If this is your first stop, there’s lots more to see. Make sure you check out all of my 2014 gift guides for everyone on your list, including unusual gifts, gifts that give back, and the best kids stuff!
Everything a Blogger Wants
Are you active in social media? Love doing everything online including sharing photos and videos? You’ll definitely want to put some of these things on your list.
The Thing You Want |
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Wow. That’s a mouthful but when it comes to equipment for getting the job done, my Sony NEX-F3 is my go to camera. It’s a mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses (I have both the zoom and the wide angle in addition to the standard). The 180° flip screen on the back also makes it easy for those willing to dabble in vlogging. At close to $500, it ain’t cheap but you get what you pay for. |
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Still interested in video but not wanting to make the $500 investment? Sony has you covered with this gadget Best Buy showed off at the Mom 2.0 Summit. It’s a high quality lens that attaches to your smart phone so that you can take optically beautiful photos or videos. |
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Yeah, um, I think the title pretty much explained it all. For the ultimate selfie-taker. For around $40, it’s on my wishlist for sure. |
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I once heard a videographer speak and he said the most important thing about video is the sound. If you can’t hear it and hear it well, people will quickly click away. For distance shots or noisy locations, try a lavalier mic that plugs right into your phone. With a 20′ cord and a $26 price, it’s a steal for decent audio. |
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Whether you’re doing food photography, taking pictures of junk you’re going to sell on eBay, or shooting video at home, getting the right lighting is important. For around $55, you can have your own little studio at home. |
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It’s a really long name so I usually just call it my Gorilla Pod. This mini tripod is designed to flex in literally any direction to help you get an awkwardly positioned photo or do an on-the-spot-video. And ready for this? It’s $11. I pack it with me on every trip. |
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For the love of God, will you people STOP hauling all your gear around on your shoulder? You’re completely wrecking your spinal alignment and why carry when you can wheel? I searched high and low for a women’s laptop bag that wasn’t too big (but big enough) and wasn’t too masculine yet could be taken seriously for a woman. And I absolutely love this one. A minor splurge at $80 but your shoulders will thank you. |
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This incredibly comprehensive book is written by my good friend, Melissa Culbertson, of Blog Clarity fame. Not only do I want you to buy this book in support my friend but the amount of information in here for a blog do-it-yourselfer is invaluable. You can pick it up for around $20. |
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Remember Picnik? I was so sad when it went away and so happy when PicMonkey emerged in its place. I use this almost every. single. day. And while there is a free version, the Royale version has more than paid for itself for me. Click on the link to try a free day and see what I mean! If you love it, it’s only $33 per year. |
Writing Away: A Creative Guide to Awakening the Journal-Writing Traveler (Travelers’ Tales) |
When I recently attended the Social Media on the Sand conference, a big focus was travel writing. This book came highly recommended from travel blogger Sue Rodman and others have told me it’s an inspirational book on writing regardless of the subject. Available for Kindle or paperback ranging from $10-$15. |
Happy Shopping!