Trail Cam Photo Analysis
Location: New York
Submitted: December 2009
Update 12/16/10
We are revamping our original theory on this item.
As of December 15th, 2010 we have gained a new piece of technology which can tell us is a photo has been altered from it's original form. Thanks to one of our followers (Thanks "K.K.") we decided to reopen this item up for some more interpretation. So we ran the picture through our new software.
The picture submitted was not alter as part of the report from this new technology.
The interesting thing here is according to the EXIF data, states the flash did not fire.
Our software indicates that the photo is in its original format.
At this time it is our believe that what we are seeing is a leaf (most likely) or an insect which has crossed the path of the photo-sensitive cell and lens causing the picture.
Our apologies if our former conclusion offended the submitter, however photographic analysis is not always an exact science. But we here are always in search of the truth even if we make a mistake occasionally.
(We still cannot account for the time and weather differences, other than the submitter may have been incorrect as to the timestamp being correct, however we can say now this is the original photograph and what we are looking at is most likely a photographic anomaly.)
OLD INVESTIGATION (NOW OUTDATED)
In regards to a picture submitted to Squatchdetective.com via email on December 1st, 2009 the following determinations have been made:According to the submitter the picture (Exhibit 1) was taken on Aug. 28th, 2008 at approximately 18:11 hours. The camera was a fixed mount, flash trail camera, I-R motion activated manufactured by Moultrie, and digital camera within the housing, is provided by Zoran Corporation.Observations show dry foliage, on a sunny day as daylight was noted in the background, left side of the picture.
According to the submitter the camera was positioned looking South and was approximately 4 feet off the ground and approximately 15 - 20 feet from the subject or object in the picture submitted.
METHOD
The first step was to check the picture properties with the time stamp. Squatchdetective.com was assured from the submitter that the picture had been taken on the specified time and date. According to the camera, the picture was actually taken on 2/17/01 at 2:09AM rather than the stamped time we have on the picture provided, inconsistent with the time stamp on the date.
Another time anomaly was that when over brightened the timestamp on the provided picture remained, as if it were part of another layer or altered in some manner.
This seemed to hold true other examples of Zoran trail cam photo tested and consistently had the time stamps disappear upon brightening indicating that is the norm for the timestamp.
Finally and most condemning is the weather conditions for the day that the picture was allegedly taken, as the Dansville, NY area received .43 inches of rain that day.
The rain for the day began at 5:54 PM, some 17 minutes before the picture was taken. The picture provided was on a sunny day, with no signs of precipitation on foliage. The submitter in email correspondence has gone on record and stated the picture taken corroborates with the time stamp.The position of shadows and sunlight in the photo, indicate an earlier time in the day, however, the day was overcast previous to the days rainfall.
The photo provided, failed any forensic tests applied to confirm rudimentary authenticity.
Timestamp Corroboration: FailedWeather Corroboration: FailedSubmitted to StaffJanuary 7th, 2010Steve KullsExecutive DirectorSquatchdetective.com
