The Inspiring Bloggers’ Gift Guide

If you are just starting out, or only want to blog casually, you don't need a big, fancy camera, but you do need something that will at least give you control over how your photos look and give you better quality than what you can get from your phone. This camera is budget-friendly while still giving you some really great quality, and I highly recommend it.

If you're serious about blogging, or want to take more professional-grade photos, you need to get a high-quality full-frame DSLR. This camera will give you the quality you need in any lighting situation. Some bloggers prefer to use Canon, but I've only used Nikon, and I absolutely love the quality I get from them.

I am a fan of using fixed lenses, and this 35mm lens is great for flatlays and many forms or outdoor photography.

There's a reason this "nifty fifty" is a favorite among bloggers and photographers alike. It is great for just about any type of shoot. If you can only afford one lens, I recommend starting off with this one!

This is the lens you need for those dreamy closeup detail shots.

Regardless of the type of blogging you do, you'll need to engage with your audience on social media. I love Tailwind for scheduling for pinterest, and I know there are a ton of people who also love their instagram schedule as well. Tailwind is always adding new features that make blogging easier.

Personally, I use Plann for my Instagram scheduling. I love the features and analytics it offers. The hashtag research functionality is great and I love seeing what my account looks like when scheduling.

If you are interested in food blogging in particular, there is nothing better than this course to teach you how to compose an engaging food photo. What's great is the principles Rachel uses works for other areas of photography as well.

Lightroom is essential for editing your photos and Lightroom Magic takes you through each step so you have a full understanding as to how to use each part of this powerful editing tool. Rachel focuses on food, but the principles can be applied to all forms of photograpgy

There are free platforms for your blog, but I HIGHLY recommend creating a self-hosted website that you can fully control. There are a ton of great hosts, but I personally use WPOpt, and I love working with them. Their customer service is great, and their hosting is completely reliable.

Technically, not something you can gift, BUT introducing yourself or an aspiring blogger you know to the Theory of Content podcast can be life-changing.