Aims of the Photography Treasure Hunt workshop

This workshop uses photography and gaming as a way to change the way we perceive our surroundings. This photographic “scavenger hunt” or “treasure hunt” is quite fun for students and also has the chance for engaging with the public, offering many opportunities for building collaborative skills between participants.

In this activity, students gain skills in creativity and critical thinking, and the group discussions during the workshop help students gain skills in communication. When phases in the project can involve participants working in pairs or groups, collaborative skills are also gained.

Our template workshop takes place in a natural history museum, but it could also take place in virtually any location, indoors or outdoors.

Learning Outcomes:

• Through this workshop, students gain skills in creativity and critical thinking, and the group discussions during the workshop help students gain skills in communication. When phases in the project can involve participants working in pairs or groups, collaborative skills are also gained.
• On a technical level, participants are working out how to photograph and frame a detail best, how to use the available light, what makes for a more intriguing angle, and how close to get to the subject without losing the subject’s ‘truth’ and relevance. They are encouraged to work out of their comfort zones on what they may naturally be drawn to and they hopefully will explore new and exciting subjects they had never noticed or thought of looking at before. All in all, they are encouraged to slow down, to spend more time viewing and make observations and connections with the subjects they are looking at.
• A risk with this type of workshop is that participants have an initial excitement of a game and simply try to find and capture as many things as possible without necessarily putting enough importance on choosing an interesting subject that someone else might like to explore. Once the participants realize they can pick and choose from the immense variety of subjects, they are able to fine tune their exploration, go back to something that grabbed their attention and delve deeper into it in a more calm and inquisitive approach. Students begin using the camera more carefully to frame and zoom in or out, to play with angles and composition, exposure and focus is all part of the fun and satisfaction of selection. They begin seeking things which have hidden meanings and personal connections for the individual.
• This activity can very much help to boost student engagement and stimulate their creativity. The discussion and analysis of the image collections can be a very meaningful exercise in critical thinking, as we seek to articulate what makes some images and collections more engaging than others, and how image-making and image-selection can be improved to be more conceptually and visually impactful.

Materials needed:

• Camera
• Pen
• Paper
• Computer/projector