= Crime scene and other physical evidence
POLICE PHOTOGRAPHY requires photograph for preservation purposes.
A. DEFINITION OF TERMS:
1. Photography = Derived from the Greek word
“Phos” or “Photos” which means “light” and
“Grapho” means “Writing” or “Graphia” meaning
“to Draw”. Sir John F. W. Herschel coined the
word photography when he first wrote a letter to
Henry Fox Talbot.
= Is the art and science of reproducing
image by means of light through some
sensitized material with the aid of a camera,
Lens and its accessories and the chemical
process required in order to produced a
photograph.
2. Forensic = Derived from the Latin word “Forum”
which means “a market place” where people
gathered for public discussion.
= When used in conjunction with other
science it connotes a relationship to the
administration of justice. It is sometimes used
interchangeably with the word legal.
3. Police Photography = Is the application of the
principles of photography is relation to the police
work and in the administration of justice.
4. Photograph = Is the mechanical and chemical
result of Photography. Picture and photograph are
not the same for a picture is a generic term is refers
to all kinds of formed image while a photograph is
an image that can only be a product of
photography.
B. USES OF PHOTOGRAPHY
1. Personal Identification
= Personal Identification is considered to be
the first application of photography is police work.
Alphonse Bertillion was the first police who utilized
photography in police work as a supplementary
identification in his Anthropometry system.
2. For Communication
= Photograph is considered to be one of the
most universal methods of communication
considering that no other language can be known
universally than photograph.
3. For Record Purposes
= Considered to be the utmost used of
photography in police work.
Different Views in photographing
a. General View
= taking an over-all view of the
scene of the crime. It shows direction
and location of the crime scene.
b. Medium View
= Is the taking of the photograph of
the scene of the crime by dividing it into
section. This view will best view the
nature of the crime.
c. Close-up View
= Is the taking of individual
photograph of the evidence at the scene
of the crime. It is design to show the
details of the crime.
d. Extreme Close-up View
= Commonly designed in laboratory
photographing using some magnification
such as Photomacrography and
photomicrography.
4. For Preservation
Crime scene cannot be retain as is for a long period
of time but through photograph the initial condition of
the scene of the crime can be preserved properly.
5. For Discovering and Proving
= Photography can extend human vision in
discovering and proving things such as:
a. The use of Magnification
Photomicrography = Taking a
magnified photograph of small object
through attaching a camera to the ocular of
a compound microscope so as to show a
minute details of the physical evidence.
Photomacrogaphy = Taking a
magnified (enlarged) photograph of small
object by attaching an extended tube lens
(macro lens) to the camera.
Microphotography = is the process
of reducing into a small strips of film a
scenario. It is first used in filmmaking.
Macrophotography = used
synonymously with photomacrogaphy.
Telephotography = Is the process
of taking photograph of a far object with the
aid of a long focus and Telephoto lens.
b. Used of Artificial Light such as X-ray,
Ultra-violet and Infra-red rays to show
something which may not be visible with the
aid of human eye alone.
6. For Court Exhibits
= Almost all evidence presented in court before
formally be accepted requires that they satisfy the
basic requirements for admissibility which is
relevancy and competency. A question of relevancy
is usually proved by proving the origin of the
evidence and its relation to the case and this is
usually supplemented by photograph of the
evidence giving reference as to where it came from.
Evidence presented in court once accepted
became known as Exhibit. Either Exhibit 1,2,3 etc.
for the defense or Exhibit A, B, C etc for the
prosecution.
7. Crime Prevention
= with the used of video camera (hidden
camera) and other advanced photographic
equipment crimes are being detected more easily
and even to the extent of preventing them from
initially occurring.
8. Police Training
= Modern facilities are now being used as
instructional material not only in police training as
well as in other agencies.
9. Reproducing and Copying
= With the use of photography any number
of reproduction of the evidence can be made those
giving unlimited opportunity for its examination and
even allow other experts or person to examine the
specimen without compromising the original.
C. ESSENTIALS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
1. Light = is an electromagnetic energy that
travels in a form of a wave with the speed
of 186, 000 miles per second.
2. Camera = a light tight box designed to
block unwanted or unnecessary light from
reaching the sensitized material.
 3. Lens = is the light gathering mechanism of
the camera that collect the reflected light
coming from the object to form the image.
4. Sensitized material = composed of a highly
sensitized chemical compound which is
capable of being transformed into an
image through the action of light and with
some chemical processes. ( Film and
Photo Paper).
5. Chemical Process = is the process
necessary for reducing silver halides into a
form so as a latent image and a positive
image be made resulting to what we called
Photograph.
D. THEORIES OF LIGHT
1. The WAVE Theory (Huygens)
= It is the theory that was transcribed from
the motion of the water that if we observe a
piece of log floating in the ocean and with the
force of the air would naturally will make the log
move up and down.
2. Corpuscular theory (Newton)
= this later opposed the wave theory stating that
light has its effect by the motion of very small
particles such as electrons.
3. Modified Wave theory (Maxwell and hertz)
= Based on electromagnetics.
All these theories are still considered to
be of little lacking that law enforcement need not
to be very focus on this but rather go along with
the accepted conclusion that light is a form of
energy, which is electromagnetic in form.
E. LIGHT: ITS NATURE, CHARACTERISTICS,
SOURCES AND CLASSIFICATION
Light is defined as an electromagnetic energy
with the speed of 186,00 miles per second. Its wave
travel is said to be characterized in certain extent based
on velocity, wavelength and frequency of the number of
vibration of the wave per second.
Light wavelength is the distance measured
between two (2) successive crest or through of wave
and it is expressed in either Millimicron (nanometer) or
Angstrom. Millimicron is the units of light wavelength
which is equivalent to one-millionth part of a millimeter
which the Angstrom is relatively smaller for it has an
equivalent measurement of ten (10) millionth part of a
millimeter.
Once light hits a certain medium, its action can
be characterized as either: Reflected, Transmitted or
Absorbed (RAT). Reflected once the light hits a mirror
and it bounce back. Transmitted when the light hits a
transparent glass which would allow the light to pass
through its medium and Absorbed when the light hits a
dark colored object and prevents it from either bouncing
or passing through.
Isaac Newton in 1666 proved that the light which
men see as white light is actually a mixture of all colors
of the spectrum. This is produced when we allow light to
hit a glass prism (Sharp Edge of the Glass). A rainbow
array will then be shown with colors red, orange, yellow,
green, blue and violet colors (from top to bottom). The
visible light is also said of have a wavelength of between
400-700 millimicron or nanometer.
1. Types of Light
Lights can largely be classified into
visible and invisible light.
a. Visible Light
= Is the type of light that produces
different sensation when reach the
human eye. It is the type of light, which
is capable of exciting the retina of the
human eye.
b. Invisible Light
= lights in which their wavelength are
either too short or too long to excite the
retina of the human eye i.e. X-ray,
Ultrat-violet and Infra-red lights.
2. Photographic Rays
a. X-ray
=Light with the wavelength between .01 to
30 millimicrons. It is produced by passing an
electric current through a special type of vacuum
tube. It was incidentally discovered by Conrad
Welhelm Roentgen. This type of light works in
the principle of shadow photography.
b. Ultra-violet ray (Before the violet)
= Radiation having a wavelength of 30 to 400
nanometers designed to photograph fingerprints in
multi colored background, documents that are
altered, decipherment of erase writing and
developing invisible writing. It is commercially known
as “black Light”.
c. Visible Light
= It refers to the type of radiation having a
wavelength of 400 to 700 millimicrons designed for
ordinary photographing purposes.
d. Infra-red (Beyond the Red)
= Considered as the photographic rays with the
longest wavelength ranging from 700 to 1000
millimicrons. It is designed to take photograph of
over-written documents, obliterated writing, and
charred documents or for black out photography. It
is sometimes referred to as heat rays).
3. Light Source
A. Natural Light= are those light which come
to existence without the intervention of man
e.i. Sunlight, moonlight and starlight.
1. Bright Sunlight
= object in an open space casts a deep
and uniform shadow and the object
appears glossy.
2. Hazy Sunlight
= object in an open space casts a
transparent or bluish shadow. This is
due to thin clouds that cover the sun.
3. Dull Sunlight
= object in an open space cast no
shadow due to thick clouds covering the
sun.
Daylight may still be classified as: open
space bright sunlight, under shade bright
sunlight, hazy sunlight, cloudy sunlight and
cloudy dull sunlight.
These conditions and their colors affect
the appearance of the object being photograph.
Factors such as atmospheric vapor, atmospheric
dust and quality of the reflected light coming and
not coming from the source should likewise be
considered.
B. Artificial Light = otherwise known as man-
made light e.g. fluorescent bulb, incandescent
bulb and photoflood lamp.
1. Continuous radiation
Photoflood lamp= is likewise known as
Reflectorized light or Spot light. It is a light
with a reflector at the back which focus the
light to the object the common wattages of
this lamp is 500 watts.
 Flourescent Lamp = are tube lamps in
which the walls are coated with fluorescent
powders with both ends is mounted with a
holder that serves as the reflector. This is
commonly used by everybody more than it
is used in photographing.
Incandescent bulb = are bulb with a
wire filament connecting two wires which
sustain the electrical charge that produces
the light. Everybody likewise commonly
uses this although it is more expensive in
terms of electrical consumptions.
Infra-red Lamp
Ultra-violet Lamp
2. Short Duration type
Flash bulb = are chemical lamps, as it generate lights
by the rapid combination of metal in oxygen. The bulb
can be used only once as the bulb is busted when fired
electrically. There are thin filaments inside the bulb with
two electrical contacts. When the current flows through
the filament, it becomes incandescent and ignites the
explosive primer that ignites the aluminum foil that
burns, giving flash of tense light.
Electronic Flash = produces light by an instantaneous
electrical in charges between two electrodes in a gas
filled glass bulbs. The electrical energy for the discharge
is kept in capacitor or condenser. It usually ranges from
1/300 second and 1/5000 second, and because of this,
subject in fast motion can be arrested or stopped in the
photographs.
4. SENSITIZED MATERIAL
= It refers to the film and photographic paper
that basically composed of emulsion containing Silver
Halides suspended in gelatin and coated on a
transparent or reflective support.
Parts of the Sensitized Material
1. Emulsion = is that part of the film or
photographic paper which contains the silver
grains which is the one sensitive to light. In a
colored film this emulsion surface can be
composed of three layers (Blue, Green and
Red) with filters intervening.
2. Anti Halation Backing = is the one designed
to hold back the light and prevents halation.
3. Base = Support the emulsion
I. Types of Film
A. According to Use
1. Black and White Film = usually represented
by a prefix or a suffix “Pan” or “Ortho” and
generally used in black and white
photography. Examples are Ortholith film, Tri
X-Pan and Pan X-plus.
2. Colored Film = can be divided into two: the
Negative type and the reversal type of
colored film. The former is usually having
names ending in color while the word chrome
represents the latter.
e.g. Blue
sensitive film, Ultra-violet
film, Infra-red film,
Orthochromatic film and
Panchromatic film.
B. According to Spectral Sensitivity
Spectral sensitivity = is the
responsiveness of the film
emulsion to the different
wavelength of the light course.
1. Blue – Sensitive film = sensitive to U.V. light
and Blue Color.
2. Orthochromatic Film = Sensitive to U.V. Light
up to the green. ( popular in the marker as
KODALITH FILM)
3. Panchromatic film = Sensitive to U.V. Light
up to red (sensitive to all colors of the visible
light)
3.1. Process Panchromatic film = permit
short exposures under average
lighting condition and has the
advantage of the grain structure.
3.2. Grain Panchromatic film
3.3. High Speed Panchromatic film
designed originally for photographing
object under adverse lighting
condition.
4. Infra-red Film = Sensitive to
all colors and to infra-red light.
FILM SPEED (Emulsion Speed)
This refers to the degree of sensitivity of
the film to light.
1. ASA (American Standards Association) =
this is expressed in arithmetic value system.
The bigger the number the more sensitive
the film is.
ASA 10, 20 , 30 , 40,50, 100, 200, 400,
800, 1000
2. DIN ( Deutche Industre Normen) =
expressed in Logarithmic value system.
Used in the same principle as the ASA.
Din 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33 etc.
3. ISO (International Standard Organization)
expressed as combination of ASA and DIN
rating.
II. Photographic Paper
It is that sensitized material that will
record the visible image in the final development and
become the photograph.
Types of Photographic Papers
A. According to Emulsion Used (Silver
halides content)
1. Silver Chloride paper = used for
contact printing, the size of the
positive print is the same as the size
of the negative used. Sensitivity to
light is low and give blue-black
tones when properly developed.
2. Silver Bromide paper = used
projection, printing and enlarging
process. This is one of the most
ideal photo paper used for police
photography. Will give a black tone
when properly developed.
3. Silver Chlorobromide paper = used
both for projection and contact
printing. Slow emulsion.
4. Variable contract paper = combines
the contrast range in one paper it
uses a special chlorobromide
emulsion that produces varying
contrast responses upon exposure
to different colors of light.
B. According to Physical Characteristics
b.1. Weight
1. Light weight = designed for high
flexibility and when paper thickness
is not of consideration. Intended for
purposes, which involves folding.
2. Single Weight = papers used for
small prints or which are need to be
 mounted on solid and fine details
necessary in the production. Used in
ordinary photographic purposes.
3. Double weight = generally used for
large prints because they stand up
under rough treatment.
b.2. Surface Texture
a. Glossy paper =designed for
fine details and brillant
image formation.
b. Semi-mate paper = obscure
the fine details
c. Rough papers = used for
large prints or where breath
rather than detail is
necessary.
b.3. Color
a. White = better used in
police photography.
b. Cream = preferred for
pictorial effect, portraits,
landscape or when
warmth effect is desired.
c. Buff papers = prepare for
tone prints
C. According to Contrast (grade)
1. Velox No. 0 = used for printing
extremely contrast negative or
extremely exposed film.
2. Velox No. 1 = used for high contrast
negative (over exposed film)
3. Velox No. 2 = used for normal
exposed film
4. Velox No. 3 = used for negative with
weak contrast (under exposed)
5. Velox No. 4 = used to provide
sufficient contrast to compensate for
very thin or weak negatives. It is
useful imprinting which high contrast
is desired.
6. Velox No. 5 = for flat negative that
are unprintable.
5. CAMERA
Is a light tight box with light gathering device and
a means of blocking unwanted or unnecessary light from
reaching the sensitized material.
Basically, camera can produce image with its
four-(4) basic parts such as light tight box, lens, and
shutter, Holder of sensitized material.
Essential Parts of a Camera
1. Light Tight Box – a box designed to keep light
out and serve as a frame to hold other parts.
2. Lens – designed to collect or to focus the
reflected light from an object to form an image
on the film.
3. Shutter – designed to control the time during
which the light reaches the film
4. Holder of the sensitized material – located at the
opposite side of the lens designed to hold firmly
the sensitized material to prevent the formation
of the multiple or blurred image
5. View finder – designed to determine the field of
view of the camera or the extent of the coverage
of the given lens
OTHER PARTS OF A CAMERA
A. Viewing System
Is that part of the camera which
provides the means of showing to the
photographer the entire scene coverage that can
be recorded in the sensitized material.
B. Film Advancer (film advance lever or
knob) =designed to transfer the exposed
film to the other side or to the take up
spool and the unexposed film will be the
opposite side of the lens for another
exposure.
C. Shutter speed = is that part of the
camera which regulates the time
exposure of the film thus, affecting the
amount of light reaching the sensitized
material. It is usually expressed in a
fraction of a second.
1/1 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/15 1/30
1/60 1/125 1/250 1/500 etc.
The speed number in the left is always two times
powerful in terms of light gathering than that of the right
number
Using a fast shutter speed the photographer can
stop or “freeze” the action of a person provided that
necessary adjustment on the lens opening be made in
order to maintain normal exposure.
D. Lens Aperture = the ratio between the
diameter of the whole lens in relation to
the focal length of the lens. It is the light
gathering power of the lens. Otherwise
known as lens opening or relative
aperture and it is expressed in F-
number.
f 2.8 f-4 f-5.6
f-8 f-11 f-16
The lower the f-number, the bigger the lens
opening and the bigger the lens opening the greater the
volume of air that will passed through the lends and
reach the sensitized material.
If the objective of a photographer is obtain the
widest possible coverage of the lens in which objects are
all sharp, It will be advisable to used a smaller lens
opening.
E. Focusing = is that mechanism of a
camera designed to control the degree
of sharpness of the object to be
photograph. It is usually obtained by
estimating the distance from the camera
and that of the object that will make a
sharp or clear image.
Types of focusing device:
1. Range finder (Either coincidence or split
image type)
Coincidence otherwise known as superimposed
image focusing. In this type of focusing a
single object will appeared double once the
object is not in focus, but moving the focusing
adjustment this double image will coincide or
superimposed to form a single object.
Split Image focusing on the other hand will show an
image in split or two parts once the object in
not in focus once the two parts of the image
has been united then the object is already
focused
2. Ground Glass
This is observed from the viewing system of the
camera, once the object is not in focused the object
will be viewed to be blurred and will turn sharp and
clear once adjusted.
 3. Scale Bed
Estimating the distance of the object and
adjusting the camera control based on his estimation do
this.
TYPES OF THE CAMERA
1. View Finder Type – it is considered as the
smallest and the simplest type of camera
2. Single Lens Reflex Camera – it is a type of
camera best suited for police work due to its
interchangeability of the lens
3. Twin Lens Reflex Camera – A type of camera
with dual lens, one for focusing and the other
for forming the image.
4. View or Press type – is considered the biggest
and expensive type of camera, used for movie
making
5. LENS
= It is the image-forming device of the lens that
actually has a greater effect on the quality of the image
to be formed.
= a medium or system which converge or
diverge light rays passing through it to form an image.
= Can be a glass or transparent material, which
permit light to pass through and change the direction of
light.
Daniel Barbaro = first to introduce the use of lens in the
camera.
CLASSIFICATION OF LENSES
1. According to the type of image to be
produced
a. Positive or Convex Lens (Converging
Lens) Characterized by the fact that it is
thicker at the center and thinner at the
side which is capable of bending the
light together and forms the image
inversely.
b. Negative or Concave Lens (diverging
Lens) Characterized by the fact that it is
thinner at the center and thicker at the
side and forms the virtual image on the
same side of the lens.
2. According to Degree of Corrections
a. Meniscus Lens = lens that has no
correction.
b. Rapid Rectilinear Lens – lens corrected
of distortion
c. Anastigmat Lens – correcting
astigmatism
d. Achromatic Lens – correcting chromatic
aberration
e. Apochromatic Lens – correcting both
astigmatism and chromatic aberration
INHERRRENT LENS DEFECTS
1. Spherical Aberration= Inability of the lens to
focus light passing the side of the lens
producing an image that is sharp in the center
and blurred at the side.
2. Coma = (Also known as lateral aberration) =
Inability of the lens to focus light that travels
straight or lateral, thus making it blurred while
the light reaching the lens oblique is the one the
is transmitted sharp.
3. Curvature of Field = the relation of the images
of the different point are incorrect with respect
to one another.
4. Distortion = Is a defect in shape not in
sharpness. It can either be Pincushion
distortion (curving inward) or Barrel (curving
outward).
5. Chromatic Aberration = Inability of the lens to
focus light of varying wavelength. The lens
refracts rays of short wavelength more strongly
than those of longer wavelength and therefore
bringing blue rays to a shorter focus than the
red.
6. Astigmatism= is a form of lens defects in which
the horizontal and vertical axis are not equally
magnified. Inability of the lens to focus both
horizontal and vertical lines.
7. Chromatic Difference of Magnification
8. Flares = condition of the lens producing multiple
images.
LENS CHARACTERISTICS
1. Focal Length – is the distance measured from
the optical center of the lens is set to focus at
infinite position. As according to focal lenses
may be classified as:
a. Wide Angle or Short Focus = with focal
length not longer than the diagonal half
of the negative. Useful in taking
photograph at short distance with wider
area coverage.
b. Normal or Medium Focus = with focal
length approximately equal but not
longer than twice the diagonal half of
the negative.
c. Long or Telephoto Lens = with focal
length longer than twice the diagonal
half of the negative. Best used in long
distance photographing but with narrow
area coverage.
d. ZOOM lens = lens with variable focal
length or that which can be adjusted
continuously by the movement of one or
more elements in the lens system.
2. Relative Aperture – the light gathering power of
the lens expressed in F-number
a. Depth of Field – is the distance
measured from the nearest to the
farthest object in apparent sharp focus
when the lens
b. Hyperfocal distance = Is the nearest
distance at which when a lens is
focused with a given particular
diaphragm opening will gives the
maximum depth of field.
3. Focusing = is the setting of the proper distance
in order to form a sharp image. The one that
controls the degree of sharpness of the object.
6. CHEMICAL PROCESS
The process of making the latent image visible
and permanent.
a. Development (Use of either D-76,
Dektol or Universal Solution)
= Is the process necessary for
reducing the silver halides to
form the image.
Elon, Hydroquenone = used as
main developing agents
b. Stop bath = normally composed of water
with little amount of dilute acetic acid
that serves as a means to prevent
contamination between the developer
and the acid fixer.
c. Fixation = Is the process by which all
unexposed silver halides are dissolved
or removed from the emulsion surface
and making the image more permanent.
Sodium Thiosulfate (hypo) is the
main fixing agent that dissolves
unexposed silver halides.
Other chemicals used:
Acetic Acid and Boric acid = serves as
neutralizer
 Sodium Sulfate = serves as the
preservative
Potassium Bromide = restrainer or
hardener
Sodium bicarbonate and borax powder
= serves as accelerator
Dodging = is the process of eliminating
unwanted portion of the negative during enlarging.
Cropping = is the process of omitting an object
during the process of enlarging and printing.
Vignetting = is the gradual fading of the image
towards the side through skillful adjustment on the
dodging board.
Dye toning = is the process designed in
changing the color tone of the photograph.
Burning-In = refers to additional exposure on a
desired portion of the negative used for purposes of
making a balance exposure.