Everyone is a photographer. With smartphones, we all possess digital photo rolls that run thousands of images deep. Thanks to social media, we can be quick to share, as well. Together, this means a slew of accessories that actually aid camera phone captures. That said, nothing makes a photo better than understanding what goes into a good frame. Fortunately, there’s a beautiful history to tap into by way of books. And, of course, there are so many of us out there shooting on cameras—whether film or digital. Our Aperture Priority Gift Guide aims to appeal to everybody—from the semi-professional photographer to the smartphone user.
Over 392 pages and 40 years of work, Steve McCurry: A Life in Pictures is incredibly extensive. From his first foray into journalistic photography during the 1977 Johnstown floods to his “Afghan Girl” photo, to today, the book contains some 350 images—of which 100 have never been published. Along with personal anecdotes, notes and artifacts, the book is a comprehensive insight into a fascinating career.
For use with their OneStep 2 and OneStep+ cameras, Polaroid Originals have released a set of five lens filters—red, yellow and orange hues, as well as cleverly designed options that create a kaleidoscope or starburst effect. Just attach the filter onto the lens and shoot as usual.
For all outdoor and underwater adventures, GoPro’s Hero7 HD camera is waterproof and built for steady footage—no matter the conditions. Controlled either by voice-recognition or touchscreen, this device can also take 15 photos per second, record crisp sound and more. Plus, with the app, you can automatically send footage and photos to your phone in a matter of moments.
A collaboration between TogTees and the Phoblographer, this “History of Photography” T-shirt traces the progression of photo-capturing tools from 1893 to 2007, starting with the Instantograph large-format camera. Follow along as cameras grow, shrink, grow and shrink again—ultimately turning into the smartphone. A clever and not quite literal progression that’ll entertain the experts. Available in four colorways.
A beloved documentarian of style, Bill Cunningham captured generation after generation through honest, fashion-oriented photography until his passing in 2016. This, his memoir, was typewritten and tucked away—only to appear now in his beautiful, clever voice. Accompanying the text are many images by the photographer and milliner. It’s an intimate self-portrait of glamour, bohemia and pursuing one’s dreams.
Franchise, the basketball-meets-art-and-design magazine, unveils its fifth issue today. With cover art from Paul Pfeiffer (the celebrated visual artist behind “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse“) and plenty of other work by various photographers, illustrators, visual artists and writers, this issue cements Franchise as one of the most dynamic basketball publications available. Franchise explores world of basketball—expressive, diverse and nuanced—that’s shaped by its players and fans, but also its impact beyond the game.
Youcan Robot’s BW-Space is a the ideal accessory for any level underwater explorer. The drone is outfitted with a 4K camera, autonomous and piloted control features, and LED light settings. The drone does not come with the Control Remote, but the unit features an autopilot mode and auto-tracking for subjects the 4K, UHD camera recognizes as the focal point.
Alex Prager’s newest book “Silver Lake Drive” is a collection of cinematic mises-en-scène. The 224-page hardcover serves as a solid summation of her style—strange, beguiling and sometimes unnerving. The collection of images span several stages: from her early “Polyester” series to her striking “Face in the Crowd” collection—which was shot on a Hollywood sound stage.
At age 17, Stanley Kubrick joined the staff of Look magazine as a photographer. Long before he’d make some of the most important films in cinematic history, he captured thousands of humanist imagery that captured New York City in the mid-1940s. Now, 300 of these images appear in Taschen’s “Through a Different Lens: Stanley Kubrick Photographs” and they more than allude to the genius that was soon to unfold. The book’s release coincides with an exhibition of the same name at the Museum of the City of New York, running 3 May through 28 October.
Made up of 50+ portraits of children (young and old) brought up by LGBTQ parents in the United States, “The Kids” is a beautiful exploration of humans and love. Photographed by Gabriela Herman, each of the people profiled thoughtfully describe their experience with their parents. These personal stories touch upon the serious, the humorous and everything between. The through-line is that every story is their own—and not that of a politician or author without personal experience. Each photo is tender and, like the people in the book, entirely unique.
Certainly one of the better takes on the concept, the Joy smart photo album is a minimal, sleek piece that doesn’t look out of place next to traditional photo frames. Impressively, this 13.3-inch screen supports images and movies of all kinds: jpg, png, mov, mp4, HD videos, raw files, panoramas. With a full HD touchscreen, stereo speakers and a wireless charging port, the JOY smart photo album is a forward-thinking storytelling product.
A true upgrade to smart-home assistance, the Amazon Echo Show offers innumerable functionality. With eight microphones, the Echo Show can hear requests through Spotify streams and background noise. Users can play Amazon video content, get visual news updates, weather forecasts and more on the crisp screen. For those who want to reduce their interaction with Alexa, it’s as easy as turning off the mic and camera with one button. As the system gets forever smarter, the Echo Show can do more than book reservations at restaurants and allow you to respond to texts and make calls. The device can be synced to lights and TVs, thermostats and cameras, and more—truly uniting the home.
The benefit of six rotors on a drone happens to be flight stabilization if one of the six fails. It’s a nice touch to the incredibly versatile Typhoon H Hexacopter, which features a CGO3+ 4K camera affixed to a 360-degree gimbal mount. There are a bunch of flight modes here, and a powerful transmitter so that none of the experience is lost during the 25-minute flights.
Measuring between 47 to 51 inches, Hardgraft’s elegant coal hang camera strap seamlessly binds grey felted wool and rich, vegetable-tanned leather. It’s produced in Italy from locally sourced materials. Also included, metal split rings that allow the strap to work with most cameras.
With dual wide-angle lenses, the Rylo captures fully immersive 360° spherical video. The tiny device comes with an internal 16GB microSD card but can transmit directly to smartphones with an accompanying app. Crafted from aluminum, it’s quite durable when outside of its protective pouch. As for shooting, it’s all quite intuitive.
With a padded base and sides, Topo’s Camera Cube can be placed inside another bag or carried on its own as a safe place to carry your beloved equipment. The interior is adjustable, with two dividers, so can be changed around depending on your snapping adventures and the kit you’ll need. With a cinch top, there’s a little extra wriggle room too. Made from durable Codura, its capacity is over four liters and it’s made in Colorado.
