When it comes to buying a birthday gift for your favorite photo lover, you want to make sure you get them something fun and exciting, but you might not have an unlimited budget to help you out.
For the photographer who never wants to put down their camera, you may want to look at additional supplies they can use on the job like a lighting kit or monolight. For the one who wants to travel everywhere, you might want to look at a backpack or case that will let them carry all of their gear.
The best birthday gifts under $100 for photographers include gear targeted for their favorite parts of the experience. If it’s staged shooting, they may want backdrops to assist. If it’s never missing a single shot, it might be a vest that allows them to carry their gear through the wilderness, always at the ready.
1. Hpusn Softbox Lighting Kit (Overall Winner)
Taking the best possible photos means having great quality lighting and that’s where this softbox lighting kit is going to help. It comes with a softbox made of PET to provide excellent reflective capabilities. Even under long-term heating from a bulb, this kit is designed to still give you exactly the same performance and quality that you’re looking for.
There are two bulbs included to provide up to 8000 hours of lighting while still keeping down your energy usage. Not only that but they provide you with a brilliant white light that’s consistent and clear for any photography needs you may have. It also has an adjustable stand and more. All of this makes it a great tool for your photography loving friends to have available and a great gift idea.
2. MOUNTDOG Photo Backdrop Stand Kit
When it comes to taking professional photos or even getting into taking their own family photos, this kit is going to be a great option for any photographer. It comes with three muslin backdrops, including a greenscreen that allows them to really get creative and have fun. That’s not all you’re going to find in this kit though.
There’s a carry bag to bring everything along, the stand support system to prop up the backdrops, and clips to hold it all together. There’s plenty of options for the height of the backdrop, and it’s all super simple to set up.
Taking photos with a unique background is definitely going to be a whole lot easier with this kit. Plus these are the kind of birthday gifts under $100 for photographers that can help them earn money too.
3. Neewer N-300W 5600K Photo Studio Strobe Flash Light Monolight
This aluminum alloy light is designed to make studio shooting a whole lot easier and more fun for anyone. Not to mention it’s Neewer photography gear, which is always a great option for photographers.
If you have a photo friend they’re going to love playing around with this one whether they’re just getting started or they’re already well experienced. It works in a number of different ways and gives something new to explore and play with.
This light can be used as a backlight, hair light, main light, or it can be added to a lighting layout to create something else entirely. It comes with lifetime support and a one year warranty. All of this is going to make it a great option for any photographer, especially since it can be mounted or used as a handheld unit.
4. Lowepro Photo Hatchback 22L AW Camera Backpack
When it comes to taking pictures all day it can be difficult to carry all that gear around. That’s where a good camera backpack can be a great investment. But this one isn’t just any backpack. It also gives you a camera storage cube that makes sure your gear is well protected but still easier to carry than in a standard camera bag.
This bag is great on your list of birthday gifts under $100 for photographers because it lets them store all of their gear carefully but still carry it with them when they’re hiking, backpacking, or going anywhere out in the wilderness. All they have to do is take out the cube, pack it up, put it back, and they’re ready to go.
5. Hoodman HoodLoupe H30MB Camera Viewfinder
When you’re outdoors and trying to check out your LCD screen it can be a little difficult. The excess glare can make it difficult to see what’s going on. But this camera viewfinder sun shade is the answer to that problem, and something that your favorite photobug may not even realize exists.
All you have to do is press the sun shade up against the LCD screen and you can easily see exactly what’s there. That’s going to make it easier for professional and amateur photographers alike to see what they’re taking pictures of, adjust any settings they need and more. It’s also just the right size for most LCD screens and has a diopter adjustment feature.
6. ProGrade Digital Dual-Slot UHS-II SDXB USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C Card Reader
What good is taking pictures if you’re not going to do anything with them after? This memory card reader makes it easy to take a closer look at the photos your photobug has taken quickly and easily. It connects directly to their laptop and doesn’t take up much space, which is great for viewing and editing photos on the go.
It transfers data from up to two cards at once at a speed of 1.25GB/s, which means a quick and easy experience that gets right to editing or clearing the cards to take even more pictures. This reader comes with a two year warranty that it will keep working at the same standard and it’s durable enough that it can go anywhere.
7. Beschoi DSLR Camera Backpack Waterproof Camera Bag
Designed specifically to carry all of your camera gear, this backpack has a truly unique design that any photographer is going to love. It has a large pocket at the top for camera lenses as well as a spot specifically on the side to store a camera base. There are also small pockets all over the bag to store cables, cards, and more. You can even store a laptop and tripod in this bag.
Designed for travel, you’ll have a waterproof bag that keeps everything organized and stays comfortable for extended wear. That’s definitely going to keep your photographer friend happy when they’re trekking anywhere. After all, all that camera gear can get heavy or it could be damaged if you don’t store it properly. This bag takes care of all of that.
8. Nate’s Leather Co. Outdoor Safari Photographer’s Vest (Budget Winner)
Designed for photographers who go on safari, fishing, or otherwise into the wilderness, this vest offers a number of excellent features and ways to carry everything that you might need. It has separate pockets for everything from sunglasses and keys to a camera and all the gear that goes along with it.
Your favorite photographer is going to have no problem packing up their gear in this polyester and cotton vest to make sure they don’t miss the perfect shot. Not only that but it comes in several different sizes and two different colors to make sure it’s a good fit. It’s also weather-resistant and designed to evenly distribute weight so nothing slows them down.
Choosing Birthday Gifts Under $100 for Photographers
When it comes to choosing the best birthday gifts under $100 for photographers it’s always a good idea to look at something fun and something they could use. Photo gear is great and lets them continue to expand their experience if they’re still aspiring photographers. With some of these pieces, they’ll be able to try entirely new things and have a whole lot of fun doing it. And that’s the whole point of getting someone a great birthday present, right?