Trail Cam Photo Analysis

Location: New York

Submitted: December 2009

 

 

 

 

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: Failed
Layer testing: Failed
Weather Corroboration: Failed
 
Submitted to Staff
January 7th, 2010
 
Steve Kulls
Executive Director
Squatchdetective.com