Whose Photos are These?
Here is an interesting story about a couple of classic UFO photographs. One of these is the most famous photos ever taken . It was snapped by Paul Trent in McMinnville, Oregon, in 1950. It gained national attention, and was soon shown to the whole world in a issue of Life magazine. The photo has never been debunked, and is considered by almost all UFO researchers as legitimate.
The Trents, Paul and his wife Evelyn, sent the original photographs, (a mistake!) to United Press International. Eventually, the photos were returned to the McMinnville News-Register newspaper, who had already achieved record sales with the photos in the 1950's.
After Paul and Evelyn passed away in the 1990's, one of their daughters, Linda Sayler, wanted to retain the original photographs. She soon discovered that they were in the hands of well known photograph expert Bruce Maccabee. He was asked to return the photos to the News-Register, which he did in 2001. Now, Evelyn and her sister, Tammie Gochenour, want the photos back with the family.
The problem is that the News-Register's Phil Bladine was given unconditional use of the photos. Moreover, according to Bladine, Paul Trent told him that he wanted nothing more to do with them. The newspaper wants the original negatives to be a permanent fixture in the Yamhill County. But the family's argument is that father Paul never signed any type of document giving the rights to anyone else.
Bladine is also now dead, and his personal statements concerning the photos are moot. The Trent children want to tuck the negatives away in a safe deposit box and keep them for themselves. The newspaper wants them kept in their museum. Who is right here? Where should the original negatives/photos be held?
Comments
These ladies have been trying for a while know to get these photos. But they didn’t try that I no of, when their dad was alive. Kind of makes me suspicious of their motives. Their is money to be made in these pictures you can be assured of that. And I’m sure that the people that run the museum and that town no that too. These pictures are wonderfull in the fact that they have or did have a negative to them. This makes it impossible to fake unless you through a hub cap up into the air and got a picture of that. Thats what we were told it was back then? I personally never believed that story anyways. I wish the ladies luck in getting back their dads pictures, but who knows.
My opinion is that since Mr. Trent didnt care who got, & or kept the photos,& there is no paperwork signed by him as to ownership, they should go to his daughters. They should have the right, & rights to what ever they want to do with these pieces of history!Whether they had any interest in them any time previous,I think does not matter in any way!They as not just next of kin, but as his daughters, not some second cousin or something, they should have the only legal claim!
In the absence of any written document or statement by Mr Trent, what Mr Bladine may have alleged Mr Trent did or did not say or any opinions which the newspaper may similarly express are quite frankly irrelevant. They are nothing more than hearsay and inadmissible in any court of law. The newspaper should be grateful for what money and prestige they have already gained over many years and return them. To not do so is nothing short of theft. Of course in these days gratitude and honour are little practised words. The motives of the children are irrelevant.
Furthermore, I stand to be corrected but I understand these photos were in the possession of Dr Bruce Macabee for many years. If the newspaper really believed these negatives were their property why did they not seek their “lawful” return a long time ago? Their actions are just another example of obious opportunism. And dishonest at that.