Reasons why photography students should choose a US summer camp

When you think of an American summer camp, what comes to mind? For Adam, it was children playing, dressing up, cabins, sporting activities, woodland hikes, sun-drenched fields, refreshments, campfire s’mores.

What he didn't consider was, as a photography graduate, summer camp would be an ideal opportunity to gain valuable professional work experience overseas.

Working behind the scenes

Summer camps aren’t just about working as a counsellor. There are plenty of support staff roles behind the scenes. After speaking to students and staff at my university who had worked at summer camps themselves, I was encouraged to look for a role where I could use my skillset in photography. So I did. I was hired by summer camp in New Hampshire and, within six months, I was there.

Working on a summer camp isn’t for the faint hearted. The sleep deprivation is very real, the hours are long and the heat can be intense. That's why it’s important you find a role that is right for you. I didn’t just survive three months of rurality, I thrived because I sought out a job, albeit more niche with less vacancies, in which I knew I could give my all to.

Paid work experience

There are plenty of internships out there that ask you to work for free in exchange for experience. A summer camp can give you something rather different – paid, practical experience in your field, while living and working in another country.

With a bachelor's degree in journalism and a master’s in photography, I was aware that my post-production skills wouldn’t be as strong as a photography undergrad. However, working outside during the height of summer means the natural light was fantastic and I didn't need editing software.

New skills and newfound confidence

As the camp photographer, I had access to almost all the activities. Over time, this improved my confidence. I would decide the locations depending on weather and which groups of campers and councillors would be there.

My aim was to cover as many different campers at as many activities as possible by the end of each session. Capturing over 100 distinct images of camp life everyday for eight consecutive weeks was a significant test of stamina and technical abilities.

It was also great practical experience. I was executing briefs, working to deadlines, dealing with changing circumstances and producing images that people genuinely needed. I also learned to process new tasks quickly and decide what needed my attention first. I'm still working on the efficiency part, but I got everything done!

And because the photographs were being used by the camp, my work had a real purpose. These were the images that campers, counsellors and staff would use to remember their summer. That makes a summer camp photography role much more than something to put on your CV. It's an opportunity to build a body of work while being paid to do it.

Building a portfolio of work

One of the biggest advantages of being a camp photographer is the sheer amount of content you can create. Every day brings something different – sports, performances, trips, competitions, swimming, arts and crafts, evening activities and all the little moments in between.

You're essentially working at a three-month-long photography festival. The sheer volume of work means you'll have to become comfortable shooting quickly, making decisions on the spot and adapting to whatever is happening around you.

You'll also have to become good at photographing people. Not just posed portraits, but people who are running, laughing, playing, performing, competing and generally doing things that don't wait for you to get your settings right – hugely useful if you want to work in events, editorial, social media, lifestyle or commercial photography.

Access to America's photogenic towns

Deciding to stay on camp for an additional month to design the calendars for both the boys' and girls' camps gave me more time to learn Adobe InDesign. It also gave me time to appreciate Wolfeboro, the self-styled oldest resort town in America, without the crowds, ice cream queues and peak season traffic.

After camp, I travelled on my own, spending seven days each in Boston, New York City and Washington, wandering the cities and taking pictures at my own pace.

Growing your international network

Working at a summer camp means spending a few months surrounded by people from all over the world. You live together, work together and, inevitably, become very close. Camp is its own little world, and learning how to communicate and collaborate within it is an experience in itself.

As a photographer, I had the opportunity to work with people across the camp. The better people knew they could rely on me, the more often I was invited to photograph their groups and activities. That gave me something incredibly valuable: access.

Living in another country also forces you to become more independent. Figuring out things like banking, phone SIMs and transport might not sound particularly exciting, but navigating everyday life somewhere completely new builds confidence quickly.

Not only did I leave with more confidence working in an intercultural workplace, delivering to a brief and adapting to camp life, I left with a wealth of material, not just memories, but photos for the portfolio to help me with the next assignment. If you're thinking about summer camp USA, you should do it!