Finding the right gift for the photographer can be tough - we all have a million opinions on what's good and bad, and often have special needs based upon our existing camera gear / brand, etc. I thought I would throw out a few ideas of items that might be appreciated by just about any photographer. So here goes:

Petzl E99 PG Tikka XP 2 Headlamp. This is the newest addition to my camera bag and I love it! This tiny little light weight headlamp is super bright! At 60 lumens, it is currently the brightest Petzl headlamp. Because it is so small and light, it always stays in my camera bag, and sure comes in handy on the pre sunrise / post sunset hikes that photographers are often forced to make in the pursuit of light. But, the thing that really makes this one sweet for photography is the addition of the red LED light. The red light allows you to see your camera gear in the dark without messing up your night vision - perfect for night photography of star trails, northern lights etc.

LED Keychain Micro-Light I love these little things and usually keep one on the zipper of my camera bag, and on my jacket. Gee, I'm noticing a light theme here - fitting for winter in Alaska.

Leatherman 830039 New Wave Multitool There is a reason you see these on the belts or in the pockets of many Alaskans - this all around tool comes in really handy! I have been carrying mine in my camera bag for many years - this is the new and improved model of the old one I have. I have gotten so used to having it in my camera bag that I made the mistake of leaving mine in my bag as I went through security at the airport - whoops!

Little Hotties Hand Warmers 40 Pairs We just purchased a box of these a week or so ago. This time of year you can't have too many chemical hand warmers - I always leave a pair or two in my camera bag. Not only are they great for rewarming hands once they get cold - gloves are ineffective at warming cold hands, but, I will also put them in the pockets of my jacket and use this as a place to rewarm and replenish camera batteries if I'm in real cold weather.

Reflectors and defusers Most photographers can't have too many of these. They are great for close-up work and people photography. You can get them in all different sizes - something for every budget.

Digital frames Most photographers love to share photos with family and co-workers, and having a nice digital frame for the office or home makes a great gift for most any photographer. I can't recommend a particular one as I don't own one, but I have found the buyer feedback on Amazon to be pretty accurate.

An Anza-Borrego photo workshop with me. Hey, why not?

Handheld GPS This is another great tool for the photographer. Not only do these things tell you where you are are, but are handy for sunrise / sunset times, tides, moon rise / set times, moon phase, and many other things. The one I use is an old Garmin that is still going strong - so I can't recommend a specific model, but there is a wide array of choices to select from.

iPad I don't have one so I don't have much to add, but what in 2011, what gift list would be complete without this item listed.