Camera Lady

[Charles Collins]

In the Altgens-5 photo, there is a lady holding a camera to her face just to the camera left of the U.S. flag on the front right of the presidential limo. She is wearing a dark dress:




If I am looking at the Don Roberdeau map correctly, the camera lady appears to be in the group of ladies from "The Dallas Morning News" watching the motorcade. According to an affidavit dated 12/7/63 by Mary Elizabeth Woodward, she was accompanied by: AURELIA ALONZO, MARGARET BROWN and ANNE DONALDSON. My best estimate based on the names on the Roberdeau map is that the camera lady could be Anne Donaldson.

My questions are:

1. Has anyone confirmed the name of this camera lady?

2. Has anyone seen any of the photos that the camera lady appears to be making?

Please respond if you have any comments at all. Thanks!

[Rick Plant]

Hi Charles,

Perhaps it you check the Dallas Morning News archives there might be one of photos that was printed. Here's a younger and an older picture of Anne Donaldson.

[Charles Collins]

Hi Charles,

Perhaps it you check the Dallas Morning News archives there might be one of photos that was printed. Here's a younger and an older picture of Anne Donaldson.

Thanks Rick! We cannot tell about any facial features in the Altgens photo due to the camera. But the short hair and slim build do appear to be consistent with Ann Donaldson. I am not sure why, but in the photo of her in more recent years she looks somewhat familiar.

I will see if I can dig out more information on this lady. In the Altgens photo, the camera lady appears to me to already be looking towards the next vehicle in the motorcade. But perhaps she got a photo of JFK a little bit before the Altgens photo was taken.

[Rick Plant]

I was looking to see if I could find that picture she was taking and I haven't seen anything yet. If it was used for the paper it should be published in the archives. It also could be that actual photo wasn't used for any story they printed.   

[Charles Collins]

I was looking to see if I could find that picture she was taking and I haven't seen anything yet. If it was used for the paper it should be published in the archives. It also could be that actual photo wasn't used for any story they printed.

Thanks!

Do you know what type of work that she did for the newspaper? I think that they might all have been part of the women’s section. I suppose that department needed a photographer from time to time. But she might also have only been making some personal photos. And if none of them seemed newsworthy, she might have just kept them for herself.

[Rick Plant]

Thanks!

Do you know what type of work that she did for the newspaper? I think that they might all have been part of the women’s section. I suppose that department needed a photographer from time to time. But she might also have only been making some personal photos. And if none of them seemed newsworthy, she might have just kept them for herself.

I was looking to see if she did any photography for the paper but I haven't found anything where she was a staff photographer. All I found so far is that she worked as a women's news reporter and later as an assistant editor covering social events. I think you're right, maybe she was snapping pictures to keep for herself, or since she was an assistant editor, it could be the photo she was taking didn't make it to press.

[Duncan MacRae]

Same Woman?
                           
                           
                          https://www.youtube.com/user/assassinationforum/videos

                          https://www.youtube.com/user/assassinationforum/videos

[Charles Collins]

Same Woman?
                           
                           
                          https://www.youtube.com/user/assassinationforum/videos

                          https://www.youtube.com/user/assassinationforum/videos

That’s an interesting question Duncan!

Off the top of my head, I think that the fire truck didn’t arrive until after !:00 pm. Therefore, if it is the same woman, it might not be Ann Donaldson. The reason I say that is because I believe the group of women with Woodward (according to her account) all returned to their offices only a few minutes after the assassination.

If James Hackerott sees this and is interested enough to apply his techniques to the video frames, he might be able to get some more detail of her face. Then we could compare it to Ann’s known photographs that Rick provided.

Thanks for the response Duncan!