(Hoax) Ryan Reading New York Game Camera Photo
Ryan Reading New York Trail Cam Photo evaluation
Please note, we are not calling Ryan out for hoaxing, this is a misidentification that was proclaimed by Ryan as a Bigfoot, although the proof later showed that it was not.
If the correct date is set on the Moultrie Trail Cam used for this photo, it was taken on February 7, 2016 at 12:17 pm. Ryan proceeded posting it on Facebook, claiming that the subject in the photo was a Bigfoot. Ryan met with a lot of skepticism from many in the Bigfoot Community and proceeded to lash out at many of them. Ryan claimed that 2 scientists have looked at the photo so far and that they have proclaimed it to be a Bigfoot, whoever, Ryan will not name the two scientists. With many proclaiming Ryan as a hoaxer, I have asked for the original photo and additional information in order to evaluate the photo. I am keeping an open mind on this photo, but viewing it with a skeptical attitude. I have also agreed not to reveal the location where this photo was taken, and will keep my word. I have spent thousands of hours reviewing, evaluating and investigating photos, video, audio and thermal captures, and with over 4,000 times in the field with 26 encounters with what I have concluded to be a Bigfoot, I feel qualified enough to render an opinion on this photo.
To start with, let’s show the original photo.
EXIF Information
I first made several copies of the original file, renaming them as working files in the following format. Original_Working_File_3-26-2016_File1.jpg Original_Working_File_3-26-2016_File2.jpg Original_Working_File_3-26-2016_File3.jpg Original_Working_File_3-26-2016_File4.jpg Original_Working_File_3-26-2016_File5.jpg
The reason for this, is that any filters applied to the photo will be done to each of the working files, keeping the original file in its original state.
These files were put in a working folder on my computer desktop for easy access, and all additional work is placed in the same directory.
The following programs were used in the analysis of this photo: Photoshop CS3 Windows Photo Viewer SnagIt v12 Smoothdraw
Original_Working_File_3-26-2016_File1.jpg was opened first in Photoshop CS3, and enabled at 100% view. SnagIt was used to take two screen captures of the subject in the photo, one in color, the other in black and white adjustment.
The next step was to save these with the file name 100%.jpg (for the color) and 100% BW.jpg (for the black and white), I would continue doing this for each of the different zoom ins that I did.
200% Zoom follows.
300% Zoom
400% Zoom
600% Zoom
1200% Zoom
After 1200% the pixilation of the photo increased to a point to make it unusable for evaluation, so going any higher on the zoom in would not be of value.
I took the 500% zoomed photo and brightened it 100%, the saved photo is shown below.
What details that are noticeable is the following points as shown in the photo below.
- Shoulders have straight edges
- Hand clenched around something
- Hand clenched around something
- Head gets bigger half way up.
- Foot is raised.
The points were examined further in detail. The first area in question is he shoulder area with the straight edges.
Biological creatures who have fur do not have straight edges, so we have to look at the reason there is straight lines/edges on the subject’s back.
- Is the left shoulder area, it has two distinct edges at the shoulder, with it extending down the left side of the figure to the middle of the back.
- The right shoulder area has two distinct edges at the shoulder, with it extending down the right side of the figure to the middle of the back.
- This appears to be a straight edge along the length of the right side, just further back from the figure.
The next points we look at are 2 and 3, which are the clenched fists of both hands. Clearly the hands are holding something, what is being held deserves to be looked at closer.
The next point to examine is the head area, it appears that half way up the head area, it bulges out, appearing to be a sock hat on top of the head.
The last point to look at, is the leg area, in which the legs appear to be moving in a diagonal stride associated with cross country skiing.
Here is a comparison of the diagonal stride for reference.
I then went back to look at what the figure was clenching in the hands, and examined it closely under all the various zoomed photos.
- If you look close enough, you can see the trace of a line, this line is a ski pole.
- The faint outline of the other pole can be seen at time extending downward.
With these points sticking out, research about the area was necessary. Ryan gave me the exact location and upon viewing it on Google Earth, there is substantial woods in the area, it would sufficiently support a number of Bigfoot in the area. But research of the immediate area also shows that the State of New York heavily promotes this area for cross country skiing. It’s in a wildlife management area, which lends credence to the area as a potential Bigfoot habitat, however, the promotion by the state for cross country skiing makes it very likely that this was a cross country skier, with a back pack on their back, and a sock cap giving the impression of a sagittal crest on the head.
As for the size comparison, videos were submitted to compare it with, so screen captures were taken from the videos. The depth ratio obtained from the video camera was non-sufficient for comparison, as the focal point was different from the video camera compared to the trail cam.
One thing to note, the team doing the comparison and measurement work was off the mark on where the figure was at from the tree line, as they tried to place the figure between the trail path and the woods, instead, the figure was on the trail path. This changed the height of the figure from their estimate of 7 feet, down to 6 feet or less.
Here are some of the screen captures that was used for comparison.
The following two photos show where the measurement/comparison team assumed the figure was walking through at compared to the actual location.
- Location that the team continued to measure the location at from their comparison video camera.
- The actual trail where the figure was moving along.
- A better view of the trail bed.
Based on all pertinent information, based on the zooming, black and white, and the brightening of the photo, the likelihood that this is a Bigfoot is null, it is someone going through this area as a cross country skier. The fact that the trail cam did not snap a photo until they had reached that far in the cameras view is due to the speed they were traveling on the skis. Most Moultrie trail cams have a 1.5 second delay before they fire the camera to take a picture, with a reset of 1, 5, 10 and 30 minutes dependent on which setting the trail cam operator sets it for in the settings on the camera.
The 1.5 second delay would be sufficient to allow the figure to travel that far into the camera view before the picture was taken. The average speed for cross country skiers is between 15 to 20 mph on open flat terrain, which this would be at the location. In my opinion, Ryan has not knowingly committed a hoax, this is a case of mistaken identity, and his fervent obsession on trying to get evidence of Bigfoot has clouded his judgment.
While not committing a hoax, his continued assertion that it is a Bigfoot despite the evidence showing otherwise, will no doubt lower his credibility in the Bigfoot community.
