Gift-Giving Tips

• A digital camera. There’s a member of my family who still uses film. While there’s nothing wrong with that, the holiday season is a good time to jump into digital. Manufacturers often bundle printers with cameras, saving you or your recipient time and money. Keep in mind you don’t need a lot of megapixels to make 4×6-inch prints, or fancy gadgets to take a good picture. Look for cameras with image stabilization and an optical zoom that fit your budget.

• A photo printer. I just bought an all-in-one—a combination photo printer/scanner/copier—for around $50! It’s an Epson and uses the Durabrite inks, which means I don’t have to worry about the longevity my prints as long as I also use acid- and lignin-free photo paper. Before purchasing a photo printer, check out its preservation ratings on Wilhelm’s Image Research.

• A scanner. While legal-size scanners are still little pricey for my budget, you can find many letter-size models for less than $100. Look for scanners that can do high-resolution (300 dots per inch or higher) scanning. Here’s a tip: Read the reviews at Flat-BedScannerReview.com.

Looking for some smaller gifts? Buy Zig markers (for labeling resin-coated pictures) and soft-lead graphite pencils (for labeling heritage images) at art supply or scrapbook stores. Buy a box of acid- and lignin-free photo paper at an office supply store, or a beautiful preservation quality photo album at a stationary shop.

Click Comment to add your photo-gift ideas. Happy holidays!