With the new year having just begun, I like to start anticipating gifts for friends and family. (I have quite a few late winter and early spring birthdays coming up!) And as a photographer, I can't help but feel strongly that photography-inspired gifts are among the most touching and memorable. I'd love to share some of my favorite photo-focused gifts (in no particular order, although I do feel that my Aura digital frame gifts me memory after memory every time I walk by it)! I truly hope that these recommendations spark some creative, joyful photography gift-giving!
Heart Snapshot Collage—Float Mounted (Minted)
I love the layout of this print: the image placement feels whimsical, yet the collage takes the shape of a heart. I think it'd make the perfect gift for just about anyone, from a significant other to grandparents. With Valentine's Day right around the corner, Minted's Heart Snapshot Collage would be such a thoughtful way of highlighting favorite moments together. It'd also be a beautiful way to showcase pictures from a recent extended family session or perhaps some sweet snaps of grandparents with the kiddos. A huge plus is that this collage holds 30 of your favorite pictures (because it can be so hard to choose only a few)!
And the icing on the cake is the mounting—I do love a good float mount! :) In my eyes, float mounts add dimension and such elegance to a framed print. (I do own a couple of float mounted, framed prints from Minted and the quality is top-notch, too!)
Digital Picture Frame (Aura Frames)
I cannot say enough great things about Aura's digital frames. A few years ago, my mom gifted me the Carver 10" frame in sea salt (white) and it's one of my favorite gifts she's ever given me. I've mostly loaded it with pictures of my daughter and I love being suprised by which version or memory of her I'll be greeted with when I walk into my bedroom. (Will she be months old or will I be met by her now five-year-old self?) I've also loaded pictures of my nieces and nephews texted to me by my siblings; with my family living in different states, it makes me so happy to see pictures of them pop up. It definitely helps keep them close!
A couple of other things I love about these frames are their elegant designs (they'll work in any room!), and the ease of uploading pictures to the frames through the (free!) Aura app. It's such a seamless way to let pictures live beyond your phone's camera roll. A huge plus of gifting this frame is that you can share pictures to other frames through the app, too. It takes seconds to surprise and delight family and friends to whom you've gifted the frame with new pictures. And guess what? Aura always has sales around major holidays!
Custom Photo Puzzle (mpix)
I think that photo puzzles are such a fun way to relive a memory—and they can be really tailored to whom you're gifting. Detail shots from a newborn session (think tiny fists gripping a rattle or teeny baby toes peeking out from a favorite blanket), or fun, candid moments from a family session would make for such thoughtful gifts. And of course favorite snaps from an unforgettable vacation are ideal for bringing you back to that moment. (I have an upcoming trip to California and I'm already anticipating which scenic landscape shots or shots of my daughter and my niece combing the beach for sea glass—or perhaps a close-up of the sea glass itself!—would make for a memorable photo puzzle gift for my brother and his family.)
I love that not only does mpix's Custom Photo Puzzle come with a poster of your photo for reference, but it's also available in 252, 500, and 1,000 pieces. (I'm thinking that the 252-piece option would be a good challenge for my soon-to-be six-year-old daughter and that my nine-year-old niece would definitely be up for the 1,000-piece puzzle!)
I'm also a big fan of mpix's quality, customer service, and shipping speed. (Nope, they don't pay me to say this!) Their prints are consistently sharp and vibrant; their customer service is friendly and responsive; and it's been my experience that their prints and products always arrive sooner than expected (even though I usually opt for standard shipping)!
Custom Photo Calendar (mpix)
Another favorite (also from mpix!) are Custom Photo Calendars. These make great gifts, especially for extended family, as you can include family members across different months and even pepper in their favorite sayings or a heartwarming anecdote by either adding text to your layout within mpix or by superimposing text on the month's photo (Photoshop or Canva are go-to tools for this!) and then exporting the file as an image to include in your calendar design. And you'll never forget important dates, as you can add special occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries to your calendar.
Custom photo calendars are also a great way to showcase a child's artwork. I know it's probably tough to pick only twelve pieces (my daughter loves art and will easily create twelve pieces in a week!), but it's a lovely way to preserve a kiddo's creations and share with them family. It'll likely fill the artist with pride, too, to see their artwork on display!
Custom Baby Board Book (Artifact Uprising)
I love a custom baby board book for new parents or toddler parents and Artifact Uprising's are top-notch! Their baby board books are easy to design with their simple layouts and color schemes and the books themselves are especially baby-friendly with their toxin-free, thick pages and rounded corners. There are a few different themes to choose from when designing your book; my favorites are People, All About Me, and Thankful.
The People-themed book is a lovely way for babies to start learning about important loved ones in their lives, especially family who might live far away, as they'll start associating photos of loved ones with their names. The All-About-Me-themed book is wonderful for toddlers, particularly because young kiddos love seeing pictures of themselves and hearing personal tidbits and anecdotes make them feel proud! (My daughter was obsessed with her All About Me book!) And the Thankful-themed book is perfect for any child, as it helps to instill gratitude and to reflect on the day. Plus, story time is such a beautiful way to bond before bedtime!
I hope that this post has inspired you to breathe new life into your pictures (by helping them live outside of your camera roll!), and to see how photography-based gifts can be one of the most heartfelt and personal gifts you can give.
If you're interested in having your family's memories joyfully and beautifully captured, I'd love to chat!