URDANETA CITY

UNIVERSITY
Owned and operated by the City Government of Urdaneta COLLEGE OFCRIMINAL
JUSTICE EDUCATION

FORENSIC PHOTOGRAPHY
Sometimes referred to as forensic imaging or crime scene photography.

Forensic Photographer - crime scene photographer/evidence photographer, a professional

photographer who is skilled in the art of producing only the most exact, detailed photographs
that record the crime scene and the physical evidence within the crime scene as objectively
and as accurately as possible.

Requirements Of A Crime Scene Photography

1.clarity – presenting a bare facts-(must not be blurred)
2.consistency – must show its purpose, photograph must form a set together each being
related to the same as a whole.
3.scale- actual measurement/size of the subject being photographed.

Photographic Evidence
 photographic offer in evidence should be a faithful representation of the subject matter. It
should not mislead the viewer in any important aspect. it should be free of distortion, in
lines or shapes, and tone relationships should be accurate. Important matters should
matter should be sharp focus.
 to be admissible in evidence, the object portrayed must itself be admissible. The
admissibility of photographs which prove a point in issue is decided by the court, based
on the point in question, and the degree of effectiveness with which the photograph
accomplished this purpose.

Basic Requirement For The Admissibility Of Photographs As Evidence In Court.

1.faithful representation or accurate representation of the object or subject.
2.relevant/material and competent
3.no inflammatory content/unbiased
Fernandez, I.J.A
Two Types Of Evidence Photographs;
1.Those which represents objects of evidence, or a scene, and serve in place of the object, or
a verbal description of it;
2.Those which actually prove a point in issue, such a bullet comparison, document alterations
or fingerprints.

IMPORTANCE OF CRIME SCENE PHOTOGRAPHY

Permanent Record
- permanent record of the crime scene is considered indispensable to a successful
presentation of the case to court.

Significance of certain aspects of the crime scene

- every aspect or every thing that is inside the crime scene is an important ingredient in the
investigation, therefore they must be photographed before removed or otherwise disturbed.
Photographs must also be taken after a body/bodies have been removed.
The more the photographs taken, the better.
 URDANETA CITY
UNIVERSITY
Owned and operated by the City Government of Urdaneta COLLEGE OFCRIMINAL
JUSTICE EDUCATION

Reconstruction of the crime scene

- helps in reconstructing the crime scene to develop conclusions how the crime occurred. It
is also used to coordinate with the crime scene sketches that are made to scale.

USES OF PHOTOGRAPHY IN CRIME INVESTIGATION

1. Identification of the subject
 Frontal whole body
 Frontal half body
 Half body right side
 Half body left side
 Left Quarter view
 Right Quarter view
2. Preservation of evidence
3. Description of the Crime Scene
4. Substitution to original documents/evidence
5. Record

METHODS OF PHOTOGRAPHING THE CRIME SCENE

Overlapping Method – a photographic methods of taking a series of photographs in a
circular or clockwise direction, overlapping each slightly to show the entire crime scene.
if a single photograph cannot show the entire crime scene, apply this method.

Progressive Method – a photographic method of taking crime scene photographs starting

from a fixed point, photographing each piece of evidence from general to specific as the
photographer moves toward it, and progressively getting closer.

Capturing the outside of the scene

o exterior of the building where the crime occurred and in some cases the whole locale.
o aerial photographs of the scene and the surrounding area can be useful in some types
of cases.
o original series of photographs should also show all doors, windows and other means
of entrance or exit.
Capturing the inside of the scene
o begin with a view of the entrance.
o then photograph the scene as it appears when you first step into the room.
o next, move around the room to get photographs of all the walls.
 URDANETA CITY
UNIVERSITY
Owned and operated by the City Government of Urdaneta COLLEGE OFCRIMINAL
JUSTICE EDUCATION
RANGES OF PHOTOGRAPHS:
1.General View Or Long range –

Photographs of all overall scene are fundamentally taken to portray the areas as if a person
viewing the scene is seeing it from the standing position
- to obtain this result, the photographer takes the photographs with the camera at eye level.

2.Medium View Or Mid-Range –

approximately 10 to 20 feet of distance from the subject. In order that the viewer be permitted
to associate the crime scene with separate areas of the scene photographed, these areas should
contain sufficient detail to permit the viewer this association.

3.Close-Up View/Range –

normally taken approximately 5 feet or less from the subject matter.

- the attention is directed to objects which could not effectively be seen in long-range and
mid-range photographs.
- take necessary extreme close-up shot of the subject to show the extent of damage
Extreme Close up Range - this is sometimes conducted to emphasize the gravity of
the gravity of the injury. A photographer will often include a ruler in the shot to
establish scale but always takes a duplicate image without the measuring device.
 URDANETA CITY
UNIVERSITY
Owned and operated by the City Government of Urdaneta COLLEGE OFCRIMINAL
JUSTICE EDUCATION

Forensic photography scales – this provides as geometrical reference in the photographic

documentation of evidence. The presence of such scales in an image allows investigators to
reconstruct the dimensional context of a scene and provides a means to reproduce one-to-one
photographs of physical evidence.
MARKERS IN THE FIELD OF VIEW
The legally accepted markers or marking devices are the following:
Ruler Measuring Device
- rulers, yardsticks, or tape measures can show relative sizes and distances between objects. It
can also show the degree of magnification or reduction of the final print. These rulers must be
placed beside the subject. In the case of fingerprints or handwriting, they are usually placed at
the base to maintain uniformity of location in photographs that will be used for comparison
charts.
Identification Data/ Case Identifier
- a small sign is usually placed at the scene but its data should be limited to the date, time,
location and case or job number.
Location Markers/ Photo Evidence Numbers
- these can be sticks or numbered signs to show specific locations of small objects not readily
seen in an overall photograph. in selecting a marker, avoid using an article which resembles
an object that is originally found in the scene.
to insure complete photographic coverage of the crime scene, a pattern should be
established for photographing that area. This pattern should be worked in a spiral
clockwise starting at a point at the perimeter of the scene, and working toward the
center.
when items of importance are discovered they should be photographed from a distance
close enough to identify the object, but sill show enough of the surrounding to establish
its location in the overall crime scene photograph.
As A Rule Of Thumb
It can be said that the camera should be at a witness level, or about 5 feet from the floor. The
camera should be placed to show a natural line of vision, such as an observer would see,
avoiding trick shots, and place so that objects in the scene do not appear distorted or
unnatural by being too close to the lens.
Photographs used, as evidence must be large enough to show details of the subject,
but not so large as to be difficult to handle. an 8 x 10 inches is a convenient size.
 URDANETA CITY
UNIVERSITY
Owned and operated by the City Government of Urdaneta COLLEGE OFCRIMINAL
JUSTICE EDUCATION
Taking Overview Or Preliminary Photographs
A.Purpose: to show the scene exactly as it was when you first saw it. (1) if something was
moved before you arrived, don't try to reconstruct the scene as it was. The photographs
should show the scene as you found it.

B.Major Crime Photography:

1. first discuss the crime, evidence and photographs needed with other investigators at the
scene.
2. be careful not to destroy any evidence while taking the photographs.
3. include photographs of other rooms connected with the actual crime scene.
4. using video to record the crime scene frequently valuable to show an overview of the
scene.

Points To Be Remembered In Crime Scene Photography

1. always take preliminary photographs before the scene is altered in any way.
2. take a complete set of pictures (overall, mid range & close - up). shoot from different
angles and distances. Film is cheaper than lost cases.
3. use fresh film and keep it away from heat.
4. keep your pictures sharp. Use a tripod if possible. focus carefully. Be sure your lens is
clean.
5. avoid back lighting. it creates silhouettes and may cause flare. If you must shoot toward a
light, shade the lens as best you can.
6. use side lighting to bring out texture, accident damage, tool marks and any other
irregularities on a surface. Avoid it when shooting recesses, containers and closets

Rules In Crime Scene Photography

i. rule 1 - do not disturb the scene
ii. rule 2 - get a complete series of pictures
• you must move around the scene to see everything. so must the camera. generally speaking,
each important object in the scene should appear in at least three pictures: an overview; a
mid-range shot; a close-up.
iii. rule 3 - pay attention to camera angles-
• relationships of size and distance may be distorted by the wrong viewpoint. examine the
scene in the viewfinder. this shows the scene, as your camera will see it.
iv.rule 4 - record all data

REMEMBER!!!
***shoot most pictures with the camera at eye level. This is the height from which people
normally see things and that makes it easier to judge perspective.
NOTE: recommended size of photograph in court is 5”x 7” or 8”x10” or bigger…

Photographic Log
Documentation of the process of scene photography which records the overall, medium and
close-up views of the scene; a log is produced representing the technical and descriptive
information concerning the photographic task
 URDANETA CITY
UNIVERSITY
Owned and operated by the City Government of Urdaneta COLLEGE OFCRIMINAL
JUSTICE EDUCATION