This document provides guidance on using photography to effectively market a summer camp. It emphasizes showing campers engaged in activities and having fun, while also depicting the staff, procedures, demographics, and facilities. The photos should tell a story about the camp's values and brand to convince parents their children will have a positive experience. Marketing layouts need photos that represent all aspects of camp life with minimal text. The goal is to ease parents' concerns by prioritizing safety, fun, and what is truly important at the camp.

1. PHOTOGRAPHY AT CAMP
GETTING THE RIGHT SHOTS

2. WHY IS IT
IMPORTANT?
• Availability of Information/
Unknown Place
• Mom is the customer
• More then anything a
picture tells the story
• A picture is better then
words, video, anything.

3. TELL YOUR STORY
• Trust
• How will they know you if
they don’t see you?

4. WHAT STORY DO YOU WANT TO TELL?
• What do you hope parents, kids, rental groups,
community members etc. say about your camp?
• How would you photograph that?

5. IN YOUR
PROGRAMS
IDEAS FOR GETTING BETTER
PHOTOGRAPHS

6. TYPES OF CAMP PHOTOS

7. MARKETING
• Taken to convince others to
come to camp
• Primary audience is mom

8. MEMORIES
• Taken to reconnect to a
memory at camp
• Can be weirder, more
specific, not as good quality
• Primary audience is people
who were there

9. MOM
• Taken to show Mom every
thing is ok at camp
• Doesn’t have to show
everything - just that kids
are happy and ok
• Posted online while campers
are at camp
• Primary audience is parents
at home

10. KNOW WHAT YOU
WANT
• Make a list of all the types of
marketing you do (summer camp,
staff hiring, rentals etc.)
• Then make bullets on what types
of picture CONTENT you need
• Make a list of stories you want
to tell
• List of marketing restrictions/
formats
• If you don’t know what you want
find it

11. KNOW WHAT YOU WANT
KITAKI’S WEBSITE

12. KNOW WHAT YOU WANT
KITAKI’S WEBSITE

13. KNOW WHAT YOU WANT
SHAREABLE IMAGES

14. TELL OTHERS
WHAT YOU WANT
• Checklist
• Examples
• Concepts (Trust, Friendship,
Cooperation, etc.)
• Train your staff on what
you want to see when the
photographer shows up

15. GET WHAT YOU
WANT
• Pose people
• Hold a photo shoot
• Hire a photographer/photo
person/social media
• Buy a few cameras give to key
staff/program areas/checkout
• Have your staff use the kid’s
cameras
• Carry one yourself

16. HAVE A CULTURE
OF PHOTOGRAPHY
• Play a slide show
• Upload to the web
• Ask staff to share their
photos
• Have a contest

17. BRANDING YOUR PHOTOS

18. BRANDING YOUR PHOTOS
NOODLE SPELLING

19. BRANDING YOUR PHOTOS
BODY SPELLING

20. BRANDING YOUR PHOTOS
THE BIG RED CHAIR

21. BRANDING YOUR PHOTOS
CAMP PIOMINGO’S RING

22. BRANDING YOUR PHOTOS
WEB BRANDING

23. EQUIPMENT
• The best camera is the one
you have with you
• Good optical zoom
• Good performance in low
light
• SLR/Mirrorless

24. ELEMENTS OF GOOD
CAMP
PHOTOGRAPHY
WHAT TO LOOK FOR AT CAMP

25. ACTUALLY YOUR CAMP
ELEMENTS OF GOOD CAMP PHOTOGRAPHY

26. INCLUDE THE
STAFF
• Small Ratios
• Engaged
• Safety (lifeguards,
ropes staff,
wranglers, etc.)

27. SHOW PROCEDURES
ELEMENTS OF GOOD CAMP PHOTOGRAPHY

28. IMAGINE YOURSELF THERE
ELEMENTS OF GOOD CAMP PHOTOGRAPHY

29. DEMOGRAPHICS
• Represent your Camp
• Gender
• Ethnicity
• Age Range

30. THE BEST PHOTOS
ELEMENTS OF GOOD CAMP PHOTOGRAPHY

31. THE BEST PHOTOS

32. THE BEST PHOTOS

33. THE BEST PHOTOS

34. MARKETING
MATERIALS
HOW IT WORKS IN YOUR

35. PHOTOS TELL STORIES
• Ask yourself:
• What story does it tell? Is it the right story?
• Can the audience understand it? Is it the right story
for the audience?

36. CUTE KIDS IS NOT A STORY

37. WHY DO YOU USE IT?
• Have 2-3 or more reasons why you use each picture.
Reasons might include:
Teaching
Coed
Program
Staff
Demographics
Event
Great Smiles
Facilities
Role Models
Ratios
Daily Schedule
Friendship
Nature
Values
Camp Brand

38. MARKETING LAYOUTS SHOULD
• Be careful how pictures interact
• Tell the story of your camp (where are you, who goes
there, what is important at your camp)
• Represent everything that goes on at your camp
• Use less words so you have more room for photos

39. SAFETY
MOM IS THE CUSTOMER

40. FACILITY
MOM IS THE CUSTOMER

41. LIMIT THE CRAZY
MOM IS THE CUSTOMER

42. SHOW WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU
MOM IS THE CUSTOMER

43. SHOW WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU
MOM IS THE CUSTOMER

44. SPOT THE MISTAKES
SEE THE MISTAKES OTHERS HAVE
MADE

62. THANKS