Photo scavenger hunt: 120 picture ideas for work, sorted by where you play

30 office photo scavenger hunt ideas

For an afternoon in the building. Every one stays in shared spaces, and anything you move goes back where it was.

1. 1

   1. Your team's reflection in something shiny that isn't a mirror2 pts

2. 2

   2. Five objects lined up from lightest to darkest2 pts

3. 3

   3. The office from a spot where nobody usually stands1 pt

4. 4

   4. A shadow puppet on a meeting-room wall2 pts

5. 5

   5. A stapler and a tape dispenser posed as best friends2 pts

6. 6

   6. A printed manual for a machine nobody uses anymore1 pt

7. 7

   7. Every teammate's hand touching one object at the same time2 pts

8. 8

   8. A letter of the alphabet hiding in the building's architecture2 pts

9. 9

   9. The team waiting for the elevator, all facing the wrong way2 pts

10. 10

    10. A corner that could be a movie set, its genre on a sticky note2 pts

11. 11

    11. A teammate frozen like a statue in a hallway1 pt

12. 12

    12. Three different kinds of chairs in one frame1 pt

13. 13

    13. The team's shoes in a circle, toes pointing in1 pt

14. 14

    14. A carpet, tile or ceiling pattern that looks like something else2 pts

15. 15

    15. An ordinary object with a museum-style label next to it2 pts

16. 16

    16. A team portrait framed through something hollow, like a paper tube or a mug handle3 pts

17. 17

    17. A tower of exactly five coffee cups1 pt

18. 18

    18. Your team's initials hidden in things already in the office3 pts

19. 19

    19. A sticky note compliment left on a teammate's desk1 pt

20. 20

    20. A team weather report filmed in front of a window, in one still2 pts

21. 21

    21. Two objects from two different floors, side by side2 pts

22. 22

    22. The view straight up from the middle of the office1 pt

23. 23

    23. The slowest race ever run down a hallway, caught mid-stride2 pts

24. 24

    24. A pen, a plant and a mug arranged as a tiny city skyline2 pts

25. 25

    25. A number somewhere in the office that matches your team size1 pt

26. 26

    26. A teammate taking an important call on a banana1 pt

27. 27

    27. One perfect freehand circle on an otherwise clean whiteboard2 pts

28. 28

    28. The team's best we-just-hit-our-goal celebration pose2 pts

29. 29

    29. Something out of place, returned to where it belongs1 pt

30. 30

    30. A teammate holding up the building, forced-perspective style3 pts

25 photo scavenger hunt ideas for remote teams

Snapped at home and dropped in the team thread. Each works in a small apartment, and nobody has to show more of their home than they want to.

1. 31

   31. Your workspace from the doorway, tidied or not1 pt

2. 32

   32. A mug, a pen and a plant you can reach without standing up1 pt

3. 33

   33. The best natural light in your home, with one object placed in it1 pt

4. 34

   34. Something outside your window you've never photographed before1 pt

5. 35

   35. A pet or a houseplant attending your meeting1 pt

6. 36

   36. A book whose title sums up your week2 pts

7. 37

   37. The most colorful corner of your home office1 pt

8. 38

   38. Something on your desk rebuilt in miniature out of paper3 pts

9. 39

   39. Your shadow striking a superhero pose2 pts

10. 40

    40. A household object turned into a tiny trophy for a teammate2 pts

11. 41

    41. Something that starts with the first letter of your team name1 pt

12. 42

    42. Three things in a row from smallest to biggest1 pt

13. 43

    43. Your lunch plated like a fancy restaurant dish2 pts

14. 44

    44. A nature-documentary shot of something in your kitchen2 pts

15. 45

    45. The boldest pair of mismatched socks you can put together1 pt

16. 46

    46. Your work setup drawn as a cartoon on a sheet of paper3 pts

17. 47

    47. An everyday object shot so close that nobody can guess it2 pts

18. 48

    48. A do-not-disturb sign you made for your door1 pt

19. 49

    49. Something you fixed yourself instead of replacing2 pts

20. 50

    50. A still life made from three things in your kitchen2 pts

21. 51

    51. The same mug photographed in three different rooms2 pts

22. 52

    52. Something that makes your workday better, with a one-line caption1 pt

23. 53

    53. Your city's outline drawn from memory on paper3 pts

24. 54

    54. A desk item wearing a tiny hat you made2 pts

25. 55

    55. A cloud, tree or rooftop that looks like an animal2 pts

25 outdoor and city photo scavenger hunt ideas

For an offsite, a conference city or a walk around the block. Everything here is about places and things, not strangers.

1. 56

   56. A street sign that shares a teammate's first name2 pts

2. 57

   57. Something outdoors that matches your company logo's color1 pt

3. 58

   58. A public clock, sundial or thermometer showing the time you started2 pts

4. 59

   59. A bench, bus shelter or bollard painted an unexpected color1 pt

5. 60

   60. The team holding up a lamppost with forced perspective3 pts

6. 61

   61. A building number whose digits add up to your team size2 pts

7. 62

   62. A mural or piece of street art1 pt

8. 63

   63. Your team's reflection in a shop window2 pts

9. 64

   64. An animal sculpture, statue or painted animal2 pts

10. 65

    65. A leaf bigger than your hand1 pt

11. 66

    66. Something round, something square and something triangular in one shot2 pts

12. 67

    67. A shop sign with a pun in its name2 pts

13. 68

    68. The tallest building in sight, with the whole team pointing at it1 pt

14. 69

    69. A historic marker or a date carved in stone2 pts

15. 70

    70. The team sitting along one bench or low wall, like birds on a wire2 pts

16. 71

    71. A view that belongs on a postcard of your city1 pt

17. 72

    72. A menu board with the most unusual dish you can find1 pt

18. 73

    73. Public art shot from an angle that makes it look tiny3 pts

19. 74

    74. A bike rack, a fire hydrant and a mailbox in one frame2 pts

20. 75

    75. Your company's founding year somewhere on the street3 pts

21. 76

    76. Flowers growing somewhere they shouldn't1 pt

22. 77

    77. A local landmark, with the team copying its shape3 pts

23. 78

    78. The whole team's shadows on the pavement2 pts

24. 79

    79. A shop window display that matches your team's mood1 pt

25. 80

    80. A bridge, staircase or archway framing the whole team2 pts

20 holiday party photo scavenger hunt ideas

A hunt that runs in the background of the party, so people mix without a planned activity.

1. 81

   81. The best-dressed dessert on the table1 pt

2. 82

   82. A teammate and a leader in matching festive poses2 pts

3. 83

   83. Every color in the party decorations in one shot2 pts

4. 84

   84. The party playlist's current song, acted out by the team in one pose2 pts

5. 85

   85. Your best gift-exchange reaction, re-created on purpose for the camera2 pts

6. 86

   86. The party host or game leader giving a thumbs-up1 pt

7. 87

   87. A napkin folded into something festive2 pts

8. 88

   88. Someone from every department in one frame3 pts

9. 89

   89. Party lights reflected in something unexpected2 pts

10. 90

    90. The most creative name tag in the room1 pt

11. 91

    91. A plate of snacks arranged to look like a face2 pts

12. 92

    92. The team unwrapping a giant imaginary present2 pts

13. 93

    93. Hands making a star or snowflake shape together2 pts

14. 94

    94. The best party accessory in the room: a scarf, hat or pin1 pt

15. 95

    95. A candid laugh from a teammate, posted only with their OK2 pts

16. 96

    96. A dish you'd never tried before, with your verdict on a napkin2 pts

17. 97

    97. The team's whole year summed up in one pose3 pts

18. 98

    98. The party room from its farthest corner, with your team waving in front1 pt

19. 99

    99. The party organizer holding a thank-you sign the team made3 pts

20. 100

    100. A paper chain the team made in five minutes3 pts

20 team selfie scavenger hunt ideas

The whole team in every frame. The last three work on a video call too.

1. 101

   101. A team selfie where everyone looks in a different direction1 pt

2. 102

   102. A selfie where everyone swaps one item: a hat, a scarf or a name tag2 pts

3. 103

   103. A selfie with each person making a different emoji face2 pts

4. 104

   104. A selfie that acts out a movie title the other teams must guess3 pts

5. 105

   105. A selfie with an oops-wrong-camera face from everyone1 pt

6. 106

   106. A selfie with everyone pointing at the person who planned the hunt1 pt

7. 107

   107. A selfie with each person holding the one desk item they can't work without2 pts

8. 108

   108. A silent-movie selfie: dramatic poses, black-and-white filter2 pts

9. 109

   109. A selfie with a handwritten sign giving the place and the time1 pt

10. 110

    110. A selfie shot from the floor looking up at the team2 pts

11. 111

    111. A selfie with one object that stands for the team's year2 pts

12. 112

    112. A selfie somewhere none of you has ever stood before2 pts

13. 113

    113. A selfie with everyone holding up fingers that add up to exactly 202 pts

14. 114

    114. A selfie interview: one person holds a pen like a microphone1 pt

15. 115

    115. A selfie reenacting your last team meeting in one pose3 pts

16. 116

    116. A selfie styled as the cover of your team's imaginary travel guide3 pts

17. 117

    117. A selfie with the team in one perfect diagonal line2 pts

18. 118

    118. A gallery-view screenshot of a video call with everyone wearing a hat1 pt

19. 119

    119. A gallery-view screenshot where everyone holds up something blue1 pt

20. 120

    120. A pair of selfies: nobody smiling, then everybody laughing1 pt

How to run a photo scavenger hunt

Twenty minutes of setup for an hour of play.

1. 1Pick 15 to 20 ideas. Use the list maker above or take from one or two sections below. More than 20 and teams rush every photo.
2. 2Make teams of 3 to 5. Big enough for a group shot, small enough that everyone gets a say. Mix departments on purpose.
3. 3Set a time limit. 45 minutes in the office or outdoors, 30 at a holiday party, 20 to 30 for remote teams. Say the end time out loud, not just the length.
4. 4Open one shared album or chat thread per team. Photos land there as they're taken, so you can judge as you go instead of scrolling through phones at the end.
5. 5Judge creativity, not just completion. Points come from the list; add a bonus of 1 to 3 points for the funniest or most creative take on any idea.
6. 6Show the best photos, then the winner. Put a slideshow of every team's favorite scavenger hunt photos on the big screen or a shared screen. The reveal is the best part.

Photo rules to read out first

A photo scavenger hunt for adults at work happens around people who aren't playing. Say these before the clock starts, and put them at the top of the list.

• Ask before photographing anyone outside your team, and take no photo of a stranger's face.
• No photos of screens, papers or whiteboards that show customer or company data.
• Stay in shared spaces: no private offices, no restricted areas, no one else's desk drawers.
• Nothing gets taken or damaged for a shot, and anything you move goes back where it was.
• Anyone can sit out any photo. Optional means optional, and the team still scores.
• Delete on request: if a teammate wants a photo gone from the album, it goes.
• Ask before posting any photo outside the team, including on company social media.

Scoring and prizes

1 point is a quick snap, 2 needs a little setup or teamwork, 3 needs the whole team and some imagination.

1. 1List points. Every idea here carries 1, 2 or 3 points for difficulty. Use them as printed.
2. 2Creativity bonus. Up to 3 extra points per team for the funniest or cleverest photo of the round.
3. 3Late penalty. Minus 5 points for a team that's back after the end time.
4. 4Tie-break. The team with more 3-point photos wins. Still tied? Everyone votes on one favorite photo per team.

Prizes people actually want

• A trophy that moves to the next winning team, with names added each time
• The winning photo as the team chat's banner for a month
• Dibs on the best meeting room for a week
• A printed and framed copy of the best photo for the office wall
• The right to name the next team channel or meeting series

Photo scavenger hunt app or a shared thread?

Most work teams don't need an app. Here is what each option gives you.

1. 1A shared album. Free and built into the photo apps people already have. Easy to browse the scavenger hunt pictures together after, but scoring happens on paper.
2. 2A chat thread per team. A Slack or Teams thread works anywhere and timestamps every photo, which settles who finished first. Best for remote and hybrid teams.
3. 3A dedicated scavenger hunt app. Adds automatic scoring and a live leaderboard, and some add map check-ins. Worth it for a big event; overkill for one team of ten.

Want someone to run the hunt for you?

In Scavenger Hunt with a Twist!, a live host leads several hunt challenges that teams solve in and out of breakout rooms with items they have nearby, and new teams can form near the midpoint. Team Discovery Challenge combines a scavenger hunt with show and tell. Either way the organizer plays too. Both run 1 hour on Zoom by default (Teams, Google Meet or Webex on request), for remote teams or a hybrid group with some people in the office. Teams split across time zones can book two sessions. Book about 2 weeks ahead, and earlier for December dates, which fill first.