when traveling light. — $109.95
- Lightroom 2 Software — Why not get organized in 2009. — $299.95, or upgrade to version 2, it’s a big improvement — $99.95
- Eye-One Display 2 or Spyder 3 monitor calibration tools — is your monitor profiled? Do your prints match your monitor? If not, start here. Those with more budget may want to investigate Color Eyes Software. — $150-325.
- Lexar UDMA Dual Slot USB 2.0 Card Reader — sporting slots for Compactflash and SD memory cards, this speedy card reader saves you time, and is only 20 bucks — $39.95 ($19.95 after rebate)
- Lexar 8GB UDMA 300x Compact Flash Memory Card – For sports and action photography, a fast memory card is a must. — $111.95 ($71.95 after $40 rebate)
- Western Digital 250GB Portable USB 2 Harddrive — I always carry a portable backup drive when traveling, and either keep it in my bag or in the car. Cheap insurance against computer failure or theft. — $86.95
- Giottos Rocket Blower — An extremely useful and cool looking cleaning accessory. — $13.95
- Lucky Idea #13 is another Holga: perhaps a Holga 135PC 35mm pinhole camera, or the super cool Holga 120 wide angle pinhole camera, or my personal fave, the Holga 120N Commando.
Good suggestions, Joe. Thanks!
I’d also suggest, as an alternative to the Rocket Blower, the Giottos Q-ball.
I’ve got both of them, and I find the Q-ball is about the same in “blow capacity” but it’s a bit shorter. The nozzle also folds down about 45° which can be useful – it definitely makes the thing a little smaller and easier to pack in your bag (that’s what I didn’t like about the Rocket – it’s really tall and the nozzle is stiff).
Either device provides an excellent conversation piece amongst non-photographers. I like to set mine out on the table a see what people say. “Pardon me, is that a sex toy?”
Hi TJ – Thanks for the tip about the Q-ball – looks like a great option for the travel kit, and also for impressing non-photographer friends.
That Nikon wireless remote looks fun, but I don’t think it has a timer. Night photographers are better off with the wired one, MC-36. It’s also $40 cheaper.
Thanks, Steve. I swapped out the listing on the Nikon remote for the MC-36, which is the equivalent of the Canon TC-80N3.