Scavenger Hunt ON A SEARCH FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGINATION
Students enjoy scavenger hunts. Even online scavenger hunts give students
a chance to go looking in places they would not ordinarily look and to see things they would not ordinarily see.
But a photographic scavenger hunt is a little different. For this exercise, students, usually in small groups, have to leave the classroom and apply their photographic skills to find various objects. On the following pages are four examples of photographic scavenger hunts and some samples of student work produced during the scavenger hunts. Tweak them. Modify them to suit your needs. Find a theme and challenge students to be creative while applying their photographic knowledge of lighting and composition. WINTER 2007
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PHOTOGRAPHS BY NORTH CAROLINA STUDENTS — FOOTWEAR by Colum Roznik Northwest School of the Arts (Charlotte); MONEY by Bryan DeBlaker, Clayton High School; MISSING by Stephen Stoafer, Smithfield-Selma Senior High School (Smithfield); THROUGH by Elisabeth Zeitler, Wakefield High School (Raleigh); AUTHORITY by Alex Cooke, Riverside High School (Durham); BUTTON by Kara Peterson, Charles Owen High School (Black Mountain); GREEN by Jessica Freeman, T.C. Roberson High School (Asheville); GROUP by Brittany Radford (Winterville); LOVE by Caitlin Williamson, T.C. Roberson High School (Asheville); MULTICOLORED by Caitlin Williamson, T.C. Roberson High School (Asheville); LIGHTS by Jordan Paris, A.C. Renolds High School (Asheville); ROUND by Jessica Freeman, T.C. Roberson High School (Asheville) 18 • COMMUNICATION: JOURNALISM EDUCATION TODAY
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26 things The photography exercise, 26 Things, helps develop the photographic eye in daily life. The first 26 Things Photographic Scavenger Hunt was held in July 2003 with more than 400 people hunting for the 26 items listed by Tracey of sh1ft.org. Use one of Tracey’s lists or modify one for a short scavenger or a more in-depth one. Encourage photographers to interpret the words rather than taking them literally. And remind them that quality lighting and composition will be rewarded. Also, remind them that basic photographic editing techniques (cropping, etc.) are allowed. The items are supposed to be photographs, not digital manipulations, so do not go nuts in Photoshop. SOURCE: http://www.sh1ft.org/26things/ MAY 2007 Keys Dance Fold Soft Tangle Panoramic Truck Sparkle Nose Round Currency Electronic Large Fake Stop Feast Multicolored Before After Landmark From the hip Front page A difference Telephone The number 9 Sticky NOVEMBER 2006 Glee Village Reality Accident Anxiety Low Copy Kindness Bad taste Stairwell Public transport Art Shoes Friday Alley
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7 p.m. Telephone Ant’s eye view Words Odd A stop sign Traditional The sea Stripes Tangled A night shot NOVEMBER 2005 Majestic Framed Headwear Wrinkled Pattern In season Upside down Behind Not allowed Next to Emotion Almost empty A fridge Leftovers Numbered Stickers Up/down Today’s paper Electrical Flaunt Underneath Understated A portrait Shapes Out of place Let go APRIL 2005 Direction Used Carry
Falling Permanent Connection Unfamiliar Silence Pile In/out Amazing Sometimes Everyday Can’t live without On the move Holding back Out of control Awe inspiring Just a sample On the edge Do you see what I see? All grown up What the …? Making it official In two’s Unfinished business SEPTEMBER 2004 Frame Glass Arrow Numbers Small Open Fruit Wheel Plastic Cover Natural Saturday Multi-colored Home Shadow Sticky Clean Foot Sport
Round Group Man made Half Path Full The end JULY 2003 Love You Food New Animal Scape Sound Construction Home Time Transport Light Water Color Signage Numbers Authority Symmetry Empty Sunset Weather Communication Little things Footwear Money Monument
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Macro SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Macro lens or close-up filter
For this assignment, students will have to get close, really close to the subject — so close, in fact, that an ordinary lens will not work. Most lenses do not focus closer than 18 inches. But a close-up filter is an inexpensive attachment for most single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras. Some point-and-shoot cameras have a close-up mode. The object is for students to look at the area in their classroom and surrounding it in a way they never have before. Ideally, they will not spend more than five minutes finding the object and taking the picture — all while utilizing the basics of composition and lighting. Also, they must remember, the closer they are to their subject, the lower their depth of field so they must focus carefully. After students complete the assignment, display all macro shots. Then everyone tries to guess what each item is. The item that “wins” is the one that the fewest number of people can guess correctly.
LENS HOOD by Boris Dedoff; AIR CONDITIONER GRATE by Evan Semon; OVERHEAD PROJECTOR KNOB by Matt Stamey
Holy cow. I talked about that photo last week. I was on assignment with a reporter, and she told me how she thinks it is cool how I see so many details when I photograph. So I told her about this macro assignment. My photo is the knob on an old-school overhead projector thing that moves the glass up or down. I think about that little exercise all the time. MATT STAMEY, PHOTOGRAPHER, HOUMA (LA.) COURIER
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Know the community DIRECTIONS:
1. Divide the staff into groups of five or six people. 2. Give each group a list of items with which they photograph themselves and/or others when specified. 3. Have each group submit one shot for each category. 4. Judge the categories, and award five points to the winner in each. 5. Award a grand prize to the winning group, which will have the most points. CRITERIA FOR JUDGING:
1. Satisfactorily meets criteria of the category. 2. Exemplifies creative work. 3. Displays superior composition and technical quality. THE RULES:
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• • •
Each group should submit as many of the photos as possible without missing the deadline. Creativity counts so a group missing some categories might beat another group that has all the categories but is less creative. All photos submitted must name the scavenger hunt category represented. The category and the caption must be typed into the File Info fields in Photoshop. All photos submitted should be appropriate for use in school publications. Use good judgment. Have fun, but do not do anything dangerous or disruptive to the members of the community. Do not ask individuals to do anything that makes them uncomfortable.
THE CATEGORIES: 1.
In a museum with publication staff members
15. In front of a sign for the school
2.
With the most spirited school fan — bonus point if there is a school athlete in the photo
16. On playground equipment
3.
In a posed recruitment picture
4.
All group participants brushing their teeth
18. Posing with a statue in a park
5.
In the principal’s office — bonus point if the principal is in the picture and two points if you look like you’re in a meeting
19. With a piece of farming equipment 20. With a humorous sign 21. With a cow
6.
With a band director or drama coach — bonus point if during rehearsal
22. With any pet reptile or amphibian
7.
In a tattoo parlor choosing a tattoo
8.
Having fun in the trunk of a car
24. With a sign of love and support for another staff member
9.
With the ugliest piece of furniture you can find and wearing the worst outfits you can come up with
10. In a furniture store display 11. With three or more front office personnel 12. In a department store while wearing hunting garb 13. Holding up a decorative sign with the answer to the following question: What is the circumference of the world in kilometers? 14. One or more of you with a lawn chair, a bowling ball and a soft drink WINTER 2007
17. In red shoes
23. With something that represents America
25. On a golf course 26. With a Wal-Mart “greeter” 27. With the biggest slab of meat you can find in the grocery store but promoting vegetarianism somehow 28. With a police officer 29. With a pink car — bonus point if it is a Cadillac 30. With the staff in a hospital waiting room 31. With the largest stuffed animal you can find 32. Wearing the strangest outfit in the middle of the mall COMMUNICATION: JOURNALISM EDUCATION TODAY • 21