As a portrait and branding photographer who loves adventuring with my camera, I often get questions about gear, as well as how I save, share, and display my images. With the holidays approaching, I thought I’d channel my inner Oprah and share some of my favorite camera gear, my recommendations for photo file storage, and fun ideas for sharing and displaying your photos.

I’m a huge advocate of getting your images off your iPhone and into a form where they can be enjoyed! Here are some of my suggestions:

Here are some of my suggestions:

For Sharing Photos:

your iPhone photo storage might be getting a little cramped. Do you ever wish there was an easy way to share multiple pictures casually, with a bit of flexibility and variety?

Print them:

Here’s what I do: I order “classic prints” from Artifact Uprising. These heavy matte paper prints are affordable, come in various sizes, and are fun to display in all sorts of creative ways. I pin them on bulletin boards, slip them into handmade wooden stands, and even turn them into note cards.

Create Storybooks

Another great way to share your photos is by making a photo book through a service like Shutterfly. The quality and design options have improved significantly over the years, making it a simple and stylish way to share memories with friends and family. When my kids were younger, I used to create a “yearbook” each year. Now, as empty nesters, I create a book for my husband to highlight our summer adventures.

Storing Photos:

When I run out of space on my iphone for my images and want to make sure they are stored safely, I use portable external hard drives. These are not big and bulky, but not too little like those thumbdrives that can get easily lost. Here are two good ones: Sandisk 2TB Extreme Portable SSD and Lacie Thunderbolt Rugged 2TB External Harddrive. Both are rugged and great for travel.

Cameras and Gear:

DJI Osmo Pocket 3

I was an early adopter of the Osmo Pocket cameras, and while they might be small and quirky-looking, they are absolutely AMAZING for many reasons. I used my Osmo Pocket 2 on our trips out West over the past few years—it fit in my pocket and came with its own gimbal for smooth, steady footage. When the Osmo Pocket 3 was released this year, I knew it was time to upgrade.

What sold me on the new version was the larger 2-inch rotatable touchscreen—I was tired of squinting at the smaller screen on the Osmo 2. The fact that it’s 4K/120fps, features three-axis mechanical stabilization, and includes a bunch of intelligent features made it an easy choice for me. I can’t recommend this camera enough, especially for social media and vlogging in public places.

Peak Design Tripod

If you’re like me and enjoy taking quality photos while hiking or backpacking, you need a sturdy tripod. I’m not willing to risk my good camera on a flimsy tripod, but most sturdy tripods are heavy and hard to carry. One of my best investments over the past couple of years (though it’s not cheap, so consider it an investment) has been the Peak Design Travel Tripod. It packs down to the size of a water bottle and weighs just 1.27 kg (2.81 lbs). It’s lightweight enough to carry on backpacking trips and incredibly adjustable and easy to use.

Photography Related Gifts for the Artist in All of Us

Books:

I anticipate in 2025 to use my camera in more creative ways when I’m not working. I am intrigued by how the act of photography forces the user to examine nature and the world in the moment and I how it can be a powerful form of visual expression, available to everyone.

With this in mind, top of my Christmas List is the book Zen Camera by David Ulrich. I intend to start a daily practice with my photography that others do with meditation or mindful moments. I also realize that the tool is not what’s important and smartphones are are perfect for an exercise such as this. If you are interested in cultivating creativity with a camera, I encourage you to seek out this book as well.

Another book that helps explore your inner creativity is Think Like an Artist by Will Gompertz. The subtitle is “and lead a More Creative, Productive Life.” Doesn’t that sound like a great goal? I firmly believe we are all creatives and although we all can’t paint like Picasso or sculpt like Michelangelo, we can all think like an artist. The author outlines practices and practices that  may help awaken the creative in you.

I hope some of these ideas resonate with you for yourself or the photographer in your life. And keep taking those pictures – for self-discovery or family memories, there is nothing like a photograph .