Buying gifts for a creative person isn’t always easy. Amid a swarm of varied interests, specialized tools, and jargon, it’s easy to opt for a nice coffee table book or a bottle of wine. But if you’re looking for the perfect gift for the photographer in your life, we’ve got you covered.
Cyber Monday may be long past, but don’t give up on getting the internet’s best gifts quite yet. Instagram is a treasure trove of independent artists selling awesome stuff you won’t find for any price on Amazon, Target.com, or Best Buy. The fantastic optical illusion lamps above, for example, are sold by some guy named Serhat Özlüturhanlar in Turkey, and he ships them all over the world. Below, you’ll find more goodies from an artist who makes surreal toys (including a fabulous rendition of a stormtrooper), a very talented woodcarver, someone who cuts movie characters, words, and icons into the pages of books, and a set of gorgeously modified sculptures of skulls. There’s something in here for every price range, age, and arena of interest, so go nuts.
Videos by VICE
Emin Asgarov, Tie Man – $189
Brian R. Phillips, Small Human Heart – $40
I K Y and Zaki Hamdani, Stormtrooper – Email for Price
Yamaguchi Yuto, Book Folding Stormtrooper EP7 – $9.99
Annie Montgomerie, Slothboy and Lambgirl, $740 and $1,700
Rebecca Mason, Do You Hear Yourself When You Speak? – Email for Price
Serhat Özlüturhanlar, Athlete Shape – $45
Jack of the Dust, Graveyard Bonsai Mountain Skull – $289
Niharika Hukku, Blue Skies and Porcelain Clouds – Email for Price
If you don’t see what you’re looking for above, check out our monster compilation of design-friendly gift ideas here.
Related:
5 Next-Level Gifts for the Everyday Futurist
The Ultimate Gift Guide for Any Photographer