IS THIS TENNIS PHOTO REAL ...OR COULD IT BE FAKE...

[xtina]

Didn't one of the other mums in the tapas group say she grabbed her camera and took the snap of Madeleine as she looked so cute.  Cannot remember who that was though?

Jane ...obviously ..there was only them two there according to the book...

so maddie must have stood in that position ...till k mcc got back..with her camera

strange ...how there wasn't any of Ella ....on such a memorable occasion

[John]

What surprises me too is that there is only one photo.  But then again some parents just aren't into photographing each and every special moment.  My ex always carried a camera everywhere we went and recorded just about every activity over the years and to the annoyance of some family members at times.  Just recently however, these same family members (now celebrities) approached her for photographs recording past events so that they could be used by Sony who is making a film about them...oh how things change!

[Brietta]

How many tennis racquets can you spot in the above photo?

I don't think the Murray brothers need to worry about that lot until they manage to get a ball over the net.  Children of that age are just having a fun introduction to the sport, although I don't know how much enjoyment that little group are showing.

I see two racquets, Misty.
One for the instructor and one for the small pupil.  I also see two appreciative child care operatives in shot looking as if they are encouraging and assisting their small charges.

[Jean-Pierre]

Its all balls as the balls used by the children were red and yellow, I believe.

Where did you get that idea?

[misty]

I don't think the Murray brothers need to worry about that lot until they manage to get a ball over the net.  Children of that age are just having a fun introduction to the sport, although I don't know how much enjoyment that little group are showing.

I see two racquets, Misty.
One for the instructor and one for the small pupil.  I also see two appreciative child care operatives in shot looking as if they are encouraging and assisting their small charges.

Yes it's a one at a time session.  The coach speaks to one child, the nannies supervise the rest. At 3 years old there is little ball - racquet - eye co-ordination. The children just wouldn't be running around, racquet in hand, trying to hit balls indiscriminately. They're far more likely to whack the child next to them than hit a ball. Wearing sandals was not an issue - Madeleine was as safe in them as walking in the street or playing in the play area.
MW had only just taken over in 2007. It's highly unlikely they would have been fully equipped with the latest Mini-Tennis equipment (judging by reports about the rest of the public areas at the time), hence the use of standard tennis balls.

[Alice Purjorick]

Is this photo nothing more sinister than a kosher photo with a thread of poetic licence woven around it?

[Jean-Pierre]

this photo has often puzzled me its as if it could be fake on all the discrepancies it shows ....to me its like a spot the mistakes picture ...so many things wrong about this photo ..it deserves a thread of its own

in the last so called photo maddie is practically white ...as you would expect children to be [factor 50 etc]...yet look fully tanned on the tennis photo...apart from her hand

we don't know who took it ....or on what day ..there are discrepancies ...as to it being.took on .....Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday

who's was the camera that took it.....no other photo's took at the same time  ....   

if maddie had been playing tennis....she would not have been wearing sandals [safety issues etc] it would have been trainers ...we know maddie had a pair

why would she wear that hat .... and be holding adult tennis balls ..not soft ones...what is wrong with her inner hand

her arms are brown ...scratched and bruised ...not seen on last photo

is the pitch wet...and would children's tennis ...be played next to an adult one ...

bruising on her legs ....marks on her arm...this picture just does not add up ....there are several things not right with it ...

it is like a spot the mistakes ..picture..in a magazine...I'm sure other's...can find more




Unedited photo

16

I did have a look to compare the two photos.  In the "tennis ball" photo Madeleine's hair is much darker and she looks a bit tanned. In the "last photo by the pool"  her hair is much fairer and her skin is similarly pale.  So it could be simply a question of exposure - the "tennis ball" photo being correctly exposed while the "last photo" is a bit overexposed.

[ShiningInLuz]

AFAIK, the original from which the smaller tennis balls photo is cropped.

The original is important.  It has tons and tons of useless green dominating the photo.  By the time you get to the small photo, M is rosy red, and the tennis balls have turned luminous.

[Benice]

Good grief - I look at that photo and see a happy, healthy smiling little girl enjoying gathering up as many tennis balls as she can.

But apparently I am quite wrong and this is a piccie of a child with scratched, marked and bruised arms and legs and has something wrong with one of her hands.    She has also apparently been forced into wearing really dangerous sandals by her wicked parents.    How she has managed such a big happy smile is a mystery - but no doubt that can be accounted for by photoshopping

Have I wondered into a parallel universe or do people actually believe this utter tosh?

Jeez.

[pathfinder73]

What surprises me too is that there is only one photo.  But then again some parents just aren't into photographing each and every special moment.  My ex always carried a camera everywhere we went and recorded just about every activity over the years and to the annoyance of some family members at times.  Just recently however, these same family members (now celebrities) approached her for photographs recording past events so that they could be used by Sony who is making a film about them...oh how things change!

You were lucky to get that one and Rachel said Jane took it.

[jassi]

What did Jane say? Did she think that maybe she took it but is not sure- "I just thought I did"

[John]

The McCann case must have set a new world record for myths which isn't really surprising given the number of conflicting statements and comments we have come to understand since Madeleine disappeared in May 2007. The ironic thing is though, Madeleine might not have had many photos taken of her throughout that entire vacation but nevertheless she must undoubtedly be the most recognised child on the planet.

[sadie]

OK Constable, add "failure to ensure child is wearing footwear appropriate to tennis, game of" to the charge sheet! 

(Jesus, its a kids game of tennis at a holiday resort, not effing Wimbledon)

    

Exactly !  Bet the nannies would have enjoyed changing all those shoes for the little ones twice

[sadie]

Unless things have changed, this is NOT a tennis court at the tapas area of Ocean Club.

By changed, I mean
 a new row of mature trees,
 a new wall behind
 and a different coloured tennis court.  The Tapas Courts were green but both had a red surround.

I think that this image provides a an opportunity for a new myth as it stands.  Let's nip that in the bud now.





@ xtina in particular:

Notice how many of the kids are wearing trainers?

Crikey, all these irresponsible parents.   Fancy!

You really wouldn't believe it, would you?

[Jean-Pierre]

Good grief - I look at that photo and see a happy, healthy smiling little girl enjoying gathering up as many tennis balls as she can.

But apparently I am quite wrong and this is a piccie of a child with scratched, marked and bruised arms and legs and has something wrong with one of her hands.    She has also apparently been forced into wearing really dangerous sandals by her wicked parents.    How she has managed such a big happy smile is a mystery - but no doubt that can be accounted for by photoshopping

Have I wondered into a parallel universe or do people actually believe this utter tosh?

Jeez.

Spot on Bernice.  I think there is less to this than meets the eye.