Lots of useful and fun goodies live on the shelves at Looking Glass. We stock products that will make your photography life more inspired, easier and of course, help you realize your photographic vision. Below, members of the Looking Glass team recommend an item they think everyone should know about... and why. We hope you discover some super useful and fun ideas for you, and as gifts for the creators in your life.

Cha’s Pick

Wandrd PRVKE Camera Bag  |  >>BUY NOW $219.99

Finding the "perfect" camera bag can be a bit much - there’s so many options that fulfill a variety of needs. But what is flexible enough to address numerous, and sometimes changing needs? Before, I was resigned to the “fact” that I needed numerous bags to solve all my needs. This was especially true since I use more than just one camera system. The problem was, my varying bags were taking up too much room. So what to do? Enter, the WANDRD PRVKE.

WANDRD totally solved the issue for me.  Their PRVKE photography bundle offers me flexibility and choice with all my camera systems. WANDRD uses a cube system making it super easy to swap from film to digital to snacks (yep - snacks! But that's another story). Some of my favorite features are the included waist straps that allow me to access my gear without having to take my pack off. The PRVKE also has a spacious roll top for storing additional accessories, a jacket or whatever extras you might want to take along. There's even a pocket and straps to hold your tripod or a water bottle. This bag truly is WANDRDful.  Stop by the store and check out our stock of WANDRD bags and accessories for yourself. Your camera gear and your back will love you for it! 

Kenny’s Pick

Lomography Reusable 35mm Film Cameras  |  >>BUY NOW $21.99

One of my favorite things in the store, and something I use a ton, is our Lomography Reusable 35mm Film Cameras. The one I have came with a roll of Lomochrome Purple which is a super cool film stock, but they also come with standard color or black and white film pre-loaded. The best part about these things is when the film is finished you can just reload another roll of whatever you want in it! I typically have Portra 800 in mine. It’s great because sometimes I want to bring a camera and shoot a nice film stock but I don’t want to worry about damaging my nice Pentax body/lens, and I don’t want to have to carry something bulky around with me. This little guy fits in my pocket and lets me just point and shoot! Plus it has some cool flash filters attached if I ever want to get crazy.

Christian’s Pick

Gear Wraps  |  >>BUY NOW Starts at $13.99

I always wanted to grow up to be a famous rapper. Growing up in the late 80's and into the 90's rap/hip hop was really growing and boy I was always listening to that amazing music and had such an affection for it. Fast forward to today and while my fame remains a work in progress, I do get my fair share of "wrapping" done with my staff pick, Gear Wraps! These versatile pieces of must have soft equipment are an invaluable asset in my kit. 

There are a number of companies making them at this point, Domke, Tenba, and Optech. So what are these things, exactly? Well, they are flat swatches of cordura and soft cotton with velcro tabs that come in a variety of dimensions from very big to sorta small. You use them to wrap up your favorite camera gear and protect them when you go out into the field. I use them all the time to wrap my flashes, lenses, camera bodies, and full camera assemblies {bodies w/ lenses}. I often go out for a day of adventuring and don’t wanna bring my camera bag plus a backpack to carry my other essentials, so I wrap my gear and drop it in my backpack. These wraps keep my precious cargo safe while I get out and roam and capture the beauty around me. I also use them in my professional life as well; I need quite a bit of gear when I go out on a shoot and if I have lots of tools packed together these handy things keep gear from bonking into one another and doing damage. Bottom line: These are a must have for any photogear head. So get some or give some and let’s all work together to become epic wrappers!!

Kevin’s Pick

Promaster Famous Shoes Ball Head  |  >>BUY NOW $29.99

The Promaster “Famous Shoes” mini ball head is a fantastic solution for your creative lighting and/or your “on-camera” accessory needs. It has solid aluminum construction and an astounding weight capacity of a 11lbs, make it very versatile, durable and a great compact accessory to add to any photographer's bag. 

I personally use the Famous Shoes ball head as an off camera Flash accessory, by removing and inverting the top plate of the ball head i can mount my speedlight directly onto the cold shoe attachment. Then mounting the ball head on either a tripod or light stand I get a full range of motion to use my flash as either a fill light for portraits or dramatic lighting for close up/macro photography. All-in-all, this product is a great problem solver to have on-hand when you need it.

Darcey’s and Bill’s Pick

The Promaster Chroma LED Light  |  >>BUY NOW $99.99 

WHAT BILL SAYS: 

I find it very handy when I’m doing macro photos and I need to add a little light to help define texture or fill in shadows.  Since it’s so small, and has its own power source, it’s easy to take with me into nature.  I now get shots I couldn’t get before. Since it is also a full RGB light I also use it to add color to portraits, still life shots or anywhere a little color would make a more exciting image.  In the past I have used gels to cover lights trying to create color in my images.  This is like having a hundred different gels with me all the time.  It’s been really fun having the ability to create color on demand.

WHAT DARCEY SAYS:

The PROmaster Chroma LED Light is one of the most handy lil tools to have in your arsenal as a photographer. Just charge it for a little bit of time and boom you're ready to go with this great light panel! It never gets hot to the touch and is super lightweight! It has a versatile range of colors and it's super easy to get that perfect hue you want for a photoshoot...or any occasion really! I have used this light so many times including for a photoshoot, out camping, during a power outage and just to have a colorful light in my room! Definitely worth checking out this holiday season!!

David’s Pick

Peak Designs Camera Leash  |  >>BUY NOW $39.99

For me, the Peak Design Leash is the only choice for my Olympus: A lightweight strap for a lightweight camera. It is very easy to adjust the length according to my personal needs: Tighter when I'm moving around quickly to avoid bounce: More slack when I take photos so I can adjust my camera as needed.  The strap is quite comfortable as well, which is no surprise when you realize this is the smaller counterpart to the highly acclaimed Slide and Slide Lite. I personally attach the Leash via the strap loops on the camera, though there is an option to anchor one end of the strap to the camera base. Like all of our Peak Designs straps, the Leash can quickly be removed from the provided anchor housings.

Jeff’s Pick (1 of 2)

X-Rite i1 ColorChecker Pro Photo Kit  |  >>BUY NOW $369.99

I have been using the ColorChecker from X-rite for several years. Before I had the color checker, I spent countless time manually color correcting everything. After owning the ColorChecker, I have been able to save a ton of time and frustration. The included i1 Display Colorimeter ensures my monitor produces accurate color every time. This is important as it helps me get accurate color output from my computer screen to my printer. In other words, what I see on my screen is what I get when I print. Boom!

Something else that’s cool? I was also able to calibrate my large HDTV monitor in my living room to produce an exact color profile to my liking. 

Jeff’s Pick (2 of 2)

Savage 500 Watt LED Studio Light Kit  |  >>BUY NOW $168.99

From my experience, I’ve found that just about any aspiring photographer loves to have a very simple lighting set up. Why? It ups the quality of their photo capture in many situations. That said, I think many of you would appreciate the ease of use and quality of the Savage LED Studio Light Kit. The kit includes two LED lights, a wireless remote, two light stands and two white umbrella diffusers. In all seriousness, this Kit is like giving several gifts in one small and incredibly useful package. All items conveniently store in the included travel bag.

Laura’s Pick

RGB Lumee Light  |  >> BUY NOW $45.99

I received the RGB Lumee Light as a gift and fell in LOVE! 

It’s a slap bracelet, so it’s perfect for when i go out for my evening walk. The rainbow effect looks amazing as I walk past my neighbors plants, flowers and trees. It’s magnetic too! I really enjoy sticking this light to my lamp and giving myself a color show while i jam out. It really feels like I’m clubbing!! When I want to have a movie night, I put it on “fireplace” mode. It’s amazing how this lighting effect feels real. Holiday tip: Put it under your tree and watch your presents glow! 

Needless to say, each of these scenarios illustrates how a cool LED light like this opens up a whole new world of picture taking opportunities.