SC photog

• Photography


  The process or art of producing images of objects on sensitized surfaces by the chemical action of light or of other forms of radiant energy, such as X-rays, gamma rays or cosmic rays
• Principles of crime scene photography

  • There is no prescribed length of time it takes to photographically document a crime scene
  • The amount of time spent depends on the size and complication in the crime scene, how much there is to document and environmental factors like weather or danger to the investigative team
  • Crime scene photography should not just focus on the obvious
• Purpose of crime scene photography

  To document what is there and where it is in relationship to the scene, whether it is obviously connected to the crime or not
• Controlling the light


  1. Aperture - size of the opening of the lens where light enters into the camera

  2. Shutter speed - how long that opening or shutter remains open

  3. Depth of field - the amount of area in front of (foreground) and behind (background) an object that remains in focus

  4. White balance - allows the camera to record the proper temperature of light, resulting in an accurate representation of the color tones of objects in the photograph
• Brightening the darkness


  • A technique called "painting with light" to expose image details in dark or near-dark conditions
  • The shutter is held open for seconds or minutes and the photographer walks through the scene adding light from sources such as a flashlight or detached camera flash
• Why and when is crime scene photography used

  • Photography should be used as part of the documentation for all physical crime scenes
  • Crime scene photographers must ensure their work is both ethical and honest while capturing as much accurate information and detail as possible
  • Documenting all elements of a crime scene can aid to piece together what happened, how it happened and who did it
• Steps for proper photographic documentation

  1. Secure the scene

  2. Evaluate conditions - evaluate the available light and weather conditions and adjust camera settings appropriately

  3. Shoot the scene - take photographs before anything is disturbed, progressively working through the scene from outside to close-up pictures

  4. Photograph the victims - the next series of shots should include victims (if present) to show locations, injuries and condition

  5. Photograph the evidence - each piece of evidence should be photographed to illustrate where it was found

  6. Evidence markers - Photographs should be taken before evidence markers are placed, then again after

  7. Re-shoot for new evidence - mark new evidence, the whole series of shots should be repeated, including all evidence shots

  8. Shoot fast - Sometimes environmental factors such as rain or traffic can make conditions difficult for photography

  9. Photograph the victim later - If a victim must be moved or requires treatment, the photographer can go back to document the victim's injuries