10 Perfect Gift Ideas for Film Photographers from a Photographer's POV

NEOPAN ACROS 100 120 II (new version)

Vintage Polaroid One-Step 600 on Amazon
Vintage Polaroid One-Step 600 on eBay

3. POLAROID CAMERA

Another camera that every photographers should try out at some point! I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t love a polaroid. And while those Instax mini’s are cute and great, there’s something classically special about the standard, old school polaroid. For a while, the Polaroid brand was dead and gone. But a company called The Impossible Project began producing film to work with vintage polaroid cameras. It wasn’t the most reliable film at first, but they eventually procured the rights to the Polaroid brand and now produce consistent, beautiful film that works perfectly with vintage polaroid cameras. They also make brand new polaroid cameras, like the, which are also fun and would make an incredible gift! There’s nothing like an instant photograph. it’s a great way to capture moment with friends and families, especially during the holidays! You can scoop up vintage ones on Amazon ( I prefer the classic Polaroid One-Step 600 camera) or Polaroid’s new cameras like the I-2 or Polaroid Now, on Polaroid.com. Plus, they have TONS of other gift ideas on their site, including Bluetooth speakers, camera straps, frames and film styles. They always have great Black Friday / Cyber Monday deals too!

WHERE TO BUY:

Polaroid I-2 on Amazon
Polaroid Now on Amazon

Polaroid.com for the I-2 and Polaroid Now

4. RING LIGHT

If your photographer friend has a small studio or likes to take portraits, a ring light is a great gift. I always have a ring light set up in my studio because it’s the perfect amount of light for a perfectly exposed polaroid portrait. They’re a great fill light but can also be used for a million other purposes. If your photographer friend shoots models, it’s great for a makeup artist to use while getting ready for the shoot. The Neewer 19-inch ring light that I have has temperature adjustment, an iPhone selfie holder and brightness control. It’s extremely easy to use and automatically makes every photo look amazing. It’s great for TikTokers too!

WHERE TO BUY:

Neewer 19-inch Ring Light on Amazon

5. SSD DRIVE

My husband recently bought a Crucial X6 1 TB portable SSD to use for his work but I ended up stealing it from him because it’s so amazing! For years, I’ve used normal external hard drives and have had issues with them disconnecting from my computer, breaking or just not showing up when I plug them in. An SSD, or solid state drive, doesn’t have any of those mechanical disks inside that are so easy to break with the traditional hard drives. Plus, the one I have is super small, easy to travel with and has tons of storage space. These are incredibly handy for dropping files onto them after a shoot, especially if you’re traveling and worried about losing your files. They’re super fast, shock-resistant and reliable. Photographers can never have too much storage space, especially if they shoot video or scan their own film in high resolution. Those files can take up tons of space and this is the perfect solution for that and is much easier than those desktop hard drives that are huge and unsafe to move around.

WHERE TO BUY:

Crucial X6 1 TB Portable SSD on Amazon

6. ONA BACKPACK OR BAG

ONA is a stylish and long lasting brand of camera bags and backpacks. I’ve had two different ones over the years and I’ve loved them both dearly. They are extremely well-made and the quality is top notch. Any photographer would/should be stoked to receive one of these! I started off with the Monterey style but ultimately switched to the Clifton style because it had space for more cameras. I shoot with a LOT of different film cameras and I typically travel with at least 5 cameras in my backpack at any given time. The inside dividers are adjustable so you can change them to fit all of your weird quirky camera shapes. I also love that they have a refurbish program that I plan on taking advantage of soon. I’ve had my current Ona backpack for at least 10 years and it’s probably about time for a little TLC. For $50 you can send it in and they’ll repair and treat the leather or canvas to make it look brand new! It’s definitely on my Christmas list to myself this year to send mine in and get that done. :) I’m hoping to scoop up one of the shoulder bags one of these days too!

WHERE TO BUY:

ONA The Monterey Leather/Waxed Canvas Backpack
ONA The Clifton Camera Backpack

7. FILM SCANNER

I’ve had my Epson V750 for over 10 years and have definitely run it into the ground. A nice film scanner will save you thousands of dollars in the long run. I scan all of my own film so I never have to pay a film processing company to do it for me. Plus, I get full control over how my images turn out. I can color adjust before or after scanning, depending on my preference, and I can scan in incredible high resolution to make gigantic prints. These scanners last forever. The newest version is the Epson Perfection V850 Pro Photo Scanner. They aren’t cheap but you have to think about it as a long term investment. Scanning film after I get it back from processing is one of the most satisfying and fun parts of my job as a photographer. It’s also just fun to learn the process and to have that control that allows you to fully make your photos your own.

If you’d prefer a film scanner that’s less expensive and much smaller, you can try the Kodak Slide N Scan Digital Film Scanner or Kodak SCANZA Digital Film & Slide Scanner.

WHERE TO BUY:

Epson Perfection V750-M Pro on Amazon

USED Epson Perfection V750 Pro on eBay
Epson Perfection V850 Pro on Amazon

8. FUN FILTERS & PRISMS

If you’re looking for something that is quirky, lighthearted and not too expensive, you can always get them an interesting filter or prism to use to create unique photos. I love getting weird with my photos and trying out new techniques. I’ll shoot through empty plastic bottles and clear plastic sandwich bags to create a different atmosphere with my images, but a prism or rainbow filter would probably be a bit more of an exciting gift to open! You could go for the NEEWER 58mm Kaleidoscope Prism Lens Filter or the KOGJAERS Prism Glasses 79mm Handheld Kaleidoscope Prism. These would make great stocking stuffers too!

WHERE TO BUY:

NEEWER 58mm Kaleidoscope Prism Lens Filter on Amazon
KOGJAERS Prism Glasses 79mm Handheld Kaleidoscope Prism on Amazon

9. STORAGE BINDERS FOR NEGATIVES

Storage binders for loose negatives are a great gift too. These are a necessity in my life. I’ve filled quite a few of these over the years. If the photographer in your life tends to leave their film negatives strewn across their house, this is a great way to help them organize them and keep them safe. Make sure to get the sleeves too (available for 120 film or 35 mm). I label all of my binders and negatives and finally have a good system down. Plus, the negative sleeves that go inside are archival quality and will keep the negatives safe for many years to come!

WHERE TO BUY:

Vue-All Archival Safe-T-Binder with Rings on Amazon
Archival 120 Size Negative Pages, Pack of 25 on Amazon
Archival 35mm Size Negative Pages Holds Seven Strips of Five Frames - 100 Pack

10. GIFT CARDS!

When all else fails, an Amazon gift card is always great because you can find the majority of film styles and cameras on Amazon. KEH camera is another great idea because they sell used camera gear. The majority of film cameras are vintage and used, and keh camera has a great system of checking and rating the quality of used cameras and lenses. I’ve ordered quite a few cameras over the years from KEH and have always had a great experience. If you know that your photographer friend prefers eBay, you can always pick up a gift card there too!

Amazon Gifts Cards

KEH Camera Gift Cards

BONUS IDEA:

I’ve been using Smugmug as my online gallery/storage system for over 12 years. I upload my photos directly from Lightroom and keep all of my photos organized in galleries by year, photo shoot, location or film type. I honestly don’t know what I would do without smugmug. I send gallery links to all of my clients through smugmug and from there, they can download the photos in high-res, order prints and gifts and share the links with others! Not to mention, the smugmug app keeps my photos accessible at all times, and even backs up the photos and videos on my phone! It’s an amazing online storage service and is super affordable for what you get, in my opinion. You can get 15% off of a subscription for your photo friend here!

I hope these ideas help you in your search for the perfect gift! As a full-time photographer, I would be thrilled with any of these gifts and I really think the photographer in your life will love them too!

Have a happy holiday season! And don’t forget to stop by my Amazon storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :)

#commissionsearned

<3 Myles

The Best Way to Backup your Client's Photos Safely and Securely - What to Look For When Choosing the Best Photo Sharing & Storage Service

September 7, 2023

(By using the links and/or codes below it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

THE IMPORTANCE OF SECURE PHOTO SHARING & YOUR BUSINESS

Photo sharing is more than being able to send an image to a friend or family member, it’s also about protecting your business and building trust with current and future clients. If you have a secure system you can prevent unwanted downloads from your client’s friends and family members without paying, and help potential clients feel confident their images are secure if they hire you.

This guide will help walk you through the options available with photo sharing, and how you can use them to grow your business. And remember, not every tool is needed right now, so go with what makes the most sense for you now while looking for features that might help in the future. Personally, I’ve been using Smugmug as my photo storage service since I started my business in 2011, but there are tons of options out there. I’ve tried out a few others but I always end up sticking with Smugmug because of all of the features they offer. Here are a few things to consider when deciding which service to go with:

CLIENT SECURITY

Whether you photograph weddings, corporate events, or do product shots for ecommerce clients, the day will come when someone will try and take the image without paying. Don’t let this happen to you! You have options to protect your work.

These include:

Watermarking
Low-res samples
Password protected galleries
Encrypted links
Right click prevention
Small file size images in the code base

WATERMARKING

The first and easiest solution for protecting your photos is watermarking. When you’re choosing a photo sharing service, ask their customer support if you can have watermarks automatically added whenever a third party accesses the images within your galleries. It isn’t enough to place your logo on the image, as logos can be cropped out easily. If you don’t like watermarking, don’t worry, there are other ways to protect your images.

RIGHT CLICK PREVENTION

The next level is right click prevention.

Users will try to right click on an image and download it for free, especially if they can upscale it to reduce pixelation. By making sure your client galleries have right clicking disabled, you can help prevent these unwanted downloads when you share a link to access the images.

IMAGE EXTRACTING

And this goes code deep, which gets a bit more complicated.

More tech savvy clients will look at a page’s source code or try an image extractor. Here’s how to check if your photos are susceptible to this. Open the page source of the webpage and look for the image name. It is as easy as doing a text search and typing in the file name. Now open the URL with the image and see if the image shows up with a watermark. You can also try downloading it and upscaling it to make sure the client cannot do this and bypass paying you. If this sounds intimidating, don’t sweat it. There’s lots of ways to keep your work from getting “exposed” to unwanted downloads.

PASSWORD-PROTECTED GALLERIES

Make sure the photo sharing service you’re considering offers password protected galleries, or a way to send an encrypted link that only lets clients access the images you put into the private gallery.

Having password protected galleries isn’t only important for fine art and custom business shoots. It’s important for portraiture.

Boudoir is one of the largest markets to make money in. If you have a secure photo sharing system, you can list the ways you protect your clients by keeping their most intimate images guarded. Showing that you take extra precautions helps set yourself apart from your competition. And this could help you land more business. And don’t forget parents!

Making sure family photos, or even holiday sessions don’t get out into the real world is vital. Parents want to keep images of their children safe from downloading. They want to prevent their kids from getting bullied, and the images from being turned into memes. By letting them know you’ll keep everything in their control, you’ll help gain their trust.

EASE OF USE

And there’s one thing outside of security that is important with photo sharing, ease of use.

Once you know your photo sharing service has the levels of privacy needed for your business, you want to make sure you’re able to quickly and easily retrieve and display your work.

APP AVAILABILITY

The first step is having an app available that can be used on connected devices. Being able to open an app while at a client site to display your work is an important safeguard in case your camera or computer gets damaged or breaks. The Smugmug app is pretty incredible because you can also set it up to back up your photo stream on your phone. So instead of paying for iCloud storage or something similar, Smugmug can back up the photos on your phone instead!

RELIABLE ACCESS

Next is having a portal that can let you access your work with ease.

2fa and password protection are important, but what happens if the system locks you out and recovery is tricky. Make sure you talk to the support team and see what controls there are to access your work when you’re overseas, and in different locations. This is especially important for travel, landscape, and workshop photographers. Not to mention if you’re editing at a client site. Being able to get the work from unknown locations makes the difference between a productive visit and a flop.

SITE SPEED

Last is the speed to access your galleries. If the photo sharing solution is too complex, or the load times are too long, you’ll have cranky clients. Test each system before you purchase and use different connection types including cell phone data plans. You never know when you won’t have wifi and will need to rely on your phone’s network to save the day.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Photo sharing is more than just finding an easy way to get photos to your client, it is about protecting your business. Make sure you have the highest levels of privacy and security available, and that your clients know you take extra steps to make sure their images are safe. This goes a long way in helping you prevent images from being stolen and printed, as well as turning potential leads into paying clients!

Smugmug is a great option for photo storage and sharing. I’ve been using it for over a decade! They offer ALL of the services I mentioned above, including an app that makes access and sharing super easy, even when I’m traveling. Click here to get 15% off a new account!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Feel free to leave any questions/comments/concerns! And don’t forget to stop by my Amazon storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :)

Have a lovely day!

<3 Myles Katherine

Is the Canon 5D Mark IV worth the money? | Starting a Photography Business with the Best DSLR For Your Budget

April 19, 2023

REAL WORLD REVIEW OF THE CANON 5D MARK IV BY A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER

(By using the links and/or codes below it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

I’m not going to lie, it’s not a cheap investment to buy a Canon 5D Mark IV (the body itself is currently priced new at $2099), especially if you want a professional lens to go along with it. But if you’re ready to start a business or to start working as a professional photographer, it’s an absolute necessity to buy an incredible full-frame DSLR camera and lens. And if you buy a used 5D Mark IV on eBay or KEH camera, you can save yourself a LOT of money. I will be the first person to recommend buying used gear, but always make sure that the company is reputable (KEH Camera is great for used gear). eBay is more of a risk but I’ve gotten some amazing deals through eBay. Just make sure the seller has good reviews and ratings, and a LOT of them. Ask the seller questions if you need to and make sure to look at the photos of the item closely for scratches, dings or imperfections and check the return policy.

The Canon 5D Mark IV is the main camera I use for weddings, portrait shoots, events, etc. For my main lens, I use the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens which currently prices new at $1699. Again, buying a gently used one on eBay or KEH Camera can save you tons! This is an incredible zoom lens with great low-light capabilities and sharp, stunning images. With the 5D Mark IV and the 24-70 L lens, this set-up can set you back $4198. BUT, consider buying gently used options to save some money, or buy one of Canon’s more budget friendly lenses. But in my opinion, the lens is the MOST important part of your camera set-up and the L series lenses are WORTH it. Canon also released an RF line of lenses that are supposed to be EVEN BETTER. I just haven’t been able to justify spending the money on them, especially when I have these amazing L lenses at home!

WHY I LOVE THE CANON 5D MARK IV

My very first full-frame DSLR was a Canon 5D Mark II - an earlier version of the 5D Mark IV. I bought it while I was finishing up college as a studio art major. Immediately after college, I created a website, started uploading my best photos and blogging consistently and before I knew it, I was booking photo shoots in my hometown. However, a year after graduation, I decided to move to Portland, Oregon with my boyfriend and two friends. I was thrown into a sea of photographers and had no idea how I was going to stand out. But I kept blogging and began advertising on Craigslist with low prices, and before I knew it, I had booked 20 weddings for my first year. Back in my hometown, I had been working as a second shooter for a few photographers and was using my 5D Mark II. I used these images to help advertise my business and to be honest, I definitely attribute my first bookings to the 5D Mark II. The images were high quality, professional and straight up beautiful, especially compared to the more affordable line of cameras that Canon offered at the time.

Over the next 5 years in Portland, the 5D Mark II made ALL of my money. I was photographing weddings, portraits, fashion, music, food, events. Because of the 5D Mark II, I was able to be a full-time professional photographer, pay all of my bills AND have fun doing creative shoots. Flash forward to today, my 5D Mark II was feeling outdated and it was time to sell it. I’d found myself choosing to use my Canon 6D over my 5D Mark II, simply because the low-light capabilities of the 6D were much better. While I was incredibly sad to let go of my beloved camera, I was so excited to upgrade my main camera to the 5D Mark IV. And I’m 100% glad I did. I also tried out the Canon EOS R for a bit, to see if that would be a sufficient replacement for the 5D Mark II, but I was never able to feel comfortable with the controls and set-up within the camera. There was something not so intuitive about it. When I finally got the 5D Mark IV, I felt right at home again. It felt exactly like the 5D Mark II, but better. Better quality in low light, dual memory card slots, sharp and beautiful images and that professional quality that I love. While overall, I would say the EOS R is technically better in low light, and tends to have sharper images, the 5D Mark IV creates images that are more balanced, natural and eye-catching, in my opinion. Especially when paired with the 24-70mm L lens, that camera set-up is flawless. I use my EOS R as my secondary camera at weddings, with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens. I find this set-up to be best for the EOS R anyway, because the combination of the low-light capabilities and sharpness of the camera with the extra wide aperture and quality of the lens, is an amazing portrait set-up. It’s taken me years to determine what my ideal dual camera set-up is, but THIS is it. Just know that you will need an RF adapter for the Canon EOS R if you plan on using EF lenses with it.

from a professional standpoint, is the CANON 5D Mark IV worth the money?

If you’ve been dreaming of starting a photography business and committing yourself fully, then yes, 100% this will be the BEST investment you can make for your business. These cameras last FOREVER. They’re incredibly sturdy and reliable. I’ve dropped my cameras onto a concrete floor and they’ve survived. In my opinion, they are worth every penny. Think about it this way, if you were starting a restaurant or boutique or other small business, you would need to make an initial investment into the business. I’ve made thousands and thousands of dollars with my camera over the years and have gotten my investment back ten-fold. Now, if you’re looking for a camera just for hobby purposes, there may be more affordable options that can yield amazing results - like the Canon EOS R ($1399) ( check out my video about the Canon EOS R here!), for example, which is substantially cheaper than the 5D Mark IV. Or the Canon 6D ($1399), which I place below the EOS R in terms of quality and sharpness. The 6D is now my back-up back-up camera and is typically used by my second-shooter at weddings. You could even get a 5D Mark II or 5D Mark III - both incredible cameras that are SUPER affordable now, as they are earlier versions of the 5D Mark IV.

WHY DIDN’T I GO WITH OTHER BRANDS?

My first 35 mm film camera was a Canon, so I’ve definitely always had an affinity and loyalty to the brand. However, before purchasing the 5D Mark IV, I spent DAYS comparing every brand and model of camera in a similar price range to see if I wanted to completely switch over. I was truly considering selling all of my lenses and cameras and converting to a new brand. However, for my personal needs as a photographer, none of the cameras were up to par. For example, one of the features I cannot go without is a multiple exposure feature. This cut out all Sony cameras for me, which was one of the bigger contenders for my possible switch. Then there was Pentax, but overall the battery life with the pro level Pentax cameras aren’t great and the cameras themselves were typically quite heavy. And lastly, I was seriously considering switching to Nikon. However, Canon is generally cheaper and in comparison to the Nikon D850, is lighter in weight, does better in low light AND has better video features, which was important for my YouTube channel. And, maybe I’m biased and missed the comfort of the 5D Mark II. I could use that camera with my eyes closed. After years of using that camera under stressful conditions like a wedding, your fingers learn how to quickly switch between settings. Anyway, I finally feel at home again with my 5D Mark IV and I know this camera will last me many more years before I feel the need to upgrade or change again. And I feel better knowing that I weighed every single camera option and brand out there and still ended up coming back to Canon. I don’t think Canon is the best brand for everyone, but in my world it’s the best for me, hands down.

WHERE TO FIND THE CANON 5D MARK IV

NEW:

For used options:

MY FAVORITE LENSES

Canon EF 24-70mm F 2.8L II USM and the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens

NEW:

For used options:

Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens

NEW:

For used options:

MORE AFFORDABLE CAMERA OPTIONS

Canon EOS R Mirrorless Camera

For used options:

NEW:

Canon 6D Mark II

Used options:

NEW:

CANON 5D Mark II

Canon 5D Mark III