Hello WylzC.
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities. It sounds like you'd like to use your iPhone for just the camera and not have to use cellular service with it. Allow us to share some information with you. If you were gifted an iPhone and it's been erased back to factory settings, you can set it up by following the steps listed in the resource below:
Set up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
Review step number 3, it states "You need to connect to a Wi-Fi network, a cellular network, or iTunes to activate and continue setting up your device". So if you're setting up your device, all you need is a Wi-Fi network, plus your own Apple ID. If you don't have an Apple ID, the resource below can show you how to create one:
How to create a new Apple ID - Apple Support
We hope this information is useful. Best of luck.