Badge: Photo Scavenger Hunt – Adult

This badge program builds upon Photo Scavenger Hunt, incorporating specifics for adjusting a scavenger hunt for adults as well as highlighting possible themes / lists you can use for a hunt designed for a mature group of scavengers.

Steps

Adjustments for adults

1. Limited by your imagination.
With adults, you have minimal restrictions. Your area can be as large as you wish. You can define times and rules, meeting only when all of the photos are uploaded and the awards decided. Brainstorm the kinds of photo scavenger hunts you might want to do with adult scavengers.

2. Keep it tasteful.
In searching the Web, many of the items include provocative and sometimes distasteful items to be completed. Not all adults are uninhibited. If you are unsure whether your scavengers are willing to go beyond silly and fun, check with them or err on the side of caution and keep your hunt clean.

3. Pay to play.
If your adults pay to be part of a scavenger hunt, you need to give them something in return. Instead of ribbons and certificates that you might give kids as awards, start your brainstorming with gift cards and cash prizes. You could create a yearly event with a large cash prize going to the winner. Think of ways you might promote this type of photo scavenger hunt and the awards you might be able to give.

4. Fundraiser.
A photo scavenger hunt can be run as a fundraiser with scavengers paying to participate and businesses donating items to help bring money into a cause. Look at ways you might be able to turn a scavenger hunt into a fundraiser. Query your friends and see if they would be willing to participate.

5. Weekend event.
Plan a scavenger hunt over a long weekend. Ask adults to form their own teams depending on what time during the weekend is good for them. Let teams gather and snap away. Upload all files online and meet up Sunday for dinner, discussions and awards. Does this flexibility work better for your scavengers?

Themes for adults

6. Extreme close-ups.
Take extreme close-ups of an item. Provide these close-ups as the “list” of things to find. The team will need to guess what it is and photograph the entire item. Try a few to see if this is something you think adults would enjoy.

7. Creative comparisons.
Ask your teams to be creative in their photos. If you’re taking a picture of a person, don’t take a full body shot. Instead try a head shot, silhouette, etc. Compare your photos when the hunt is complete and decide which views are the best.

8. Perspective challenge.
You may need to scour the Internet for ideas on this one. Look for ways to create photos that play with perspective. For example, one team member can hold out their hand and another is further back and looks like she is standing on the hand. Ask a team member to bend down and take a shot from an angle so it looks like he doesn’t have a head. Create your own list of ten or more perspective challenges.

9. Logos.
Provide a list that is nothing but logos from your area. The teams need to find the establishment / product and snap a picture of it. You can make this more difficult by removing part of the logo. Look at local logos to determine which would be easy to spot and which would be difficult.

10. Landscapes.
All photos for this hunt must be in the form of landscapes. Your items will need to be larger so they can be recognized within the landscape shot. If you’re asked for a picture of a cow, it needs to be with a background of the field. Try identifying an item or two and taking pictures where the item is still recognizable in the landscape.

11. Quantity is key.
Select a single item (color, shape, vehicle, footwear, etc.) and collect as many pictures with that item in it as you can. For example a triangle might be a yield sign, but it also might be an architectural element. Award points for the most photos. Pick an item and give yourself five minutes to see how many you can spot as a test.

12. Group shots.
Adults are less inhibited about asking strangers to take shots of the group. Give your teams a list of shots they need to make with all members of the group. You might have them acting out scenes from a selection of movies, recreating pieces of art or posing in unusual ways. Give extra points for non-members and use of on-site items.

13. Find the most.
Give your team a list of items and have them find a way to make it the “most.” For a famous person, have them find the most famous person they can. For a tall building, find the tallest building. For an old car, have them find the oldest car. This stretches from merely finding an item to finding a better one. Ask them to upload the “most” items only. The teams can vote on each listed item to determine a winning team.

14. Children’s games.
Think of the games you played as a child and pick one such as Charades or Statues. Give your teams a list of places they have to play the games. The photos highlight the most embarrassing moments of playing the game at each location. Brainstorm games that you think would fit this theme.

15. Pulling from other badge programs.
If none of these themes sound good to you, check out “Photo Scavenger Hunt: Youth” and “Photo Scavenger Hunt: Teen” for more ideas.

16. Do it!
Create a scavenger hunt for your theme and run it. Use the “Photo Scavenger Hunt” badge program if you need steps to follow.