CRIME SCENE PHOTOGRAPHY

PURPOSE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO ASSIST

IN INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF THE CASE

TO RECORD FACTS TO SUPPLEMENT FACTS

To provide information which will assist in the investigation

Provides the investigator with an accurate, pictorial representation of the appearance and position of objects at the scene

Aids in questioning suspects and witnesses

Presents the judge and jury with an accurate picture of the scene

RECORDING FACTS

Describes better than words Proves statements Records items that may be overlooked Refreshes the memory

SUPPLEMENTS FACTS

Position of the body Description of injuries or damage Location of body or objects Measurements Gives the impression of careful

observation

PHOTOGRAPHY

It allows the court and the jury to obtain an accurate and lucid understanding of specific situations

Photographic evidence may be stored indefinitely and be readily available when needed

PHOTOGTAPHY

It provides the investigator with a visual record of the crime scene and objects related to the investigation. When these are viewed under favorable conditions in conjunction with his notes, they may help him to recognize an overlooked or a condition that may furnish the key to the case.

WHEN TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS

AS SOON AS THE INVESTIGATION PERMITS

BEFORE THE BODY OR ANY OBJECT IS MOVED OR DISTURBED

Crime Scene Photography Equipment

Having the right equipment on hand will make documenting a crime scene less problematic

At the very least, you should have… Camera body Wide-angle lens Flash unit Tripod Rulers/scales (6” & 12”) Flashlight Lens cleaning cloth Notebook & pencil Adequate supply of film Adequate digital storage (if applicable_ Extra batteries

3 Rules of Investigative Photography

If it’s worth looking at, it’s worth photographing

Photograph everything before it is moved or altered

Document evidence with three shots: long-range, medium-range, and close-up

PHOTOGRAPHING THE SCENE DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT EACH

PHOTOGRAPH TO SHOW CLASSIFICATIONS OF PHOTOS

GENERAL VIEWS (long range) MEDIUM VIEWS (10-20 FT) CLOSE-UP VIEWS (4-6 FT) EXTREME CLOSE-UP (>1 FT)

KEEP IN MIND NATURE OF OFFENCE

GENERAL VIEWS

Surrounding territory Identity of the locality Aid to orient a jury as to surroundings

MEDIUM VIEWS

Taken within ten to twenty feet of the objects

Shows the specific object desired Is of sufficient size to tie objects to

general view Includes objects which may be seen in

general view

CLOSE-UP

Clearly shows an item of interest (Gun, Knife, tool marks on window, footprints, etc)

Generally taken at a distance of 4-6 ft. (should include some identifiable object in general view)

EXTREME CLOSE-UP

Taken at one ft or less (shows characteristics too small to be seen or recognized in any previous photo)

Contains rule or scale (should be placed by object but not obscure detail)

Requires correct lighting (Photoflood, flash, or time exposure)

What Photographs Should be Taken?

Location of the victim, perpetrator, objects of interest, & any witnesses when you arrive on the scene

Point-of-view of witnesses, victims, perpetrator, etc.

Injury or damage to people or items Implements or contraband Debris, tire tracks, tool marks,

fingerprints, palm prints, & footprints

Any likely entry/exit routes If you encounter evidence that would lead

you to believe that a suspect/victim moved through a certain area, photograph it

overall shots of the crime scene should be taken from a standing position

this allows the photographer to be able to testify as to the approximate height of the camera should that question come-up during cross-examination

Rules of Thumb Color film, B&W film, as well as digital

images are acceptable Be sure to show objects in relation to

one another This is one of the reasons why all items

are photographed at least 3 times

Anything that does not appear in the viewfinder or the LCD display will most likely not appear in your finished image

If you cannot take a picture form a certain position, it is better to move farther away from the subject than closer to it Keeps the item in the proper context of the

crime scene

Do not use camera positions that may lead to misrepresentation of the subject

Do not “re-touch” negatives in the darkroom

Do not conduct any digital modification that goes beyond simple “enhancement”

Film Selection

Select the “speed” of your film based on the lighting conditions at the scene

Remember, higher ISO films (800, 1200, etc) are more sensitive & will absorb light faster

ISO 400 film is preferred in twilight situations where there is some light, but it is not full daylight

ISO 100 color negative film is the best for general crime scene work

Many digital cameras have an ISO selection setting that adjusts the sensitivity of the sensor in a way that mimics film sensitivity

Slow speed B&W films are ideal for situations where detail is more important than color Photos of shoe & tire impressions for example

Do not always count on color films … they are designed to produce a pleasing rendition rather than an accurate one

Handling the Camera

When holding the camera by hand, you will need to use a shutter speed of 1/60s or faster to compensate for “shaking” Hand-shake is magnified in close-up work Tripods are very useful in these instances

Focus the camera 1/3 of the way into the shot to get the maximum depth of field

If feasible, use a tripod or some other firm support to balance/stabilize your camera This will allow you to set-up shots without having to

worry about camera shake

PHOTOGRAPHING THE SCENE

Number of photographs No simple answer Better to overshoot Time may be a concern Experience will answer the question A number of important photographs should

be made at each scene

PHOTOGRAPHING THE SCENE

Important Photographs Location First photos should be overall shots of the

crime scene Interior & exterior photographs Location of doors and windows Surrounding area Aerial photographs (in some cases)

Indoor Overall Shots “Four Corner’s” Method

When taking overall shots of a room, a good way to get adequate coverage is to stand in one corner at a time and take a picture facing the opposite corner

If you are photographing a room, be sure to take a picture that shows the view that someone would have looking through the doorway

How many pictures do I need?

Take as many picture as you think are necessary

Rule: It is always better to take too many pictures than not enough

Remember, the scene is destroyed after evidence is collected so even if you don’t think something is critical, it’s better to photograph it anyway

PHOTOGRAPHING THE SCENE Important Photographs

Witness Photographs Depict scene as observed by witness Victim as viewed from number of locations Designed to tell a story To relate what location looked like to someone not

present Overlapping photographs Long range and intermediate range to show

perspective and relative location

PHOTOGRAPHING THE SCENE

Important Photographs Close-up photographs

Used to further clarify the scene Show as Item actually appears Show with ruler included Film plane parallel to object Can produce 1:1 photographs

PHOTOGRAPHING THE SCENE

Important Photographs Evidence photographs

Photograph all evidence Prior to removal or change of location Additional photographs as search progresses

and new evidence discovered

PHOTOGRAPHING THE SCENE

Photograph as completely as possible Include

Areas where crime took place All adjacent areas Overview of scene Points of exit and entry The entire room (indoors)

PHOTOGRAPHING A HOMICIDE

Overall photos of interior & exterior of location

Overhead photograph of body before it’s moved Obviously you will not always be able to be

directly over the body, but try & get as close as possible

Photos of body from 4 compass points

Make sure to get photos of: Close-up of face Close-ups of any wounds/bruises Close-ups of any tattoos, piercings, scars,

or other identifying marks Blood spatter/stains found at the scene Point of view of witness Point of view of victim

If it can be established View in & out of points of entry/exit

Windows & doors Overall & close-ups of any weapons

Be sure to include the serial number of any firearms

Close-ups of evidence Latent fingerprints developed at the

scene Footwear/tire impressions After body is removed, photograph the

area where it was found

PHOTOGRAPHING THE SCENE

Photographing evidence Position and location relative to scene Close up views (to record detail) Place ruler in picture to record relative size

of evidence

PHOTOGRAPHING THE SCENE

Video Becoming increasingly popular Price lower Include entire scene and surrounding area Take in slow systematic manner Have someone narrate (be careful of

sound) Does not replace still photography

Photographing a Recovered Vehicle

Overall exterior views from all four sides Close-ups of front & rear license plates Close-ups of VIN & inspection/service

stickers Plate located inside driver’s door VIN tag located inside front windshield

Overall views of vehicle interior Interior of trunk (boot)

Interior of glove box & center console (if present)

Close-ups of evidence before it is removed All tires including spare

Attempt to photograph the size of the tire, printed on the wall

Photograph the tread pattern at a 90o angle These photos can be obtained after the vehicle

has been seized Close-ups of odometer & speedometer Overall exterior after search has been

completed

Close-ups of Evidence When taking close-up shots of specific items of

evidence, you need to photograph the item at least twice Once without a scale or measuring device Once including a scale to show the size of the

object

Get as close to the subject as possible & be sure to fill the frame with the object

Focus carefully being sure that the item & scale (if present) are clearly in focus

Pens, coins, & flashlights are not proper scales Use a photographic evidence scale or ruler

Evidence Markers

After taking overall photos of your crime scene, you can begin laying down photographic evidence markers next to items of evidence

You should coordinate the placement of these markers with the lead investigator Evidence numbers/letters should

correspond to the evidence log sheet

Evidence markers should only be placed next to objects that may be related to the crime

Remember that you need to take two close-up shots of any item

It is often a good idea to use evidence markers that have a scale printed on them This allows you to document the size of the

object & its evidence identifier in one shot

Photographic Log

The photographic log is a very valuable tool that will allow the photographer to answer questions about his work while giving testimony

Given the large amount of time that can elapse between the processing of a scene & the case going to trial, relying on memory is not always the best way to answer questions

Log has 2 purposes Recording general information about the

case Help jog photographer’s memory Explain lighting conditions

General case information to record: Photographer’s name Date, time of arrival on scene & time of departure Case # Investigating officer’s name Location/address Weather conditions Any unusual conditions or occurrences Make & model of camera Type of lens used ISO rating Megapixel rating (if using digital equipment) General sketch of scene & photographer’s location

Specific information for each photo Photo # Description of subject Camera settings (shutter speed & f-stop)

If set to automatic, writing “auto” is sufficient Any manual setting however must be noted

Distance from subject Indicate whether or not a scale was used If a filter was used, indicate what type

Show on sketch where photographer stood for each shot

ADMISSIBILITY OF PHOTOGRAPHS Testify that photograph accurately depicts area

Color, scale, form

Must be in focus Show relationships and distances between

objects Negatives retained Rulers important to show size

ADMISSIBILITY

The object pictured must be material or relevant to the point in issue

The photograph must not appeal to the emotion or tend to prejudice the judge or jury