7 Gift Ideas for the Photographer or Creative in Your Life
Ah, creatives. We’re a fickle breed. We value unique ideas but are extremely particular about whatever gift ideas YOU have in mind for us. Whatever should you get us?
Full Disclaimer: This list is more suited for the feminine crowd but I hope these ideas kickstart your creative gift-giving journey. Don’t forget to #shoplocal.
A Memorable Experience
Photo from The Cleveland Flea
Sensory people need to have stimulation and on our own terms, lest we get overwhelmed. We also work alone and often so any opportunity to have an experience with friends is a win. Here are a few ideas:
An axe-throwing adventure or tickets to an escape room.
Tickets to a theater performance or comped seats to a movie theater are also things we typically don’t splurge on for ourselves.
Paint your own pottery nights, wine tastings, a cooking class at Sur La Table or our local Gatherings Kitchen are also experiences we’d embrace because we have control over options.
Festivals are also huge on our lists. Our significant others might support our businesses, but they don’t love being toted from one arts and crafts festival to another. Here are a few Cleveland favorites, but you can apply the same concept in our locale:
The Summer Market (or the Winter Market)
An Instant Camera
Fuji Instax photo from Walmart.com.
Believe it or not, with the thousands of dollars of gear we need to do our jobs well, we don’t have much leftover cash for fun purchases. Plus, the time investment of photo shoots and editing means we don’t leave room for photographing things just for fun.
Creatives want to be creative for the sake of creativity.
Instant cameras help us be in the moment without the work of leading creative poses, filling up memory cards and locking us behind our laptops for our perfectionist editing methods — something my fellow Enneagram 1’s would also appreciate.
Fuji Instax or a Polaroid are affordable brands and easy to find. Good Housekeeping has a great article with top 5 instant camera picks.
Pampered Hands
As creatives and empaths, we’re fraught with high anxiety which manifests itself into nails bitten to the quick.
A manicure is like a spray bottle for cats who claw the couch. Stay away, teeth.
Plus, with nails all dolled up, we feel like we’re really not at home wearing yoga pants all day long. And we actually get to talk to someone instead of going a little bonkers alone.
As a Cleveland west-sider, Dino Palmieri and Bella Capelli are some of my favorite nail salons. If I’m in a time pinch, Venetian Nails in Rocky River does the trick.
Handcrafted Jewelry
Creatives love to support other creatives. Deep down, we share the same struggles and joys, and know that the cost of goods is a lot more than the materials you see on display. It’s a culmination of thousands of hours of education, learning, mistakes and sweat.
Stylish rings, earrings and necklaces are a win.
There are many talented jewelry artists in Cleveland, but both style and affordability are key. Oceanne is one of my favorite handcrafted jewelry brands because her style is on trend, yet timeless. There’s not a piece I don’t want in my lineup.
Local Artisan Coffee Or Tea
Artisan coffee, tea are pampering gift ideas for creative entrepreneurs and photographers.
Caffeine. Give me all the caffeine.
And then give me something to take my adrenals down from the caffeine overdose.
I lump artisan coffee and tea into gift ideas because again, when you consider a $15-$20 bag of fancy coffee against must-have groceries, it’s hard to justify the splurge on an ongoing basis.
Artisan coffee or tea will make us feel like royalty while we shell out $10K in taxes and remind ourselves to raise our prices because we can’t afford Ramen.
These are a few of my favorite brands (local and national):
Tea:
Coffee:
A Gift Card To A Local Bookstore
Creatives like to invest in their education so books are a great gift idea.
Libraries don’t like it when you underline compelling sentences or return books lat, late so gift cards are a great way to invest in our education. Please support your local bookstore! These are my Cleveland favorites:
Chances are that we have a wish list saved on Amazon, so don’t be afraid to ask and shop local.
Custom Artwork
Handmade lettering artwork by Lisa Quine (lisaquine.com).
I love handmade lettering pieces from artists like Lisa Quine. Hire her or your local artist to create an inspirational quote, mantra or meaningful Bible verse to complement a home.
GV Art + Design offers incredible and beautiful Cleveland fine art prints that make me so proud to call Cleveland my home.
Cool Gifts for Photographers
Photo from Pixpa.com
BONUS! Pixpa created a resource page of really creative gifts for photographers. They’re both fun and pragmatic and within a reasonable gift budget. I hadn’t heard of several of them until now so trust me, this gift list is worth the read.
My top picks: Gifting a photography website to encourage a budding photographer. The atmosphere aerosol spray is also a cool option for moody photo effects. Both are perfect for building an impactful photography portfolio.
I’d love to hear from you. What ideas do you have? Have you gotten or given a special creative gift that was well-received? Send me a note!
