Camp Info
| Ages: | 8–14 |
| Type: | Day |
| Gender: | Co-Ed |
| Setting: | City |
| Arts: | Arts, Fine Arts, Photography, Digital Arts |
| Meals Type: | Bring Your Own |
| Time: | 09:00 AM - 03:00 PM |
[email protected]
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Young photographers spend the week learning how to shape an idea into a stronger image, not simply point a camera and click. Campers ages 8-14 work through core photography concepts such as composition, exposure, light and shadow, and depth of field, then apply them to portraits, landscapes, still life, candid images, commercial-style shots, and headshots. Digital photo enhancement and mastering add a computer-based creative step after the camera work.
The program combines technical practice with visual storytelling. Workshops cover camera settings, color and contrast, black-and-white imagery, special effects, photo stories, collage, and portfolio design. Campers select work from the week for a notebook-style portfolio, with the camp describing a final collection of about 15 photographs. Students bring their own digital camera and flash drive, so the experience is built around repeated hands-on use of familiar equipment.
At the West LA site, the regular camp day runs from morning through mid-afternoon in an auditorium-based setting, with supervised drop-off and pickup periods and optional extended play. Enrollment is first come, first served, and the Photography Camp page lists a maximum of 12 students per site per session. The format is well suited to children who enjoy making visual work, experimenting with different kinds of images, and learning both camera technique and digital editing in a structured arts program.
| Ages: | 8–14 |
| Type: | Day |
| Gender: | Co-Ed |
| Setting: | City |
| Arts: | Arts, Fine Arts, Photography, Digital Arts |
| Meals Type: | Bring Your Own |
| Time: | 09:00 AM - 03:00 PM |
You won’t be charged yet. The camp will contact you to confirm all terms first.
| Dates | Days | Price | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 5 - Jul 9, 2027 | 5 | $595 |
The week is organized around learning photography fundamentals and then using them in different kinds of image-making. Campers begin with practical camera skills and visual composition, including exposure, light and shadow, depth of field, color, contrast, and black-and-white choices. They then apply those ideas to headshots and portraits, still life, landscape, commercial-style photography, candid images, and live-action subjects.
Digital work is part of the program as well. Campers learn to enhance and master photographs with software applications, experiment with special effects, and use images in photo stories and collage. Portfolio design gives the week a final organizing project: students select photographs from their collected work, with the camp describing a final portfolio of approximately 15 images. Photos are mastered at camp and printed at home before being compiled and arranged as part of the curriculum.
The Photography Camp runs as a one-week specialty program for ages 8-14. Students are expected to bring their own digital camera and a flash drive, keeping the experience centered on regular hands-on use of their equipment. The West LA day includes the same broader PAW camp rhythm of supervised arrival, scheduled snack and lunch periods, play time, and the specialty workshop itself.
Families should send a mid-morning snack, a complete lunch, a beverage, and a bottle of water each day. The camp advises packing enough food for both snack and lunch because campers have an active schedule. Camp facilities do not provide refrigeration for children’s lunches. Food that needs to stay cold should therefore be packed in an insulated lunch box with an ice pack. The published guidance does not describe camp-provided meals for this program.
Every camper must be signed in at arrival and signed out at dismissal by the person dropping off or picking up. When someone other than a parent or guardian will handle pickup, PAW requires additional authorization documentation. Staff communication procedures are designed to keep teaching staff supervising campers while messages move through the PAW office and on-site directors. The Family FAQ also says teaching staff are screened and vetted before placement and must clear a criminal background check. Campers’ cell phones, if brought for emergencies, are kept zipped in backpacks during the camp day.
Parents are asked to disclose allergies, medications, disabilities, or special needs by email when enrolling and to provide guidance for the child’s care. In some circumstances, PAW may help administer simple medications when written permission has been provided. Families using that arrangement are asked to meet the on-site camp director early on the first day, review the medication instructions, and clearly label the medication with the child’s name and directions. Medications that PAW has agreed to assist with are kept by the on-site director for safekeeping.
PAW says its teachers are professionals working in their respective fields, have or are working toward bachelor’s or master’s degrees, and have prior experience working with children. Teaching staff are screened and vetted before working with campers and are required to clear a criminal background check. The Family FAQ publishes a staffing range of one adult for every 10 to 12 children. Because that is a range rather than one fixed ratio, it is described here but is not entered in the separate Staff_to_camper field.
Parents can route important messages through the PAW office during the camp day. On-site directors and teachers are required to call the office multiple times each day so information can move between families and camp staff without pulling teaching staff away from supervision. PAW asks families to answer calls from the office while their child is at camp, especially for issues such as illness, forgotten lunch, or late pickup. Campers’ cell phones are kept put away during camp.
Regular West LA drop-off with supervised play runs from 8:45 AM to 9:00 AM, and the camp day runs from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Standard pickup continues to 3:10 PM. Families that need a longer day can use the optional Sunrise Student period before regular drop-off or Extended Play until 5:00 PM at this location. Photography campers should bring their digital camera and a flash drive each day and arrive with the camera battery charged. Families should also pack the child’s snack, lunch, beverage, and water.
