Art + Math's First Annual Holiday Gift Guide

Give a great gift to that special someone

In journalism class they teach you not to write “first annual” because the first time you do something it’s not annual regardless of whatever optimistic plans you may have for the future. But because I am a very specific kind of rebel, I present to you this: Art + Math’s First Annual Holiday Gift Guide. 

Unlike most gift guides aimed at photographers, this will not be filled with preposterously expensive gift suggestions such as a Leica M11 Monochrom (which is, in truth, a fantastic gift, particularly if I’m on your list). Nor will it be a bunch of cheap photo-themed junk just to make it affordable for regular people. (Zoom lens travel mug, anyone?) In fact, this isn’t even a gift guide for things you buy other people. No, I believe that giving and receiving are both equally satisfying, so this is a list of gifts to give to your favorite photographer: yourself. 

Much like the delightful “Treat Yo Self” concept introduced by Parks and Rec’s Donna Meagle, this gift guide is intended to hit the sweet spot of things you want that are some combination of fun, interesting, weird, practical and maybe even a bit of a treat. These are the smallest of luxuries, the mildest indulgences that I believe to be essential to your well being as a human.

So whether grandma slipped 50 bucks into your Christmas card or your boss provided a holiday bonus, it’s the perfect time to splurge on a little something for yourself. And if you’re broke, don’t worry: I’ve even included a treat that’s free. 

With that in mind, here are seven ways to treat yourself this holiday season.¹ As the old saying goes, “The greatest gift you can give yourself is something you don’t need but kinda want and so when someone gives you a little fun money don’t feel guilty about splurging for once.” 

START AN ART COLLECTION

Magnum Photos hosts occasional square print sales, providing an opportunity to acquire signed small prints in open editions from some of the world’s greatest photographers. I snapped up a Steve McCurry 6x6” print for $100 and it’s a prized piece of my poor man’s art collection. It brings me joy far beyond the price I paid, and that’s a key for this kind of purchase—this whole list, really. I can’t justify it as a “wise investment,” but I love it anyway. 

Magnum offers these periodic square print sales, as well as ongoing sales of pricier signed limited edition prints, and even more affordable editions that land in between. The image above is from their Darkroom Prints collection, an open edition of 11x14 prints showing photographer Thomas Hoepker’s dodging and burning notes. It’s a uniquely photographic image, which is the kind of thing for which I have a real soft spot. $250 for the print, with framing available for another $150. 

In the same vein, I recently discovered Sonic Editions, seller of limited edition photographs starting at $139. The site’s focus is music photography, but collections also include fashion, the arts, movies and more. If you’re interested in the photography of popular culture over the last half century, chances are Sonic Editions has something that will catch your eye. I’m coveting this 1985 shot of Guns ‘n Roses at Canter’s Deli, but there’s a lot of great stuff to choose from.

Maybe the best approach to acquiring art for your walls is to go straight to the photographers in your circle. Fellow Substacker

Dina Litovsky

is having a combination birthday/holiday print sale, offering signed open edition 5x7 prints for $150. Litovsky is a documentary photographer with a distinct style, and her In The Frame newsletter is a great read for those, like me, who especially enjoy behind-the-scenes-of-how-I-tackled-this-assignment pieces. You can of course get to Ms. Litovsky’s sale via the link above, but you might also consider reaching out to some of your friends, colleagues and social media favorites to see if they might sell you a print. 

BUY SUPER BOOKS

I get a weekly update about quirky collectible books from IDEA, a London-based bookseller and occasional publisher of unique books largely from the worlds of fashion and photography. While IDEA does sell a variety of wares, it’s the vintage super books in particular that I find most intriguing. These include some off the wall items (the 1976 Cocaine Consumers Handbook, for instance, or the 1973 Salvador Dali Cookbook) as well as some classic works by great artists: David Hockney’s 1982 Photographs, a 1997 Japanese edition of a Jean Michel Basquiat monograph, and a signed 1985 first edition of Richard Avedon’s In The American West. Just writing this out for you is giving me the itch. I need all of these and more. So many interesting books, so little time (and even less money).

INVEST IN EDUCATION

A few years back I gifted myself a Masterclass subscription and it felt like the rare treat that also made me a better person in the process. Maybe it was the vague air of exclusivity, or just the high-end nature of the content that isn’t really found anywhere else, but it really felt like a luxury. I intended mostly to watch Annie Leibovitz’s class, which I did.² But I ended up lurking around in other surprising places and learned some magic tricks from Penn and Teller (sufficient to impress my wife and kids) and a foolproof way to make perfect scrambled eggs from chef Gordon Ramsey (hint: it’s butter and air). I also enjoyed dipping into interviews with David Sedaris and Steve Martin, among others. The point is, I really enjoyed this non-essential spend, and felt like I received more than fair value in return. I think if you’re a creative person interested in the creative process, whether that’s photography, cooking or magic, this subscription is a great gift to give yourself. They’re currently running a buy one/get one holiday promotion, so your $10 or $15 monthly subscription can be split between two people. Got a friend you want to go halvsies with? This subscription is a can’t miss at twice the price, much less for half off. 

INFINITE MEDIA HACK

Continuing on with the “invest in yourself” thread… Good news! This one is perfect for every budget because it’s absolutely free. It’s also the “a few of my favorite things” detour on this gift list, as I use both of these services regularly. I offer you here two great sources of free books, movies and more. The first is Libby. If you have a library card, from any library anywhere, it’s likely you’ve got access to Libby as a resource for digitally borrowing e-books and audiobooks. Much like your brick-and-mortar library, Libby works by allowing you to reserve and check out the titles you’re interested in. Reading and listening is done directly from the app, so no technical expertise is required. (Fear not, fellow luddites!) 

Similar is the movie version of the same service, from the same developer, in fact. Kanopy works the same way as Libby: sign up, input your library info, and get total access to free movie streaming. It’s a big, interesting and ever-changing library of films. I’ve lately been using it to binge-watch photography documentaries. It’s also got a bunch of interesting odd films, like indies and old movies, as well as some big Hollywood stuff, TV movies and cult classics. If, by chance, your library doesn’t participate with these providers, look around for other apps such as Borrowbox, Boundless, and IndieFlix that offer a similar service. (In writing this, I discovered my library also uses a service called Flipster, which provides access to magazines in digital form, and I will be treating myself to that service shortly as well.) 

MY NOD TO GEAR: WEIRD LIGHTS

Ever used a Pavo Tube? It’s a constant light source, a battery powered LED light wand, sold in two-foot, four-foot and eight-foot lengths, generally priced in the $300 to $500 range for the 2- and 4-foot sizes, depending on the kit you choose. I have never used these lights, but I’ve heard from more than one trusted source that they are incredibly useful. And while you’ll notice this gift-yo-self gift guide is devoid of practical camera/lens/light/tripod types of stuff in favor of things that are a little more off the beaten path, I think the Pavo Tubes fall into the category of just such a treat. I’d like to get my hands on one and play with it. I’ve heard commercial portrait photographers sing their praises, and even a bigtime adventure photographer described using them in the mountains to photograph snow skiers after dusk, commenting on the batteries’ performance even in subzero temperatures. 

There’s one other strange lighting product that’s been on my “I’d like to check that out” list for quite some time. It’s the LumeCube, makers of small LED lights (and actually their own version of a tube light as well). The ones I’m thinking of are little golfball sized specular-light cubes. They first came to my attention when fashion photographer Nino Rakichevich told me the LumeCube is an essential piece of his location lighting kit, as both a fill light and occasional key in a pinch. At $90 per light (or $160 for a two-pack) what have we got to lose? Accessories include barn doors and magnetic gels, so these things can punch well above their weight. 

Both of these weird LED lights have garnered enough praise from discerning sources to color me intrigued. Next time I have a bit of fun money burning a hole in my pocket, one of these lights is getting added to my cart.

MY NOD TO GEAR PART 2: TOY CAMERAS

Remember when you used to have a non-serious camera? The kind of thing you used for fun, shortcomings and all? You probably did, because didn’t we all? I’m here to remind you that toy cameras are still just as fun, and there are more options than ever. 

The classic is the Holga, of course, the all-plastic medium format camera. I bought my first Holga at L.A.’s Freestyle camera circa 1997 for $15. Freestyle still sells them, but they’re $40 now. 

Real toy camera aficionados know that while the Holga is fun, the king of the hill is the Diana, the original, highly sought after plastic camera from the 1960s. I upgraded from my Holga to a Diana (actually, to a Diana knockoff called a Banner) in the early aughts, and I’m ashamed to say I haven’t used it in a while. A travesty! If you’re interested in investing in a Diana, be prepared to spend up as the originals sell for a princely $150 or so. The eBay is full of them, like the one pictured above in its original box with a flash, owners manual and everything. While you’re there, you’ll notice that toy camera maker Lomography remade the Diana about 15 years ago, so the supply has greatly increased and made them more affordable than ever. Lomography, in fact, makes a variety of low-fi cameras worth consideration. 

Other toy options include cameras that aren’t actually toys, but are designed more for fun than high-end work. I’d throw into this category things like vintage Polaroid instant cameras, especially now that instant films are being made again. The biggest problem with these is each frame costs about $2 (okay fine, a buck fifty if you buy in bulk). Likewise you’ve got a lot of options for instant prints from Fujifilm and its Instax lineup. I own an original mini, but if I could do it over I’d get the square format, or perhaps the wide. I want the biggest print I can get my hands on, after all.

Then there’s the Paper Shoot camera company. They make cameras out of paper! Kinda. The outer surface is “stone paper,” a material that makes the bodies super thin and fairly durable, and not like any paper you’re likely familiar with. These cameras are tiny point-and-shoots, and they’re customizable with fun shells so you can have a different look to match every outfit. The company was built on the principle of providing the look and feel of a film camera, with the sustainability (and lower ongoing cost) of digital. It’s a strange niche they’re in, but I’m on board. Who doesn’t want a weird, tiny, customizable pocket camera? An instant conversation starter when you bring this thing out, I’m sure. 

And finally, while there are a million other cameras I could include in this goofy category, I’m going to admit that it’s the Kodak Ektar half frame camera that’s currently atop my dumb wish list. Retailing for less than $50, this 35mm point and shoot turns a roll of 36 exposures into 72 vertical (i.e. half frame) exposures. I have a vintage Olympus Pen half frame camera I love, and I have a feeling these cheap cameras would be a lot of fun at parties. 

GET IT IN PRINT

Okay, this one is gonna sound a little bit like homework, but hear me out. It’s actually permission that I’m giving you here. If you’re like me, you don’t get to see your work in print as much as you’d prefer. And without a specific reason to do so, it can be too easy to avoid printing altogether. To that end, my suggestion is this: print some photographs. It’s sad that for some of us, printing our photographs amounts to a luxury. I grew up in the darkroom, I made prints well into the digital era. But as a working photographer who delivers files (and the occasional drop-shipped print direct from the lab) I simply don’t have occasion to print my own work. So if you, like me, haven’t made a print for yourself in a while, consider this the excuse you need to change that. Order online from your favorite lab (I’ve used BayPhoto for many years—albeit intermittently—and have always been quite pleased) and frame something up for your wall. Find a spot in the basement, or above your desk, or simply send it to your sister. Make a print purely for the sake of hanging something beautiful on the wall. It’s likely to have the added benefit of reminding you what a good photographer you are.

Looking back at this list, one thing is clear: I want to inject more fun into my photographic life.³ This is probably the case for many of you who earn your living with a camera, too. It’s good to remember why we got interested in this stuff in the first place. Life goes by pretty fast, and sometimes you’ve got to make a little effort to enjoy the trip.

Happy Holidays, y’all!

1. Why seven? Because I had more than five but not quite ten. And I didn't want to fill the list out with crap just to get to a round number. And since I’m not OCD it doesn’t bother me at all. I’m not OCD and it doesn’t bother me at all I’m not OCD and it doesn’t bother me at all I’m not OCD and it doesn’t bother me at all. 

2. It was reasonably interesting but not exactly a critical insight into becoming a world-class photographer.

3. The real gift was the friends we made along the way.