Church Websites

Stop Using Stock Photos: The Ultimate Church Shot List That Fills Seats

by | Sep 29, 2025 | Youtube

Stop relying on stock photos. Use this church photography shot list to show visitors exactly what to expect—and grow trust fast.
In this episode, Zack Esgar breaks down an easy, volunteer-ready church photo checklist for your website, worship, kids ministry, and social media.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome + why imagery makes or breaks church websites
01:02 Stock vs. authentic photos: trust and first impressions
02:20 What visitors want your photos to answer (fit, culture, attire, worship)
04:45 Practical tips: gear, staging smiles, landscape vs. vertical
08:10 Planning the shoot + downloadable shot list
09:30 First impressions: exterior, entrances, greeters, families arriving
11:10 Interior & unique features to highlight
12:30 Ministry shots: Kids, Youth, Adults, special events
14:15 Worship photography: run-throughs, congregation angles, pastor teaching
17:20 People/culture shots that communicate “welcome”
19:00 Staff photos + Canva background tips
20:10 Final encouragement + resources

Subscribe for more: https://www.youtube.com/@SmarterChurchCommunications
Watch previous episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@SmarterChurchCommunications/videos
Resources for churches: https://tentapps.com/resources/
Website: https://www.tentapps.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tentapps/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tentapps
Spotify Podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/smarter-church
Keywords to include naturally:
church photography, church shot list, church website images, church communications, worship photos, kids ministry photography, volunteer photographer tips, church social media, church branding

#ChurchPhotography #ChurchCommunications #SmarterChurch

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About the Author

Zack Esgar

Zack Esgar is the owner and founder of Tent Apps. He loves helping churches and ministries further reach their communities for the Gospel through digital marketing and smart ministry websites. Zack graduated from Texas Tech with a degree in Business Websites and has served on staff at churches and ministries for the last 12 years.

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Related Blog Posts

Maximizing Easter Outreach: Landing Pages, Google Ads, Social Ads and More

Maximizing Easter Outreach: Landing Pages, Google Ads, Social Ads and More

by | Feb 12, 2026 |

Easter is the biggest opportunity of the year for your church to reach people in your community with the life-changing message of Jesus. In this webinar replay, the Tent Apps team walks through the exact strategy we are implementing for our Church Growth Package members in February and March.

We’re diving deep into the “Big Three” of digital outreach:

Easter Landing Page Optimization: How to make sure your church shows up when people are searching for “Easter services near me.”
Hyper-Targeted Google Ads: Using the Google Grant and sponsored search to get your service times in front of seekers.
Social Media Ad Strategy: How to use authentic video content to connect with your neighbors as they browse.

[Action Needed for Members]

If you are a Church Growth member, please remember to:
✅ Reply with your Easter service details (Times, special focus, etc.)
✅ Upload your creative assets to your shared Google Drive.
✅ Record your video ads using our free scripts!

📅 DEADLINE: All content must be submitted by March 10th to ensure our team has time to produce and launch your campaigns for maximum impact.

Resources Mentioned:
👉 Free Easter Outreach Resources (Scripts & Tips): https://tentapps.com/free-easter-outreach-resources/

About Tent Apps:
We help churches get all of their communications under one roof. From smart church websites that sync your announcements everywhere to comprehensive marketing strategies that help your church grow, we’re here to help you reach your community more effectively.

Connect with us:
🌐 Website: https://tentapps.com
📱 Instagram: @TentApps
👥 Facebook: /TentApps

#ChurchGrowth #Easter2026 #ChurchMarketing #TentApps #ReachYourCommunity #ChurchCommunications

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