Your Best Fundraising Asset Is Already at Camp

Rich Swartwood
Apr 10
7 min read

Rich Swartwood

Summer 2026 · 8 min read

Every summer, something extraordinary happens at Christian camps across the country. Lives are changed. Faith is formed. Kids discover who they are and whose they are. And most of your donors will never see it — unless you show them.

That's why media collection isn't just a communications task. It's a fundraising strategy. The right photo at the right moment can turn a one-time gift into a decade-long donor relationship. This guide gives your team a practical system for capturing the photos and videos that move donors — and explains why each shot matters to the people who make your ministry possible.

The media team's priority is to share "proof of life" for the parents to make sure their child is doing well and happy. They also are the avenue in which development can be even more successful.

Donor Thank-You Cards

A hand-signed thank-you card from a camper is one of the most powerful donor retention tools a camp can use — and it costs almost nothing. Deadline: early in the week. Take photos Sunday or Monday so there's time to print, distribute, get them signed, and return them before campers leave.

What to capture: 3–4 small group pictures — tight shots that include both campers and counselors. Not every group every week, but by summer's end you want a solid stockpile across a variety of ages, activities, and settings.

When a donor opens an envelope and finds a card covered in a child's handwriting, it bypasses every logical defense. It's not a receipt — it's proof that their gift reached an actual kid in an actual moment of joy. No newsletter can replicate that.

The Card Process — Step by Step

Assign roles before the week starts. Determine who takes the pictures, who prints and cuts, who distributes to counselor groups, and who collects signed cards and returns them to the office.
Print on nice cardstock — bi-fold format. Cards use standard invitation envelope size (8.5×5.5 bi-fold). Inside reads: "Thank you for your support, [GROUP/CAMP NAME]." For younger groups, print 10–12 cards; for older campers, 15–20. Specialty cards can be made for holidays or special events.
Get them signed — before campers leave. Return unsigned cards to the counselor. Campers sign around the printed message, not on the back of the front cover. Pen, crayon, or colored pens all work — first name only.
Office stores and sends on gift day. When a donation arrives, the card goes out the same day in a hand-addressed envelope — before the formal tax acknowledgment letter. That sequencing matters.

Weekly Highlight Video

Deadline: late week — Thursday or Friday so it feels current. Produce a quick video in Canva or a similar tool using the week's photos and short clips. Share it with social media or your governing body's communication channels. It doesn't need to feature every camper. It needs to feel real, warm, and this week.

Governing bodies and major donors want to know their investment is alive and working. A short weekly video makes them feel like insiders. That feeling is what builds the kind of trust that leads to larger gifts.

These weekly videos are also raw material for your year-end donor appeal. Every clip you capture in June is an asset you'll use in November.

General Photo & Video Guidelines

Donors give to what they can see. Ministry that looks alive, diverse, and joyful inspires more generosity than polished brochure photography. Show the full picture — Bible study and belly flops, worship and waterslides. That breadth is what convinces donors this camp is worth their sustained support.

Staged photos are okay. Don't wait for the perfect candid — set it up, then let it feel natural.
Be creative with angles. Shoot low (camper level or below), mid, or from above using a ladder. Each angle tells a different story.
Show full ministry in action. Bible study, mealtime, activity time, parent drop-off, cabin shots. Donors fund the whole experience.
Camper/counselor interactions over staff antics. Relationship is the product — show it.
Step into the action. Immersive shots from inside a group feel more authentic than shots from the sidelines.
Showcase diversity. Variety of ages, backgrounds, and activities tells a bigger story.
Watch your backgrounds. Powerlines, vehicles, water towers, and telephone poles pull the eye away from your subject.

The "Money" Shot List

These are the specific shots that do the most fundraising work — the ones donors share, staff frame, and executive directors put in grant applications. Brief your photographer before the week starts.

General Camp Shots

Group shots from the front — not the back or side
Taken from an elevated or scenic vantage point
Campers and staff on scenic trails, elevated angles if possible
Recognizable landmarks in the background — barn, lodge, cross, or signature structure

A donor who gave 20 years ago wants to see the same trees, the same trails, the same feeling — and a whole new generation of kids experiencing it. Landmark shots anchor giving to place. They trigger memory, and that emotional pull is why so many camps' most generous donors are former campers.

Pool

Tight, diverse group shots with campers and counselors together
Joy and energy — not just splash

High Ropes

Action shots from on the course or rappelling angle
Not from the ground, not open sky as the only background
More than one person per shot when possible

Craft Lodge

Table-height shots of campers crafting — not overhead
Show faces and hands engaged in the work

Archery & Hatchets

Staged shot about 10 feet to the side of the camper, capturing their face
Arrow just leaving the bow string
Hatchets — try to get in front of or to the side of the target (staged is fine)

Horses

From the front — riders and horses coming toward the camera
Angle to show more camper than horse
Distance shots with a landmark in the background
More than one camper and horse together for scale
Close-up: camper and horse head together
Grooming moments — quiet, relational, personal

Horse shots communicate something no other activity does: trust, relationship, and courage. A child who is nervous becoming someone who is brave — frame by frame. That's the transformation donors are investing in.

Bible Study, Worship & Vespers

Campers reading, sharing, or holding Bibles
Camper level or over-the-shoulder angle — not always from above
Campfire worship pictures

Faith formation shots are the most important images a camp can capture for major donor cultivation. When a donor sees a child holding a Bible in the morning light at a campfire, they don't just see a program — they see a reason their gift matters. Don't underinvest in these moments.

Cabin Life

Move-in: campers carrying bags or sitting on beds
Check-in/check-out: parents hugging campers, smiles
Campers on the porch or deck

Video Clips to Collect Each Week

3–4 short clips (4–6 seconds) of campers saying: "We love [Camp Name]!" · "Thank you for your support!" · "[Camp Name] is GREAT!"
Action clips: horse rides, belly flops, s'more making, kids singing
Worship footage: video and audio from evening worship or chapel
Every clip you collect now is raw material for your year-end donor appeal — they compound over the summer

Short camper testimonials are your most direct donor connection tool. A child looking at the camera saying "thank you for your support" gives every potential donor a reason to act — and every current donor a reason to give again. Collect these every single week. They are gold.

Suggested Photo Tips

Lighting

Golden hour is your best friend. First hour after sunrise or last before sunset. Warm, flattering, impossible to fake.
Avoid harsh midday sun. Creates unflattering shadows on faces. Move subjects to open shade instead.
Overcast days are ideal. Clouds act as a natural diffuser — soft, even light perfect for portraits.
Backlighting can be powerful. Sun behind your subject creates a glowing rim effect. Just make sure their faces aren't in shadow.
Avoid mixed lighting indoors. Position campers near windows for natural light rather than overhead fluorescents.
Lean into campfire and candlelight. Warm evening light is perfect for worship and vespers. Turn off nearby artificial lights if possible.

Backgrounds

Simplify whenever possible. A clean background keeps the focus on campers and counselors.
Use nature as your backdrop. Trees, fields, water, and sky reinforce the camp experience donors are funding.
Include recognizable landmarks. A barn, lodge, cross, or signature structure tells donors exactly where their gift is at work.
Depth adds dimension. Position subjects a few feet in front of the background so it blurs naturally.
Watch for distractions. Powerlines, parked vehicles, trash cans, water towers — scan before every shot.
Avoid busy patterns. Chain-link fences and cluttered bulletin boards compete with your subject.

Composition & Layout

Rule of thirds. Place your subject one-third from the edge — not dead center — for a more dynamic look.
Fill the frame. Get close. Faces and expressions are the focal point.
Horizontal for most uses. Landscape orientation works best for newsletters, social banners, and thank-you cards.
Vertical for social stories. Portrait orientation is ideal for Instagram Stories and Facebook posts.
Group framing. A slight arc or staggered heights — seated and standing — so every face is visible.
Eyes are everything. At least one subject making eye contact creates an immediate connection for donors.

Quick Phone Tips

Clean your lens first. Smudges are the #1 cause of blurry camp photos. Wipe before every session.
Tap to focus. Tap on a camper's face to lock the camera on what matters most.
Use burst mode for action. Hold the shutter during horses, high ropes, and archery to capture the perfect frame.
Don't zoom digitally. Walk closer instead. Digital zoom degrades quality significantly.
Lock exposure. Press and hold to lock both focus and exposure so it doesn't shift mid-shot.
Shoot in highest quality JPEG. Gives the most flexibility for cropping and color correction later.

Want to use this guide with your team? Out of the Box Fund Development helps Christian camps and retreat centers build the media systems, donor communications, and fundraising strategies that fuel engagement all year long.