Camera/Photo Statements

[pathfinder73]

"We don't know what clothes the McCann couple and their friends were wearing on the evening of May 3rd. At the start of the investigation, we had requested all photos and videos from that day and from the other days, but all we received were daytime photos; it was as if in the evenings and during the now famous "Tapas," dinners, no photos had been taken despite the fact that some of the diners had cameras with them. The lack of night time photos was something we have never understood. Within the rogatory letter, we ask the English authorities to seize photos and videos taken throughout the holiday at the Ocean Club." (TOTL)

We tried to find a picture of Madeleine. Kate checked her camera but these were mainly of her at home or not such a clear picture.  We found a picture of Madeleine but we couldn’t print it off.  Cat or one of the nannies said that they had a printer and took the camera away to get some photos copied.  A copy of the photo was given directly to the Police, someone from the Mark Warner staff made a poster- but I do not know who that was. (Russell O'Brien)

Kate didn't have her camera and Jane was there then as well and Jane took some photos of both Madeleine and Ella, thats one, that poster of Madeleine with the tennis balls, that sort of pictures'. (Rachel Oldfield)



4078    ”Okay, so you’ve been back to the Tapas and you’ve collected bits and pieces that people have left lying around. You mentioned a camera, or cameras, had there been many photos taken that evening?”

 Reply    ”Err there hadn’t, I don’t think there’d been any taken that evening and I think err I can’t remember who, it was either, it was either Kate or err Rachael, it might have been Kate, who’d brought their camera because they hadn’t taken any photographs err at all in the evening. I think I was the only one that ever took any photographs in the evening and that was about the second night we were there, I just took pictures of everybody sitting round the table but I didn’t get any of he surrounding areas err but because we hadn’t been really sat there that long no pictures were taken.” (Dianne Webster)

"At the time described above she remained about 10 minutes in the apartment. After this time she returned to the restaurant to get her handbag as well as the camera of the couple McCANN and "baby monitor" of her daughter, and was soon back again in the apartment." (Dianne Webster 11 May)

1485 "Okay. Did you take any photos on the night at the Tapas bar''
 Reply "No I didn't.'
1485 "Did anybody take any photos''
 Reply "Err''
1485 "Before Kate obviously raised the alarm.'
 Reply "Not that I'm aware of. There wasn't, normally we're quite snap happy but err we've only got a few pictures from the second of May, then the third of May and then you know a few days until err so there wasn't a great deal of pictures being taken err you know obviously there was a few here and there, Jane's quite keen on photography, I know she takes some nice pictures and I'd taken some in the play area on the, the, err the night before and we've also got pictures of the, the afternoon from the beach and from the restaurant and then the play area again and there's some pictures of us playing tennis err with the times on, so you know that's about the last pictures that I can recall. I've got our pictures and I've got Dianne's pictures but I've certainly not seen anybody else's err completely.'
00:10:35 1485 "What about the night before' The Wednesday night, did you take any pictures, were any pictures taken then' Or did you see any pictures being taken then''
 Reply "In the evening''
1485 "Yeah, because I understand that you stayed later on the Wednesday night.'
 Reply "We did, yes, err the pictures that I've got, there are some pictures on one of the evenings and I can't say which evening that was.'
1485 "Your camera should''
 Reply "My cameras will have the''
1485 "It'll have''
 Reply "It'll have the date on there.'
1485 "Yeah.'
 Reply "But I, you know I can't remember which evening, I thought it was earlier on in the week but err but again it wasn't, it wasn't, you know in the evenings wasn't generally camera time, I don't think people were that bothered really in the evening and that taking pictures, it wasn't...'
1485 "Because it would have all pictures of you huddled together and...'
 Reply "Well it would yeah.'
1485 "(Inaudible).'
 Reply "That was it yeah. I mean as I say there's only like two or three pictures I think we've got from the evening.'

00:05:37 1485 "You mentioned early on, on the last interview as well, about a photo. You spoke brief about a photo you'd shown, you'd shown a photo.'
 Reply "Oh yes, I mean''
1485 "Where did that come from''
 Reply "Err where did the photo come from' That's a very good question, err I'm not sure whether it was from Gerry's digital camera or one of the digital cameras that we had there from my recollection. Err but you know, it was, sorry I can't, I can't remember exactly. I seem to remember it was one of the digital cameras but that's about as far as it...'
1485 "Can you remember the pose in which Madeleine was on the photo''
 Reply "Err I can't, no.'
1485 "Did you see the photo''
 Reply "Err I did, yes. I mean Russell err was probably the most instrumental in that side that we, you know he's very good with computers and setting that side up, so he specifically went off err you know to do that. Err you know, I mean we kind of identified early like you know I have, I have seen the picture and, but sorry I can't remember it.' (David Payne)

She doesn't know if anyone took photographs that night, however she thinks that Rachel took photos on one of the nights. Fiona also took some photos but she thinks it was probably another night. She doesn't know whether Fiona had a camera with her that night. She remembers hearing a comment that night about a camera being forgotten, but she doesn't know who said this or who the camera belonged to.

With respect to the objects she says they took with them: their mobile phones. Gerry might have taken a wallet with money. Not sure if they took a camera. (Kate McCann)

He does not remember what Kate was wearing that night. The arguido did not take a camera and does not remember if Kate did. He does not remember if anybody in the group took photographs that night. (Gerry McCann)

Asked, he clarifies that, with regard to the personal photos already delivered by him to the authorities after the disappearance of his daughter MADELEINE, he has no others in his power [possession]. He adds that it is his wife KATE who usually takes pictures, he does not recall if on this holiday any were taken at night.

Asked, he relates that he does not recall to have described exactly the type of pyjamas (colour, designs, etc.) that MADELEINE had worn at the time she disappeared. The photo of his daughter MADELEINE, after having printed several in the reception of the hotel, was delivered to the police (PJ) who were at the location, as well as to other persons who were there. (Gerry McCann 10 May)

[colombosstogey]

Funny isnt it most people are snap happy on holiday and the penultimate night you would think they would be snapping away photos as memories of a wonderful holiday...............OR was it simply a holiday they would all rather forget about prior to the missing child.... &%+((£

[Benice]

Funny isnt it most people are snap happy on holiday and the penultimate night you would think they would be snapping away photos as memories of a wonderful holiday...............OR was it simply a holiday they would all rather forget about prior to the missing child.... &%+((£

Actually it wasn't the penultimate night - they were going home on Saturday.

One of the reasons I believe it was a planned abduction is because the perpetrator would know that on the penultimate night people often changed their routines - for packing etc.

One would think that if a  'cunning plan' was in progress on the 3rd that they would have deliberately taken loads of photos of themselves having a great time at the restaurant - which of course would be impossible for normal people  to do if they knew that a child just died and they were all now participating in a heinous crime.      However,  lots of picccies of themselves laughing and joking would be proof that it was just a normal night - and that  they had no idea that anything untoward had happened in 5A.

[jassi]

This business about not remembering when they took pictures is rubbish.
The sequence of shots on the camera would put them in context - for example if night-time pictures were followed by daytime pictures, then obviously they were not taken on the last night.
Surely their holiday was sufficiently memorable for them to be able to remember things from one day to the next.

[pathfinder73]

No family photos of the McCanns going to the beach? Most decent photos of Madeleine were from home on Kate's camera. Definitely none of her sailing for the first time because no parent was there.

"At the time described above she remained about 10 minutes in the apartment. After this time she returned to the restaurant to get her handbag as well as the camera of the couple McCANN and "baby monitor" of her daughter, and was soon back again in the apartment." (Dianne Webster 11 May)

[Angelo222]

All very familiar ho hum.  Did every member of the tapas group have chronic amnesia or does it only come on when being questioned by the police?

[Benice]

No family photos of the McCanns going to the beach? Most decent photos of Madeleine were from home on Kate's camera. Definitely none of her sailing for the first time because no parent was there.

"At the time described above she remained about 10 minutes in the apartment. After this time she returned to the restaurant to get her handbag as well as the camera of the couple McCANN and "baby monitor" of her daughter, and was soon back again in the apartment." (Dianne Webster 11 May)

So if people don't take photographs on holiday that YOU think they should take - then they should be criticised?    Is that what you are saying?   

So what if different people have different memories about cameras?   It's not as if they knew beforehand that cameras/piccies would  be of any interest to anyone and so they'd better make careful mental notes.   

It seems to me that there is NOTHING - no matter how paltry or insignificant in this case - that isn't leapt upon and used as a stick to beat the McCanns with by some sceptics.     It would appear that it is now the cameras/piccies turn to be used for that same purpose.

[Angelo222]

So if people don't take photographs on holiday that YOU think they should take - then they should be criticised?    Is that what you are saying?   

So what if different people have different memories about cameras?   It's not as if they knew beforehand that cameras/piccies would  be of any interest to anyone and so they'd better make careful mental notes.   

It seems to me that there is NOTHING - no matter how paltry or insignificant in this case - that isn't leapt upon and used as a stick to beat the McCanns with by some sceptics.     It would appear that it is now the cameras/piccies turn to be used for that same purpose.

You see it as not unusual but a detective will see it differently.

[jassi]

Rather its the apparent lack of pictures taken by a group of fun-seeking holidaymakers with children that is strange.
 You would expect there to be photographic records from the various cameras that could be put together to form a visual record of the holiday, but it would seem not.
 

[Brietta]

The objective of the photograph was to get a clear picture of the missing child, Madeleine McCann, to enable easier identification should any one have spotted her.

People searching for a missing child ... should perhaps have some idea of what she looks like.

That objective was achieved … forum chatter about why there were not hundreds of photographs available is just that … chatter and nasty, vile chatter indeed.

The police were also interested in holidaymakers’ photographs which might have shown people of interest in the background … the following is one example.


Madeleine McCann: Is this the man who snatched her?

THIS is the sensational picture of a suspicious man on the beach which could lead to a breakthrough in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

By: James Murray
Published: Sun, May 16, 2010


Snapped inadvertently in the background of a holiday photo, the mysterious man strolls along after a rain shower, staring out to sea at Praia da Luz.

The picture was taken at the Portuguese resort days before Madeleine, then three, vanished during the evening of May 3, 2007.

Briton Gail Cooper was having lunch with family and friends in a beachside cafe and taking photos when she saw him wandering along the beach, apparently in a world of his own.

“It was odd to see him walking around the beach alone in showery, cold weather.” she said.

Mrs Cooper, 53, added that a few hours after the snap was taken, the same man visited her at her rented villa 20 minutes’ walk from the beach. The £2million holiday property was in a quiet road near the Mark Warner complex where Madeleine and her family were staying.


During a tense conversation on the doorstep, the man sought cash with what she called “an obviously made-up story” that he was collecting money for an orphanage in a nearby town, where the children of Britons killed in a car crash were being cared for.


Just under a week after the unnerving encounter, when Mrs Cooper had returned home to Britain, Madeleine was taken from her holiday apartment.

Alarmed, Mrs Cooper contacted British detectives because of her ­concerns about the man on the beach and handed over the photograph, taken by a ­member of her holiday party.

Months later private investigators working for Madeleine’s parents Kate and Gerry McCann asked Mrs Cooper to work with an FBI-trained artist to create a drawing of the man she had seen at the beach and villa.


She described him as having protruding teeth, a handlebar moustache and wind-blown dark hair. In the photo the man is ­turning slightly towards the sea, so it is not possible to tell whether he has a moustache.

However, he does appear to bear a resemblance to a man the McCanns’ friend, Jane Tanner, saw walking with a child in his arms at about the time Madeleine disappeared.

Ms Tanner saw him crossing a road yards from the McCanns’ apartment and it is widely believed that he was the man who abducted Madeleine. She also worked with an artist to ­create a drawing of the man she saw. It did not include facial features as she did not see his face.

The man Ms Tanner saw, ­walking in the glare of an orange street light, was wearing light coloured trousers and a dark top and appears to have slightly hunched shoulders.


The man in the photo was also wearing light coloured trousers, a dark top and appears to have slightly rounded shoulders.

Mrs Cooper, of Newark, Nottinghamshire, said last night: “I am 98 per cent certain the man in the photo was the same man who made the strange visit to our ­holiday villa. His hair looks neater in the photo, but he is quite far in the background.” The picture was given to detectives in Leicestershire who are liaising with detectives in ­Portugal, but Mrs Cooper said she was never told whether the man had been identified.

“I believe it would be useful for the investigation if he was to come forward,” she added. Kate and Gerry McCann, of Rothley, Leicestershire, are hoping that new Tory Home Secretary Theresa May will call for a review of all the evidence in the case.


If you can identify the man in the photograph please call the Sunday Express on 0208 612 7073 or contact the website ­Findmadeleine.com.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/175407/Madeleine-McCann-Is-this-the-man-who-snatched-her

[pathfinder73]

So if people don't take photographs on holiday that YOU think they should take - then they should be criticised?    Is that what you are saying?   

So what if different people have different memories about cameras?   It's not as if they knew beforehand that cameras/piccies would  be of any interest to anyone and so they'd better make careful mental notes.   

It seems to me that there is NOTHING - no matter how paltry or insignificant in this case - that isn't leapt upon and used as a stick to beat the McCanns with by some sceptics.     It would appear that it is now the cameras/piccies turn to be used for that same purpose.

Madeleine disappeared on the 6th day of their holiday and you think it's normal no family holiday photos exist. Why did they bother bringing a camera if they're not going to use it. I will bring my camera to the table but I won't use it. Nothing strange about that is there Benice.

[jassi]

Madeleine disappeared on the 6th day of their holiday and you think it's normal no family holiday photos exist. Why did they bother bringing a camera if they're not going to use it. I will bring my camera to the table but I won't use it. Nothing strange about that is there Benice.

You'd think they might have some  happy snaps of them socialising together, even if they have much opportunity to take photos of the children enjoying themselves.

[pathfinder73]

The objective of the photograph was to get a clear picture of the missing child, Madeleine McCann, to enable easier identification should any one have spotted her.

People searching for a missing child ... should perhaps have some idea of what she looks like.

That objective was achieved … forum chatter about why there were not hundreds of photographs available is just that … chatter and nasty, vile chatter indeed.

The police were also interested in holidaymakers’ photographs which might have shown people of interest in the background … the following is one example.


Madeleine McCann: Is this the man who snatched her?

THIS is the sensational picture of a suspicious man on the beach which could lead to a breakthrough in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

By: James Murray
Published: Sun, May 16, 2010


Snapped inadvertently in the background of a holiday photo, the mysterious man strolls along after a rain shower, staring out to sea at Praia da Luz.

The picture was taken at the Portuguese resort days before Madeleine, then three, vanished during the evening of May 3, 2007.

Briton Gail Cooper was having lunch with family and friends in a beachside cafe and taking photos when she saw him wandering along the beach, apparently in a world of his own.

“It was odd to see him walking around the beach alone in showery, cold weather.” she said.

Mrs Cooper, 53, added that a few hours after the snap was taken, the same man visited her at her rented villa 20 minutes’ walk from the beach. The £2million holiday property was in a quiet road near the Mark Warner complex where Madeleine and her family were staying.


During a tense conversation on the doorstep, the man sought cash with what she called “an obviously made-up story” that he was collecting money for an orphanage in a nearby town, where the children of Britons killed in a car crash were being cared for.


Just under a week after the unnerving encounter, when Mrs Cooper had returned home to Britain, Madeleine was taken from her holiday apartment.

Alarmed, Mrs Cooper contacted British detectives because of her ­concerns about the man on the beach and handed over the photograph, taken by a ­member of her holiday party.

Months later private investigators working for Madeleine’s parents Kate and Gerry McCann asked Mrs Cooper to work with an FBI-trained artist to create a drawing of the man she had seen at the beach and villa.


She described him as having protruding teeth, a handlebar moustache and wind-blown dark hair. In the photo the man is ­turning slightly towards the sea, so it is not possible to tell whether he has a moustache.

However, he does appear to bear a resemblance to a man the McCanns’ friend, Jane Tanner, saw walking with a child in his arms at about the time Madeleine disappeared.

Ms Tanner saw him crossing a road yards from the McCanns’ apartment and it is widely believed that he was the man who abducted Madeleine. She also worked with an artist to ­create a drawing of the man she saw. It did not include facial features as she did not see his face.

The man Ms Tanner saw, ­walking in the glare of an orange street light, was wearing light coloured trousers and a dark top and appears to have slightly hunched shoulders.


The man in the photo was also wearing light coloured trousers, a dark top and appears to have slightly rounded shoulders.

Mrs Cooper, of Newark, Nottinghamshire, said last night: “I am 98 per cent certain the man in the photo was the same man who made the strange visit to our ­holiday villa. His hair looks neater in the photo, but he is quite far in the background.” The picture was given to detectives in Leicestershire who are liaising with detectives in ­Portugal, but Mrs Cooper said she was never told whether the man had been identified.

“I believe it would be useful for the investigation if he was to come forward,” she added. Kate and Gerry McCann, of Rothley, Leicestershire, are hoping that new Tory Home Secretary Theresa May will call for a review of all the evidence in the case.


If you can identify the man in the photograph please call the Sunday Express on 0208 612 7073 or contact the website ­Findmadeleine.com.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/175407/Madeleine-McCann-Is-this-the-man-who-snatched-her

Why are you showing a picture of crecheman who SY have identified? And the McCanns are still looking for him on their website.

[Benice]

You see it as not unusual but a detective will see it differently.

I think you will find that real detectives would not expect witnesses to be able to recall every mundane detail of every minute of every day of a holiday - especially a year on from the holiday.      Neither would they expect all the witnesses to have identical recollections as one-another - or presume that if two statements differ - then one person must be lying.

IMO Criticising people because they didn't take photos that other people think should have been taken is preposterous.     And just because you have your camera with you - it doesn't follow that you MUST use it.

If dinner on 3rd May had not been brought to an abrupt end at 10.00p.m. then for all we know - lots of piccies might have been taken that night. 

[Angelo222]

Madeleine disappeared on the 6th day of their holiday and you think it's normal no family holiday photos exist. Why did they bother bringing a camera if they're not going to use it. I will bring my camera to the table but I won't use it. Nothing strange about that is there Benice.

Could it be that the children spent most of their day in a creche?