The best gifts for moms who always have a camera

Finding gifts for moms who love photography can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. The gifts in this Mother’s Day Gift Guide offer great options for both seasoned professional photographers and enthusiastic amateur shooters. If Mom always has a camera in her hand, it’s a safe bet that she loves to capture all of life’s beautiful moments, and these thoughtful gift ideas will help her keep doing what she does best. 

When shopping for gifts for women that love photography we recommend skipping the cheesy camera-branded T-shirts and camera-themed jewelry. Instead, opt for a more practical gift that will get regular use by your photography-loving momma rather than one that will sit unused in her dresser drawer or jewelry box. These gifts will show the photographer moms in your life that you value their ability to capture life’s beautiful moments and encourage them to keep shooting pictures. Regardless of who you are shopping for or your budget, we think there is a gift on this list that the mom in your life will love.    

• Best camera strap: Peak Design Slide Lite Camera Strap
• Best coffee table book for photographers: Magnum Artists
• Best instant camera: Fujifilm Instax Square SQ1
• Best lightweight digital camera: Nikon Z fc with NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR lens
• Best digital picture frame: Aura Mason Luxe WiFi Digital Picture Frame
• Best physical prints: Mpix Classic Photo Book
• Best versatile camera bag: Peak Design Everyday Tote 15L
• Best gift for photographer moms with young children: Shutter Huggers Monkey
• Best gift for smartphone shooters: 11 in 1 Cell Phone Camera Lens Kit
• Best book for project inspiration: The Photographer’s Playbook
• Best budget gift for photographers on Mother’s Day: Chasing Y Camera Lens Coffee Mug

Best camera strap: Peak Design Slide Lite Camera Strap

SEE IT

Upgrading your mom’s camera strap is a thoughtful gift that will save her shoulders over time. We love this minimalistic strap from Peak Design for its quick-adjusting handles and the anchor mount system that makes it easy to use with a variety of cameras. This strap can be worn as a sling, shoulder, or neck strap and is made of comfortable seat belt style webbing, smooth on one side, with grip on the reverse. The Lite strap is slightly slimmer than the original, making it a less bulky choice for camera carrying. 

Best coffee table book for photographers: Magnum Artists

SEE IT

This beautiful coffee table book brings together 200+ portraits of the world’s greatest artists as captured by Magnum photographers—it’s a massive tome of photographic inspiration if your mom loves shooting portraits. Many of the pictures are accompanied by behind-the-scenes stories of the shoot. Magnum Artists spans nearly eight decades and is sure to be appreciated by your art-loving momma.

Best instant camera: Fujifilm Instax Square SQ1

SEE IT

An instant camera was a cheap way to document loved ones in the earliest days of photography, and the Instax Square SQ1 is one of our favorite modern-day instant cameras. It’s great for novice shooters and those who are more experienced with a camera. It has a slim body that shoots Instax square film, automatically selects the correct shutter speed for whatever you are capturing, and features a mirror to make selfies easier. It comes in three colors, so you can match it to your mom’s favorite hue. We think the Square looks a bit more refined than the Mini 12, but if you want to save a little money or think your mom will prefer smaller prints, the Instax Mini 12 is also a great instant camera.

Best lightweight digital camera: Nikon Z fc with NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR lens

SEE IT

If you are looking to splurge on Mother’s Day, look no further than the Nikon Z fc. This mirrorless camera features attractive, retro styling reminiscent of Nikon 35mm film cameras. It is an interchangeable lens camera, so if your mom wants to expand her options beyond the one in this kit, she can always get new lenses down the line. It’s built around a 20.9-megapixel sensor and can record 4K video. It’s a highly capable and attractive camera that is also nice and small so it’s easier to bring on outings.

Best digital picture frame: Aura Mason Luxe WiFi Digital Picture Frame

SEE IT

A Wi-Fi-enabled digital frame will let your photography-loving mom always keep her best pictures on display for all to see. It offers free unlimited cloud storage, so she’ll never run out of room for photos. And should she want to share photos from others, the app allows you to invite collaborators who can then add their own photos. It automatically adjusts brightness based on the environment, turns off at night, and just looks really slick.

Best physical prints: Mpix Classic Photo Book

SEE IT

It is rare to get prints in this digital age, but holding a physical version of your photos or photos of your family is still special. Mpix makes a wide range of photo gifts, but we love photo books for compiling lots of photos in one place. It’s available in five different sizes, and you can choose from different options for paper type and cover design. Or, if you want your mom to be able to fill the book with photos she wants, you can always go the gift card route as well.

Best Classy Camera Bag: Peak Design Everyday Tote 15L

SEE IT

A quality camera bag is a gift that your photo-loving mom will appreciate for years to come. This understated Peak Design bag is versatile enough that it can be used as a daily carry bag without photo gear as well. And it’s roomy, perfect for moms who like to have everything and the kitchen sink on them. It’ll fit a mirrorless camera with three to four extra lenses and accessories. There’s also a laptop sleeve with a few internal pockets to stay organized. And it’s made of recycled material and is weatherproof in case your mom gets caught in the rain.

Best gift for photographer moms with young children: Shutter Huggers Monkey

SEE IT

Mom’s love photographing everyday moments in the lives of their children, and this soft camera creature will help those little ones keep smiling. The Shutter Huggers Monkey hugs mom’s camera lens and gives those young children something fun to focus on—making it a whole lot easier for mom to capture genuine, relaxed portraits of their children. This size is designed to work with most DSLR or mirrorless cameras and lenses. 

Best gift for smartphone shooters: 11 in 1 Cell Phone Camera Lens Kit

SEE IT

The best camera is the one in your pocket, and for most moms, that means their smartphones. This 11-in-1 lens kit has a detachable clamp that is compatible with a variety of smartphones and doesn’t require an additional case. The kit includes the following lenses: wide angle, macro, fisheye, telephoto, Kaleidoscope, and CPL/Flow/Radial/Star/Soft filter. The tiny lenses are made of high-quality optical glass to prevent ghosting and flares and come in a zippered case to keep them safe between use. These fun lenses will help your mom get creative with those smartphone shots.

Best Book For Project Inspiration: The Photographer’s Playbook

SEE IT

The Photographer’s Playbook features 307 photography assignments and ideas to keep your photographer mom’s creativity flowing all year long. This book features advice for better shooting, getting started on new projects, and fun games and activities from photographers like Philip-Lorca diCorcia, John Baldessari, Susan Meiselas, Alec Soth, and more. It’s also an excellent gift for moms who are trying to get young students engaged with the camera.

Best budget gift for photographers on Mother’s Day: Chasing Y Camera Lens Coffee Mug

SEE IT

We typically wouldn’t recommend a novelty camera accessory, but we love this lens-shaped thermos, and if mom loves her coffee or tea as much as she loves her camera, we think she will too. This thermos has a capacity of 13.5 ounces, is made of food-grade ABS plastic on the outside, and has a stainless steel interior. And the unique lens-like lid makes it spill-proof. It can hold hot or cold beverages, and at under $30, it won’t break the bank.

How to know you’ve found an excellent Mother’s Day Gift

The best gifts for moms this Mother’s Day are ones that come from the heart and show that you truly appreciate the hard work that mom puts in all year round. Doing a bit of research about what and when mom likes to photograph will go a long way in selecting photography accessories that make sense for her. Unsure about your mom’s preferred way of making pictures or what camera gear she might want? An instant camera is a universally enjoyed gift and a great way to snap a selfie with your mom to show how much you appreciate her.

Pop Photo wants to help you find the most useful and expert shopping recommendations for the best gift ideas. Searching for more unique gifts? Check out more gift guides here: gift ideas for the outdoor photographer and more photography gifts.