Summer Camp Magic: A Photo Essay Baked in Nostalgia

My summer camp was a safe place to grow up: no technology, just us girls, our laughter, the water, and the sun.

My youth, and the best memories of it. A world shared with friends who became sisters, summer after summer, on the shores of a quiet lake in Maine, tucked away in a private cove.

As a young girl, I was convinced that when I died and went to heaven, it would be to my camp. There was something so comforting about that place, the smell of the woods, the sound of pine needles under my sandals, the coolness of the water, silhouettes by the campfire. When I wasn’t at camp, I dreamt of it.

Two summers ago, I returned, camera in hand, to tell the story of summer camp life and create images that offered a glimpse into a world few people ever see. In that single week, what I captured felt almost cinematic: girls reading together, sitting in cabin bunks chatting, skipping hand in hand, learning to live independently, and simply being present in nature. Small pockets of unbroken serenity, hidden away from the congestion of modern life.

That week opened my eyes to how necessary summer camp is right now. Perhaps one of the few spaces left where teens can live peacefully and thrive without technology. Inspired by what I created in that one week, I set out to expand the project. I reached out to six all-girls summer camps, each running for seven weeks and completely screen-free. For thirty-one days, I road-tripped from Virginia to Maine, documenting the world of summer camp.

This project has become a visual reflection of a conversation already unfolding, on how screens are blurring the innocence of childhood. I’m struck by how many teenagers now long for the nostalgia of a life before phones and social media. These images are a reminder of that world, one that still exists, though it feels increasingly fragile and worth preserving.

During this month-long project, I intentionally chose to stay off Instagram and any other social media platform. Instead, I replaced that time with writing on Substack, documenting my journey from camp to camp. Over that month, I felt more confident than I have ever been, in both my abilities as a photographer and in the importance of the work I was doing. Instagram fills me with doubt all the time. I wanted to share this because I feel strongly that if and when you decide to begin your own creative project, I would highly recommend removing yourself from social media spaces before and during the process. Keep your mind clear and ready for your own creative ideas to take flight, instead of moodboarding other people’s work. What did artists do before Instagram and Pinterest? They let inspiration strike naturally.

If you are curious, below is a list of the equipment I used during this project and why I used it.

Canon EOS 3 (with either a 50mm or 28mm lens)

This camera is a work horse and I think it is very underrated. It’s fast, and works with all Canon EF lenses. I grab this camera for every job.

Leica M6 (with a 50mm lens)

I only had this camera a few months before embarking on this project and because I wasn’t as well acquainted with it, I didn’t rely on it as much as I should have. It’s an amazing camera but the stealth of the shutter is a game changer, especially when getting close to subjects.

Pentax 645 (45mm lens)

I seriously considered replacing this with a Contax 645 before the project, but truly this camera does amazing work. In some cases I prefer it over the Contax 645. I love using this camera for portraits specifically.

Canon Sureshot WP1

Water proof film camera. I used this when I knew there was a potential for a splash. I love this camera and it thrives when you have bright skies and a lot of sun and with those ingredients you can get some stellar results. Pro tip, I highly recommend using Kodak Ultra Max 400, as I find the lower ISO films struggle with this camera.

Canon Mark IV

Believe it or not, I traded one of my mirrorless cameras in for my MKIV 2 months before the summer started and I have not regretted it one bit! Like so many of us I felt cornered to move onto the mirrorless system from Canon, but after a few years working with them, I haven’t been wowed. I love the colours more on the Mark cameras.