Forensic Photography:

An Overview to Recording the

Scene

History

The camera has a long and

distinguished history as a means of
recording phenomena from the first
use by Daguerre and Fox-Talbot, such
as astronomical events (eclipses for
example) and small creatures when
the camera was attached to the
eyepiece of microscopes (in
photomicroscopy).

History

The camera also proved useful in recording

crime scenes and the scenes of accidents,
one of the first applications being at the
scene of the Tay Rail Bridge disaster of 1879.
The court, just a few days after the accident,
ordered James Valentine of Dundee to record
the scene using both long distance shots and
close-ups of the debris. The set of accident
photographs was used in the subsequent
court of inquiry.

History

They show that, in the words of the

Public Inquiry the bridge was badly
designed, badly built and badly
maintained. (Below is a picture of one
of the bridge columns). The methods
used in analyzing old photographs are
known as forensic photography.

History
But when did actual crime scene photography
begin?
Mary Jane Kelly was murdered by Jack the
Ripper on November 9, 1888 (5th and last
victim) and photographed in her room.
(newspaper photo)

History
Emma and Andrew Borden were murdered on
August 4, 1892 at Fall River, Massachusetts
and photographed as they were found.

History
Alphonse Bertillon started photographing crime
scenes around Paris circa 1890. 19th-century
revolution in forensic imaging
Forensic pathologists began using pictures and
words to show how various conditions appear in
the cadaver, and to teach students and
colleagues new methods of analysis. Line
drawings, half-tone photography, and
chromolithography, which could render
coloration, texture, and subtle shading, became
increasingly common as improvements in print
technology made detailed illustrations cheaper to
produce.

Crime Scene Photography

Photographs taken at a crime scene:

1. Show the layout of the crime scene
2. Show the position of collected and
uncollected evidence
3. Show the point of view of victims,
suspects, and witnesses
4. Show the original condition of items of
evidence at the scene
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Film
Photography
Photographic film consists of a sheet
of silver halide grains which expose
when exposed to light.
Film speed is a measure of the
light-gathering capacity of the film.
Special types of film include Polaroid
film and Infrared film

Digital Photography

A digital photograph is made when a light

sensitive microchip captures light on each of
millions of tiny picture elements, called pixels.
The light is recorded on each pixel as a specific
electric charge which is read by the camera as
image information which is stored as a file on a
memory card.
The number of pixels is directly related to the
resolution of the picture. Photographs with more
pixels show increasingly good resolution, or more
detail and sharpness in photographs.
The number of pixels that a camera features is
usually measured in millions of pixels, or
megapixels.
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Cameras

The most commonly used camera at crime

scenes is the Single Lens Reflex (SLR)
camera or the Digital Single Lens Reflex
(DSLR) camera.
SLR and DSLR cameras allow for the use of
various accessories such as lenses,
flashes, and filters.
SLR and DSLR cameras also allow for
manual adjustment of camera settings,
such as aperture and shutter speed, that
affect image quality.
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Lenses

The camera lens bends light to focus an

image on the film or digital microchip.
The lenss focal length, the distance
between the lens and the image projected
on the film or microchip, determines the
area shown in the resulting photograph.
Normal Lens
--Focal length of 50-55mm and used for most
photographs that need to be taken at a crime scene
because it can show as much area as half a wall
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Lenses

Telephoto Lens
-- Focal length of 100 mm or greater and used to
magnify images.

Wide-angle Lens
--Focal length of 35 mm and used to show much
more area in one photograph than a normal lens

Macro Lens
--Focal length of less than 50 mm and used for
highly-detailed close-up photographs

Multi-purpose Lens
--Focal length from 28-80 mm used to take normal,
wide-angle, and telephoto photographs
13

Aperture and Shutter

Speed
The camera aperture is a measure of the

diameter of the opening of the diaphragm,

which allows light to reach the film or microchip.
On film or digital cameras, one adjusts the
aperture by setting the f-number
--The lower the f-number setting, the wider the
aperture and the more light is allowed in.

The shutter speed is the length of time that

the film or microchip is exposed to light.
The shutter speed is measured as a fraction of a
second by factors of 1/2 (i.e. 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, etc).
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Depth of Field
The depth of field shown in a
photograph is the amount of area in
the foreground and background of an
object in focus that is also relatively in
focus.
The smaller the aperture opening, the
greater the depth of field will be. This
means that higher f-number settings
will yield higher depth of field.

15

DSLR Modes

The auto mode automatically selects an

appropriate f-stop and shutter speed for conditions
being photographed.
The sports mode captures subjects in motion by
using a higher (faster) shutter speed.
The night mode, uses a lower (slower) shutter
speed to gather as much light as possible to
create the image.
The landscape mode automatically selects
higher f-stops to improve depth of field.
The portrait mode selects lower f-stops to
decrease the depth of field and make the subject
stand out clearly against a blurred background.
16

Illumination

The color temperature of a light source

is hot if it has a bluer hue, while a cold
light source has a red-orange hue.
Light meters on film or digital cameras
allow photographers to measure the
amount of light in a shot.
A flash unit can produce either direct
reflective lighting or oblique lighting,
which is achieved by positioning the flash
at an angle less than 90 to the surface to
show detail.
17

Filters
Barrier filters block one specific
wavelength (color) of light from
reaching the film or microchip, making
areas of that color appear lighter in the
photograph.
Bypass filters allow only a small
range of wavelengths of light to reach
the film or microchip and block all
others.

18

Tripods
Using a tripod to take photographs
eliminates the possibility of blurred
photos resulting from unsteady hands.
For crime scene photography, it is
useful if the tripod has

1) Independently adjustable legs suitable for

uneven terrain
2) A level to ensure 90 images of evidence
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Crime Scene Photography

Log
A log of each photograph taken at the crime

scene is kept by the CS photographer.

The top of the photography log form includes
--case number, type of scene, date, location of scene,
description of the camera and lenses being used, film
type and speed (if applicable), and the photographers
name and title

For each photograph, the log records

--date and time the photograph was taken, the location
of the picture, the f-stop and shutter speed settings,
the lighting used and the lighting angle (if applicable),
and a brief description of the subject of the picture
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Crime Scene Photography

Crime scene photographs should record the area in

which the crime actually took place and all
adjacent areas where important acts occurred.
The most important prerequisite for photographing
a crime scene is for it to be in unaltered condition.
Each crime scene should be photographed as
completely as possible in a logical succession. The
sequence will show the overall scene first, then
work down to individual pieces of evidence that
jurors in the trial can easily relate back to the
larger scene
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Crime Scene Photography

Overview photographs of the entire scene

and surrounding area, including points of exit
and entry, are taken first.
--Taken from the outside borders of the scene and
from various angles
--Include a visual tag, an object recorded in multiple
overview photographs, to help visually piece the
scene together

Medium-range photographs show the layout

of smaller significant areas of the crime scene.
--Include at least one photograph of the center of
the scene
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Crime Scene Photography

Close-up photographs are taken last and

show greater detail of individual objects or
evidence.
--Taken at a 90 angle to the object, with and without
evidence markers and scales
--For three-dimensional objects, oblique lighting may
be needed to show depth details

The four minimum photographs required at a

crime scene are an overview photograph, a
medium range photograph, a close-up
photograph, and a close-up photograph with a
scale.
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Special Crime Scene

Photography

Night photography requires the use of

external lighting or painting with light.
Indoor photography requires photographs
of the neighborhood, points of entry and
exit, and all walls, floors, and ceilings.
Outdoor photography requires location of
photographs to be recorded by a Global
Positioning Device or measurements from
landmarks.
--May include aerial photographs
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Special Crime Scene

Photography

Arson photography requires photographs of the

point of the fires origin and use of special
equipment or techniques to provide maximum
contrast in photographs of charred areas.
May also include photographs of crowd outside
scene because arsonists commonly return to scene
Sexual assault photography requires photographs
of all wounds and clothing while showing discretion
to the victim.
Impression photography requires oblique lighting
to show details and a scale to later create a 1:1
scale photograph for comparison to footwear or tire
samples.
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Special Crime Scene

Photography

Bloodstain photography requires

photographs of all pertinent stains and
determined area of convergence or area of
origin.
--Bloodstains treated with luminol photographed in
complete darkness

Latent fingerprint photography require

photographs with a 1:1 scale using a special
latent fingerprint camera or a regular
camera fitted with an adapter.
--Black and white film used to show greater contrast

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Digital CS Photography

Advantages of digital crime scene

photography include
1. The ability to observe images immediately after
taking them ensures important photographs are
clear and
show the best possible detail.
2. The resolution available can exceed 6 megapixels,
while the maximum resolution offered by a film SLR
camera is equivalent to about 5 megapixels.
3. Computer programs can stitch digital crime scene
images together to create a 3-D view of the crime
scene.
27

Digital CS
Photography
Digital

images are easily

manipulated using computer
programs and may not show an
accurate depiction of the crime
scene.
Digital images may lose image data
or details through compression.
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Digital CS Photography

Law enforcement agencies ensure the

admissibility of digital CS photographs
by
1. Developing Standard Operating Procedures that
must be followed
2. Saving images to writable (not rewritable) disks by
lossless compression
3. Saving enhanced or altered images as separate
files
4. Keeping a detailed and accurate photography log
5. Submitting testimony from the crime scene
photographer as to the accuracy of the digital images
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Videotaping Crime
Scenes

As with still crime scene photography, the

crime scene video must include overview,
medium-range, and close-up images.
A narrated crime scene video combines
photography and notes.
--However, it is important that only one person
narrates and no side conversations are captured
on the video.

Some video cameras can produce still

photographs, but the quality is often poor.
--Therefore, still photographs from a film or digital
camera are still required.
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Camera Talk

Aperture = f-stop. It relates to the size of the

opening in the lens.
Moving the f-stop down one full stop doubles
the amount of light let into the camera.
Moving up cuts the amount of light by .
Shutter speed refers to the time the shutter is
open. A shutter speed of 1/1000 lets in less
light than a shutter speed of 1/500.
Film speed refers to the sensitivity of the film
or the digital sensor. ISO 100 is less sensitive
than ISO 400.
Perspective refers to the spatial relationships
in the image. Objects far away appear to be
smaller and to converge along lines.

Camera Talk

TTL refers to through the lens metering.

SLR refers to single lens reflex.
The preferred camera position is with your
arms and elbows in as much as possible.
Level tripods and the camera, and take most
photos from eye level.
Depth of field refers to the range of
distances in which objects are in focus. An fstop of f/22 gives greater depth of field than
an f-stop of f/8.

Light Talk

Light is measure by wavelength and the unit

of measurement is usually the nanometer (m
x 10-10).
The human eye can usually see from about
350 nanometers to about 650 nanometers,
violet to red.
Light for photography purposes can be
manipulated by shutter speed, aperture
setting, film speed, filters, exposure control,
lens type, flash and extra light.

Light Talk

Side lighting can help with shadows and

enhancement of detail.
Time exposure allows the opportunity for
more light.
Fill flash and painting are adding light
techniques.

Camera Parts

Film wind lever.

Shutter plane and shutter speed setting ring
or device.
Flash attachment or hot shoe attachment.
Depth of field scale. Remember to focus, look
at the f-stop and then read the f-stop on each
side of the focus distance for the depth of
field distance.
Focusing ring.
F-stop ring.
Flash synch speed.
View finder and TTL.
ISO setting ring or menu button.

Protocol

Check your equipment and make sure you have

what you need.
Take overall or overview, medium or mid-range, and
close-up photographs.
Keep a log of your photographs or images.
Ensure that you have a legal right to take
photographs. Do you need a search warrant or a
consent to search.
Maintain chain of custody of the recording medium
and developed images.
Does your photograph or image truly and accurately
reflect what you saw with your eyes.

Survey The Scene

One role of the crime

scene photographer is
to capture as much
information as possible
relating to the scene.
Consider the crowd and
on-lookers when taking
overall photos.
Some agencies like to
have a set of exit
photos to include
exterior overall photos.

Composition

Include references: landmarks, street signs,

scales, placards.
Fill the frame with the subject matter.
Set the camera for the maximum depth of
field for clear images.
Take photos with and without placards, and
with and without scales.
Fill flash, if appropriate to remove shadows.
Create shadows for enhancement of detail.
Tell a story sequentially and thematically.

Overall Photography

Wide angle lens with

35mm, and/or video
with zoom
outdoor/indoor.
Move around the points
of the compass.
Show overall layout of
scene, and spatial
relationships.
May need to repeat
during the
investigation.

Medium Range Photography

They should still

show some overall
reference features.
They should show
more detail than
overall.
Scales and
placards might be
included.

Close-up Photography

A tripod and remote shutter

release are preferred.
A 50m lens and diopters is an
inexpensive method.
Sequence diopters, 4 +2 +1
Focusing is crucial. Rough
focus and then move the
camera to the object.
For cameras with adjustable
lens, set the lens to the widest
angle, activate the close-up
icon, move the camera to the
object.
Always include one image with
a scale for all impressions,
bullet holes and bloodstains.

Side Lighting Photography

Tripod and remote flash cord

are preferred.
For tire track and footwear
impressions take photos
with the flash held at 30
45 degrees, and held at
12.00, 1:30. 3:00, 4:30 and
6:00 on the clock dial.
Bracket photos
Focus and depth of field can
be crucial.
Painting with flashlight can
work especially with
digital.

Soft Lighting & Bounce

Photography

May be used when

other lighting methods
burn out the image.
Bounce may be from
an object, ceiling,
wall, and so forth.
Soft lighting can be
diffused lighting
through a screen or
thin paper.
Soft light may be with
flashlight.

Time Exposure

Most often used with

Luminol, Fluorescent,
and Alternate Light
Sources.
Tripod and remote
shutter release are
preferred.
With Luminol, an f2.0
and 45 second exposure
are standard.
Bracket all time
exposures.

Painting With Light

A tripod and remote shutter

release are required.
Use a mid range f-stop (8 to
5.6).
Set shutter speed on B, or
use camera timer with digital
and automatic cameras.
Open shutter and lock, and
walk to side, flashing every
15. (May cover shutter,
uncover with each flash,
recover).
Set flash on 40, f/8.
May use spotlight (?).

Fluorescent Photography

Usually requires tripod,

remote shutter release,
and barrier filter with
standard 35mm camera.
Orange 18 is good all
around filter.
A digital camera with
barrier filter for real time
photos. This work with
Fluorescein!
May require close-up
techniques.

Filters in Forensic
Photography
Alternate Light Sources and

Fluorescent photos may

require filters.
The photo in the previous
slide was taken with a #18
orange filter.
A polarizing filter may be
necessary to take photos
through water or glass. They
help reduce reflection and
glare.

Fill Flash Photography

This is most often done to

lighten a darkened area.
It can be done in the same
manner as painting with
light, but with a much
faster shutter speed in
daylight.
The photo at right is a
Luminol photo, f 2.0, two
minute exposure, then
bounce flash from the
ceiling of the shower to fill
in the shower area after
the two minute exposure.

Special Techniques - Snow

Photographing at night, in
snow, can present special
problems.
Soft light suing MagLites is a
possibility.
Lightly dusting the impression
with a dry fingerprint brush
is an alternative.
Follow local policy on dusting
impressions photo first
without dust.
Painting with light is another
technique especially with
digital.

FireFiresScenes
may leave numerous

obvious and subtle patterns.

Fire damage may leave a
very dark scene overall, with
bright spots.
It is very important to
bracket photos at fire scenes.
Consider enhancing flash
settings by one stop or
more.
Fire scenes usually require
more light than other scenes
due to the absorption of light
by the dark surfaces.

Specific Scene
Considerations.
Photograph a persons face and the injuries

in domestic violence, assault and other

crimes of violence.
Fill flash in damaged shaded areas in vehicle
accidents, and objects of interest in shaded
areas in other scenes.
Photo entry and exit in scenes.
Increase the light at fire scenes.
Include at least one photo or image with a
scale for all impressions, bullet holes, and
bloodstains and trace evidence.

Conclusion

Take exit photos.

Inventory your equipment.
Secure your recording medium and mark for
chain of custody.
Enhance images from copies.
Record enhancement techniques step-by step.
Establish throughout the photography process
where you were at and where it was at this
usually requires noting times and dates.
Prepare appropriate photography narrative
reports.