The Best Gift for a Photographer: Workshop, Course and Preset Gift Cards

If you're shopping for a photographer this holiday season, you've probably asked yourself the same question so many people do: "What do I get someone who already has all the gear?"

My honest answer is to give them an experience instead of another gadget. That's why I've just launched Matt Suess Photo gift cards, so you can give the photographer in your life a small-group photo workshop, an online course or a set of presets, and let them pick exactly what inspires them.

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Why an experience makes the best gift for a photographer

Most photographers I know have a closet full of gear they bought hoping it would make their photos better. What actually moves the needle is time in the field, in great light, with someone who can show you what to look for.

That's what a workshop gives you. Standing under the Milky Way in Badlands National Park, photographing bull moose in fresh snow during a Teton winter, or capturing golden aspens beneath the San Juan peaks in Colorado: those are the moments people remember for years, and they come home with the skills to keep making better photos long after the trip is over.

What the gift card can be used for

A gift card works on anything in my store, so the person receiving it gets to choose:

• Photography workshops: small-group trips to Grand Teton, Bryce Canyon, Arches and Canyonlands, the Badlands and Ouray, Colorado, with personal instruction from sunrise to the last frame of the night.
• Online courses: self-paced video courses like Picture Perfect Printing and the Sky Replacement Masterclass that they can watch on any device.
• Presets and textures: Silver Efex presets, sky and cloud kits, and natural textures to give their photos a finishing touch.

Gifting a workshop? The $1,300 card covers the deposit

If you'd like to give a full workshop, choose the $1,300 gift card. It covers the full registration deposit on workshops like Teton Gold and San Juan Gold, and the recipient can pick the trip and dates that work for them. Any balance left over stays on the card for presets or a course.

Want to cover more than the deposit? Gift cards can be combined, so you can add a second card toward the rest of the workshop fee.

How it works

• Choose an amount: $25, $50, $100, $250, $500, $1,000, $1,300 or $2,000.
• Send it your way: have it emailed to you to print or wrap, or check "I want to send this as a gift" to send it straight to the recipient on the date you choose, with a personal message.
• It arrives instantly: no shipping, so it's a perfect last-minute gift.
• It never expires: any remaining balance stays on the card for next time.

Give the Gift of Photography →

Whether it's a first-timer who just got a new camera or a seasoned shooter who has been dreaming about the Tetons in fall, I'd love to help the photographer in your life make their best photos yet.

Wishing you great light this holiday season!