Abi's Guide to the h2g2 Winter Party Photo Scavenger Hunt

I've always enjoyed being involved in organising the meet-ups, but the most fun I have had was planning the Photo Scavenger Hunt for the Winter Party. Thinking of unusual things to photograph was difficult at times, but I hope we came up with tasks that were fun and challenging. We wanted an afternoon activity that would allow Researchers to get to know each other, so a team event seemed like the best plan. The idea of the hunt was to race around London taking photos and then for the teams to meet back at the Sutton Arms for the evening's festivities.

We gave each team a disposable camera and a list of pictures to take. The instructions stated that each photo should contain at least one team member but where possible, the whole team should be in the picture. We also wanted the teams to make their photos as imaginative as they could. For example, task one was to take a picture of the team with a lion. The obvious place to go to was Trafalgar Square¹, but the instructions encouraged the teams to think literally, think laterally and to show us what they could do.

Unfortunately, when Saturday arrived, the weather was wet even by British standards! It looked increasingly like the Hunt would have to be called off as Researchers arrived soaked to the skin. The rain started to ease, however, by about 3pm and hastily assembled groups set off, cameras in hand. Once all the teams had departed, I went out to meet with up with some of the groups, though this proved harder then I anticipated. In order to come up with most original photographs, the groups had scattered themselves all over central London. Using the Underground to reach the various destinations meant that trying to contact team members on their mobile phones was difficult.

I did manage to meet up with one team just as they visited London's famous toy shop, Hamleys. They were in search of a rocking horse in order to photograph a team member either riding or stroking a horse. It appeared that all the parents and children in London had decided to visit Hamleys too, and it was hard work keeping the team together. I later heard that after I left them, the same team got into trouble in the BBC shop at Broadcasting House. They were ejected unceremoniously after they were caught taking photos without permission!

So what did they have to do?

The teams were asked to take photos of at least one member of their team...

• with a lion.
• outside a BBC building.
• in bed.
• with a street entertainer.
• behind the counter at Starbucks.
• standing in the middle of the Thames.
• with a famous monarch.
• on stage at a west end theatre.
• outside a pub named after an animal.
• at a place that appears on a monopoly board.
• wearing a policeman's helmet.
• with Oliver Cromwell.
• with a celeb of their choice.
• with Winston Churchill.
• riding or stroking a horse.
• high above London.
• outside a tube station whose name contains all the vowels.
• with a winged creature.
• having a makeover in a London department store.
• pulling a pint.
• at Platform 9 3/4s of Harry Potter fame.
• at a famous London market connected with meat.

The final photograph took the teams to within a stone's throw of their ultimate destination, the Sutton Arms. As they arrived, Mark handed out well earned Moxons, which would buy the teams a drink at the bar.

But who won?

The photos are currently being developed by Fotango and will be available on-site shortly. The Editors will then award the photos points and we will let you know which team has scored the most.

Thanks to everyone who took part, I hope it was not too tiring and that you enjoyed it!