Sunday, March 23, 2014

Thoughts on 2014 Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt

The first day of spring has passed, and I've been having thoughts about summer, which leads me to thoughts about the 2014 Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt. I've really enjoyed hosting this event for the last few years, and I'm looking forward to doing it again this year.  Interesting items to add to the list have been floating through my mind and ideas about how to structure it have been simmering there as well.
For those of you who haven't participated before, I host this event starting on June 1 and running until the last day of summer (September 22, 2014). I post a list of about 20 items for people to find and photograph during the summer. I encourage people to blog about their finds, and I host a link-up once a month. The original idea was to create a list which gets people out and about during the summer months to explore places they might not otherwise go, but I also include items which are somewhat challenging to find. The time frame is long enough that most people are able to find most of the items without being too stressed. It's become a way for people to open their eyes and be aware of their surroundings and also a way to see the great variety of items found around the world. There's usually about 60 participants from all over the globe, which means some people are actually participating in the summertime scavenger hunt during the winter (those in Australia and New Zealand).
The scavenger hunt is free and open to everyone! If you don't have a blog, you can put your images in a flicker account or any other photo hosting site that works for you. The only rule is that the photo needs to be taken during the time frame of the Hunt (no using old photographs from your archives).
You can click on this link to see all my old scavenger hunt posts. The 2013 list is here. You can click on this link to find the 2012 list. The 2011 list of items is clickable here. 
So, I was wondering if you have any feedback on the last few hunts. Any suggestions for what to do this year differently than before? It seemed to run pretty smoothly last year, so I'm leaning to using the same format. But I'm definitely open to suggestions. 

37 comments:

Karen said...

I'm definitely looking forward to this year's scavenger hunt. I think the format has been great (as well as the lists), so no suggestions for improvement from here! Thanks for all you do to make it a success!

alexa said...

I was just thinking about you and the Scavenger hunt today, and wondering if you would be running it again this year! It seemed to work very smoothly last year, and we all enjoyed it, so I too am just saying both thank-you and yes please :).

ForgedinPaper said...

I think it's a great thing and I'm looking forward to this years list. Thanks for hosting it and I think it's worked really well.

Jimjams said...

I'm happy with the format you have operated so smoothly so far. Plenty of scope for interpretation, inventiveness and interest. Thank you Rinda :-D

Melissa said...

So excited that you're thinking about the hunt, too! I just gathered my photos from the last two years & put them in a Project File with an album & some journal cards. I'll be putting it together at a crop in early April . . . and it has room for another year of photos! :>)

I think everything runs very well, also, so don't have any suggestions . . . unless you want to include longhorns in this year's list! LOL

Sylvia said...

I am looking forward to participating for the first time!

joy said...

I so enjoyed last year's Hunt, Maria, thankyou. The format worked well for me, so "if it aint broke, don't fix it" I'm often told. Looking forward to your list for 2014. Joy x x

Anonymous said...

Looking forward to it. 2012 I got some photos, 2013 I got most photos and in 2014 I am determined to get all the photos!

scrappyjacky said...

I think your present format works perfectly....and am looking forward to joining in again.

helena said...

Hurrah - a highlight of my summer the last few years has been your scavenger hunt. I think the general format works well. I did think that last year there was nothing really hard that had everyone searching and thinking. On the plus side more people found all items but I missed the stretch from previous years.

Ladkyis said...

I am hopping from foot to foot in anticipation! There are a whole bunch of us that take part even though I seem to be the only one that blogs - all the others don't have a blog. I might encourage them to give me some of their pictures this year. I love the challenge, as does Mr M and it certainly helps get me out of the house. Waiting now... two whole months of waiting....

Cheri said...

I was thinking about the Scavenger Hunt on Saturday and really looking forward to an excuse to get out and about with my camera! I'll join everyone else in saying that what you've already done seems to work quite well.

debs14 said...

I can hardly wait! I liked how people used Instagram to share last time, will you be giving us a hashtag to use?

Fiona@Staring at the Sea said...

How funny that you should post this now. I was looking at my blog stats earlier and noticed that one of my Scavenger Hunt round up posts from last year has had 13 visits this week! I think the format works well and I'm really looking forward to joining in again this year x

Lesley G said...

I loved it Rinda and am so glad you are doing it again - thanks for your hard work and look forward to joining in :)

Sheena said...

We loved doing this as a family last summer & we can't wait to do it again xxx

Kirsty.A said...

Looking forward to it, I agree with Helena that it was a bit easier last year. I like the tricky ones that actually make me plan a whole trip to get 1 photo.

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

My only suggestion is that you don't change a thing! I love it just the way it is and can't wait to see the new list of items on June 1st. :o)

Sandie said...

I look forward to this each summer Rinda, so will be looking forward to receiving your list. I think the format is good too.

Unknown said...

I think the format works really well, looking forward to it again this summer.

Missus Wookie said...

I enjoyed taking part and the format. I like the 'extras' and seeing the personal shot interpretations too.

ComfyMom~Stacey said...

The boys and I are looking forward to it. We play on adding it to our geocaching sprees.

furrypig said...

your scavenger hunt has been part of my summer for the last 2 years and I am so looking forward to doing it again thank you Rinda xxx

sky-blu-pink said...

I have loved the Scavenger Hunt over the last two years, and so enjoyed seeking out things I wouldn't necessarily have looked out for. So looking forward to taking part again!

Miriam said...

I have lovely thoughts of summer now Rinda. My family all love the scavenger hunt and I like to plan a day out just to look for items on your list. Thank you for hosting it.

~*~Patty S said...

Your scavenger hunts have been so delightful Rinda...have really enjoyed participating in two of them

I like the idea of a monthly or bimonthly link up so it would be easier to locate people's scavenger posts

Thanks so much for planning more fun for this summer :)
oxo

Julia said...

I think the format works really well Rinda and there is nothing I would change. Looking forward to finding out on 1st June what interesting finds you have come up with for us :)

Abi said...

I'm with everyone else here. I love your scavenger hunt Rinda! Thank you so much for the effort you put into setting it up each year. I love how it brings people together and we all have a laugh over those elusive objects like the cloud in the shape of something last year!
I'm with Deb though that it was so fun to follow on IG last year so a hashtag would be cool!

Eileen T said...

Like everyone else, I'm really looking forward to the hunt this year. I can't think of any way to improve it as it all worked so smoothly last time.

Anonymous said...

I too was just thinking about this a few days ago. It was great fun last year and I am really looking forward to doing it again. Nothing I would change either!

Joan said...

I don't have a blog, I've never used instagram, and I'm not even sure how to get photos from my phone off my phone. But I've enjoyed being a spectator the past few summers, and am thinking this would be a very fun project to actually try to do. Plus, it's been too long since our last scavenger hunt together!

Sandy #1781 said...

It's funny you should post this last week because I just found you by chance while I was looking at a blog for the first time. She had a link from last year. This sounds like so much fun I've already posted to my calendar. Last years guidelines and list look great and now I'm headed to find the 2012 and 2011 lists. Just for fun. I can't wait to get started. Thanks.

boysmum2 said...

Just how it is works well for us too, the family love having something different to do during the winter months down here, can't wait even though I have been very quiet for the past 6 months, this is one thing I can achieve and look forward to doing, thanks

Susan Ernst said...

Hi Rinda,
I participated last year for the first time and really enjoyed it. I plan to again this summer. One suggestion I would offer, if this isn't extra work for you, is to create a Facebook group for sharing our photos. The computer I had last summer was old and very slow so it took a long time to visit everyone's blogs to see their photos. With a few other blog challenges I have participated in, there was also a FB group. It was easy to see the photos all in one place.

Anonymous said...

I'm looking forward to it again and I think the format was great.

glitterandglue said...

Hello Rinda. Hubby and I both joined in last year for the first time. It was such fun - out and about, looking, trying to find an unusual take on some of the more usual objects. I'm looking forward to June 1st!!!
Margaret

Beverly said...

You have it nailed down perfectly. As for 2013 being a bit easy, I think it depends year to year on where you live. Finding a windmill in North Carolina is no easy feat and some of us are horrible at cloud reading lol