The ultimate holiday snap !!

by Guest 22.11.11 8:49

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I've known many people to photograph everything that moves, but what do you think was running through the mind of this photographer?

by Guest 22.11.11 9:09

From David Payne's Rogatory interview:

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00:42:38 1485 "What about the sliding doors in the apartment, what were they like?"

Reply "The sliding doors were a slight, they were slightly difficult to lock and that was one of our concerns when we were there and it was, it was quite temperamental whether you could open them or, or, or lock them, and especially sometimes we had the other children coming up there so it was difficult but there was someone on the balcony or if their children were to venture out we would keep an eye and explain to them that they shouldn't be out on the balcony without an adult present. But obviously we tried to keep the door shut when no-one was out on the balcony and open if there's someone sat out there keeping an eye on them. The way it opened and locked was again I think it was like a, a, a lat, like a lever which went up and down and I just remember it not being the most easy to work out how to shut and, a bit temperamental."

1485 "Mm."
Reply "So that was probably one of the slight difficulties with that room."

Maybe our Dave was hinting at a possible dangerous situation here, backed up by his photograph !! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

by Guest 22.11.11 9:09

Do we know where this was taken Stella and who the child is? I wonder if, looking at the plastic chairs outside, it was the same place as the infamous blue eye shadow photo of Madeleine which has what looks like a blue plastic chair in the background.

by Guest 22.11.11 9:14

That photograph is in the same batch as the others on David Payne's balcony. The little girl is David's eldest daughter, the one seen on the airplane steps with Madeleine I believe.

by jd 22.11.11 9:19

The curtains don't look like the ones you would have in a holiday apartment in Southern Europe. Ive never seen the royal looking curtain tie backs in any apartment in Portugal or Spain. The tiles outside are more English and not ones I have ever seen in Portugal or Spain. Not sure what the floor inside is but it looks to be wooden floorboards

The whole picture feels like it is on the ground level and outside is a back garden. It doesn't feel like a first floor floor apartment

by Guest 22.11.11 9:46

Here's a police photo of the balcony area of apartment 5A. The tiles outside look similar to those in the topic photo.

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by jd 22.11.11 10:10

Thats the same balcony Marian. Think I am suffering from questioning absolutely anything now! Getting real paranoid

by Gillyspot 22.11.11 10:14

I think it is of David Payne's apartment and I think this is it (after refurbishment)

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by Guest 22.11.11 10:14

I wish there was some way of making these black and white photos viewable on a computer, most of them are completely useless. The very last one on this link - [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] - is interesting as it supposedly includes all the McCanns except for Amelie and there have never been any holiday photos released of the entire family.

by Guest 22.11.11 10:23

Stella wrote:From David Payne's Rogatory interview:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

00:42:38 1485 "What about the sliding doors in the apartment, what were they like?"

Reply "The sliding doors were a slight, they were slightly difficult to lock and that was one of our concerns when we were there and it was, it was quite temperamental whether you could open them or, or, or lock them, and especially sometimes we had the other children coming up there so it was difficult but there was someone on the balcony or if their children were to venture out we would keep an eye and explain to them that they shouldn't be out on the balcony without an adult present. But obviously we tried to keep the door shut when no-one was out on the balcony and open if there's someone sat out there keeping an eye on them. The way it opened and locked was again I think it was like a, a, a lat, like a lever which went up and down and I just remember it not being the most easy to work out how to shut and, a bit temperamental."

1485 "Mm."
Reply "So that was probably one of the slight difficulties with that room."

Maybe our Dave was hinting at a possible dangerous situation here, backed up by his photograph !! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

It's quite funny don't you think, considering the number of other friends with small children who all visited the Payne apartment, that none of them mention David Payne's concerns. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

by pennylane 22.11.11 11:09

jd wrote:Thats the same balcony Marian. Think I am suffering from questioning absolutely anything now! Getting real paranoid

The white plastic chairs are not the same in both the pictures. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

by Nina 22.11.11 11:22

If I had any concerns related to a glass patio door that opened out onto a not child friendly patio, the very last thing that I would do would be to take a photograph of a child trying to open said door.

by Guest 22.11.11 11:55

Nina wrote:If I had any concerns related to a glass patio door that opened out onto a not child friendly patio, the very last thing that I would do would be to take a photograph of a child trying to open said door.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] unless of course you knew it might be helpful to illustrate a specific point that could be raised in the future. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I can see Nina, you are starting to travel down the same road as me.

by jd 22.11.11 12:30

Im on the same road too! yes

by jd 22.11.11 12:31

pennylane wrote:
jd wrote:Thats the same balcony Marian. Think I am suffering from questioning absolutely anything now! Getting real paranoid

The white plastic chairs are not the same in both the pictures. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

You're right pennylane, the chairs are different. The curtains still bug me too

by **PeterMac** 22.11.11 12:36

Different chairs, and the little planter on the right of the door instead of the drying rack. Clearly not the same patio area.
For me the picture clearly illustrates how a child of that age could easily have opened the patio door. The catch is just above her hand ready to be operated with the thumb, and the door then slid back easily on its rails. Ease of opening would be on the normal list of maintenance that the staff would look at.

by Guest 22.11.11 12:45

I have to say, the handle on that door is very low, just ideal for children to reach. But maybe apartments on the first floor are not usually let out to people with very young children? Surely the outside railing height would never allow a child to fall over it accidentally, so what was he worried about? Would a 3 year old try climbing onto a chair and hop over the railings? I doubt it.

by Guest 22.11.11 13:17

Marian wrote:I wish there was some way of making these black and white photos viewable on a computer, most of them are completely useless. The very last one on this link - [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] - is interesting as it supposedly includes all the McCanns except for Amelie and there have never been any holiday photos released of the entire family.

I would dearly love to see a clearer version of this photo - is there anyone with the know how to do this?

by jd 22.11.11 13:54

Jean wrote:
Marian wrote:I wish there was some way of making these black and white photos viewable on a computer, most of them are completely useless. The very last one on this link - [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] - is interesting as it supposedly includes all the McCanns except for Amelie and there have never been any holiday photos released of the entire family.

I would dearly love to see a clearer version of this photo - is there anyone with the know how to do this?

Me too! if we able to it was certainly help create a better picture (excuse the pun) of the holiday. They could have released this and blurred out the faces of the other kids...they are experts at photoshopping after all! The last poolside photo is not in this batch of black and whites either