2013 Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt

Nothing like leaving it till the very last minute - but I have completed the 2013 Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt! The whole family joined in even though at time they thought I had lost the plot.

This was the complete list:

You have until the last day of summer (September 21) to find and photograph the following items:
1. Open air market
2. Theater for performing arts (not a movie theater)
3. City Hall, Capitol or other similar civic building
4. Airplane
5. A sunset
6. Someone or something taking a nap
7. A sign that is intentionally or unintentionally funny
8. A tower
9. A photo with someone or something that is clearly out of place or doesn't belong
10. A bench that is outside
11. An animal in a zoo, aquarium, nature preserve, etc.
12. A cloud in the shape of something (please specify what you see)
13. A fence
14. A stained glass object or a mosaic
15. A fire truck or police car
16. A windmill 
17. Candle(s)
18. Your local pub/bar, coffee house or tea shop
19. A fisherman
20. A dinosaur
21. A photograph of you with an artistic tool or craft supply (you cannot substitute for this item)
Bonus/substitute items. If you find any of the above items too difficult, feel free to substitute either (or both) of these items. You can substitute up to two items, but you cannot substitute Item #21:
A person wearing an outfit (or item of clothing) that symbolizes your country
A sundial

And here are my final 2:

21. A photograph of yourself with an artistic tool or craft supply. This is me and some essential bedtime reading - a Stampin Up catty! I belong to a crafters 10 group and do enjoy my SU treat to myself every month - this month I picked the new chevron punch - which I can see me using loads.

I didn't manage 2. A theatre of the performing arts so I have substituted it with A person wearing an outfit (ot item of clothing) that symbolizes your country.  Not quite proper tartan  kilts but these girls were Highland dancing at the Portsoy Boat Festival recently.

     

2013 Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt

Don't think I am going to find all 21 items by tomorrow - I have a self portrait to do and will have to look at the substitute items :(

4. Airplane. The Ryan Air jet that took us to Portugal:

12. A cloud in the shape of something. Thought the first one looked like an old woman or a witch with a pointy chin - but her nose was vanishing fast by the time I got the camera out and the second as was a stripey pedestrian crossing!

Although we did find a rock formation that looked like an elephant - does that count?

I'm getting near the end now :)

6. Someone or something taking a nap. My kids are going to kill me but here they are towards the end of our 10 hour drive from the North East of Scotland to Wales!!

A bit sneaky I know (and I could well get into trouble for this one!) - my Dad and stepmum asleep in front of the telly while we were on holiday.

You can see more on Rindas blog.

2013 Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt

20. A Dinosaur. I thought I would struggle with this one but last week on our drive to Fort William I remembered about the Loch Ness Monster model at Drumnadochit. Drumnadrochit is the Loch Ness Monster centre and as such is heaving with mainly foreign tourists who all pitch up by the coachload. To be honest there is nothing there and Loch Ness itself isn't very inspiring as lochs go - much nicer ones to visit. So here is Nessie herself:

9. A photo with someone or something which is clearly out of place. Whilst staying in our highland cabin we noticed a place called Fairy Glen on the map - and presumed it was aimed at young children so decided to give it a miss. Whilst walking along the banks of Loch Lochy just off the Great Glen Way we noticed a brightly coloured umbrella in the trees and went to have a closer look. Little did we know we had stumbled upon Fairy Glen! Words cannot describe this place full of some of the oddest things - all manner of stuffed toys and figurines, wind chimes and artificial flowers. Somehow in the middle of a dark and rather damp wood it seemed macabre and disturbing rather than magical end enchanting (especially the Winnie the Poo with his head chopped off and placed in a  jar next to him!!) Of course I had to Google the place when we got home and this is what I found out:



CHIMES tinkling in trees, glittering fairies hanging from branches, gnomes and elves peeping from the undergrowth - a walk near Gairlochy has never seemed so surreal. But now an area of woodland near to the world famous Great Glen Way has been transformed into a magic glen, complete with wishing well, mystifying the hundreds of people who walk near it every week. Puzzled walkers have been asking who created the magic - and now the secret is out. Over half a mile of land near Gairlochy, in the environs of the famous tourist path, has been transformed by Karen Dewar and her friend Moira MacDiarmid. Karen, a nurse who lives in Gairlochy, near Spean Bridge, said: "I hit on the idea after organising a treasure hunt for a friend's little daughter and the thing just grew and grew. "We've now put up a visitors' book which is filling with signatures, and the wishing well has all sorts of coins ranging from euros to cents. It's just wonderful to hear the squeals of delight from children when they find the hidden secrets." American tourist Malcolm Balfour said after visiting the glen: "I knew the Highlands would be magic, but this is really great."

Please pop over to Rindas blog and see how everyone else is getting on with the scavenger hunt.

2013 Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt

Still ploughing through the 100+ holiday photos!

5. A Sunset. Didn't see too many sunsets on holiday but liked this one over Lagos Marina - enjoyed while sipping cocktails at a local bar.

15. A Fire Truck or Police Car. This is the old fire engine that stands outside the Fire Station in Lagos. During the daytime all the modern rescue vehicles are lined up outside too and it was fun to see the old and new side by side.

16. A Windmill. Spotted this in a touristy gift shop in Lagos - although I failed to spot a single windmill in the Algarve.

13. A Fence. A very long fence all around the 15th Century Fortaleza de Sagres - the fishermen I mentioned in my last post were fishing off these impressive cliffs.

A fence much closer to home on our walk in Dufftown.

Pop over to Rindas blog to catch up with everyone else and see how they are getting on with the challenge. I think I only have 4 to get now.

2013 Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt

I am still playing along and taking my photos for this challenge although I need to catch up with blogging them.

Here are a couple of the prompts I have already blogged but I found more examples while we were in Portugal.

7. A sign that is intentionally or unintentionally funny:

A sign at Sagres warning of the very steep cliffs although to me and Callum there was something amusing about these figures on the sign - they look as though they are quite happily running over the precipice!!

A danger sign for guard dogs - something about the expressions on these beasts made me smile.

I think this sign is warning you not to use your horn on your car as it was right next to a church - but on first sight it looks like it is telling you that you cannot play any brass instruments in the vicinity!!

19. A Fisherman.

Again at Sagres there were fisher man (who ignored the danger signs!) and were sitting right in the cliff edge. There was a huge drop straight down into the sea and their lines must have been ever so long to reach the water. Not my idea of fun.

Pleas pop over to Rindas blog if you want to read more about this challenge.

2013 Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt

Rinda has done it again with another photo scavenger hunt for us all to enjoy this Summer. Last year on our family holiday to North Devon the whole family joined in looking for the photo prompts - and I'm hoping for this years trip to the sun will be the same.

Here are my first offerings:

7. A sign that is intentionally or unintentionally funny. I took this at yesterdays 1940's day at the Keith to Dufftown Railway (more on that later.)

10. A bench that is outside. The picnic spot at Drummuir station at the start of our walk yesterday.

11. An animal in a zoo, aquarium or nature reserve. A Soay sheep lamb at the Drummuir Walled Garden which we passed on our walk - as you can see he wasn't camera shy!

16. A windmill. If you want to be technical I suppose these are wind turbines - but the way they suddenly appear out of nowhere remind me of the machines in War of the Worlds.

18. Your local pub, bar, coffee or tea shop. The Kimberley Inn in Findhorn - always a great meal - especially of you get a seat outside overlooking the harbour.

19. A fisherman. A lone chap on Findhorn beach with his rod.

Photo Scavenger Hunt

It took me a while to notice this but Rinda will be hosting her 3rd annual Summertime Photo Scavenger Hunt. I played along last year during our holiday to North Devon and the whole family joined in trying to find the prompts. Anyone else going to play along this year? You can read more about it here.

Starting June 1, 2013 and running through Sept. 21, 2013, join photographers from all over the world in hunting for 21 fun and eclectic items and then sharing your results.  This will be the third annual Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt, and I'm really excited for it to begin.  I'll post a list of items on that day, as well as a full list of guidelines for participants.