6.9 CLANDESTINE PPHOTO

• Clandestine photography


  Surveillance photography, the photographing in secrecy of a person, object, activity or location
• Clandestine photography is not about how to take a photograph, rather what is a useful photograph
• Clandestine photography


  • Documenting a criminal activity
  • Accumulating identification photographs of criminals and terrorists and their associates
  • Gathering information/intelligence for case build-up and validation
• Clandestine photography has evolved from flying pigeon camera to flying drone
• The scope of the presentation includes definition, purpose, photographer, conditions, equipment, and considerations
• The lesson objectives are to define clandestine photography, understand its purpose, concepts, process, and techniques
• The source, agency, collection, discipline, activities, and agencies related to clandestine photography are covered
• Clandestine Photography


  The technical process or act of photographing a person or thing under investigation and to record illegal activities to identify subject & contact and have a clear view on area/ house/ vehicle etc.
• Three things needed by a police photographer to have a photograph


  • Camera
  • Subject
  • Light Source
• Three things to consider to complete the requirements in clandestine photography


  • Photography under adverse lighting
  • Photography without detection
  • Photography at long distances
• Planning


  1. Picture Requirement

  2. Subject Position

  3. Lighting
• Lighting


  One of the principal problems that a photographer will encounter in making clandestine photography is the level of illumination (night vision, thermal, IR)
• Two types of lights


  • Artificial Light (e.g. Neon Light, Bulbs)
  • Natural Light (e.g. Sunlight)
• Three characteristics of light that affect photography


  • Reflection - when an incident lighting strikes a surface that change its direction
  • Refraction - the bending of light ray that altered the speed and change its direction of travel after passing through different density (air & water)
  • Diffraction - the spreading of light ray after it passes the edge of an object. It destroy the original clarity of subject to be photograph
• Three basic adjustments in a camera


  • Lens Opening or Lens Aperture
  • Shutter Speed
  • Distance or focusing
• Lens Opening or Lens Aperture


  Numbers that indicate the size and length of diaphragm that opens and closes like the pupil of the eye, the opening through which the light passes. The size of the opening is measured by a unit called "f" (factor).
• Shutter Speed


  Consists of numbers from 1/4000 down to 1" (sec). The shutter speed is measured in fractions of a second.
• ISO


  Your camera's sensitivity to light as it pertains to either film or a digital sensor. A lower ISO value means less sensitivity to light, while a higher ISO means more sensitivity.
• Aperture


  The hole formed by the diaphragm which regulates the amount of light passing through the lens.
• The ASA (American Standards Association) scale is an arbitrary rating of film speed; that is, the sensitivity of the film to light. If everything else is kept constant, the required exposure time is inversely proportional to the ASA rating.
• Distance or focusing


  Lines and numbers on the focusing ring that indicate how far the camera is from the subject, the adjustment to determine the clear focus and measured by feet or by meter.
• Most common type of photographic/camera lenses

  • Normal or standard lens
  • Wide angle lens
  • Telephoto lens
  • Zoom lens
• Information needed through covert means is of only two types: Information about target, members, important personalities, and all matters related to those (Residence, work place, times of leaving and returning, wives and children, places visited) and Information about strategic buildings, important establishments, and safe house.
• General security measures that should be taken by the person gathering information


  • Performing exercises to detect surveillance
  • Letting informants travel far from their place of residence and yours
  • Gathering information without emphasizing any particular part
  • Avoiding anything that reveals your identity quickly
  • Moving slowly and traveling a great distance
  • Not accepting events at their face value
  • Not speaking vaguely or acting mysteriously
  • Carrying personal credentials and knowing all their contents
  • Making sure all necessities related to the mission are ready
  • Studying the area where information-gathering takes place carefully
  • Not carrying any weapons during the information-gathering process
• Methods of gathering information using covert means


  • Surveillance, intelligence, and observation
  • Theft
  • Interrogation
  • Excitement
  • Drugging
  • Recruitment
• Surveillance on foot


  1. Studying the available information about the target

  2. Knowing the target's habits, places he visits, and communications

  3. Studying the area where observation will take place

  4. Making sure all needs related to the mission are met

  5. Agreeing on how communications with the leaders will take place

  6. Agreeing on special signals to exchange orders and instructions

  7. Knowing the measures to be taken when the target is lost

  8. Not carrying any weapons during the information-gathering process

  9. Having a camera to photo the target if necessary
• Surveillance by car


  1. Inspecting the car's fuel, water, and lights

  2. Using a common type of car that would not attract attention

  3. Using a car in good condition with an experienced driver

  4. Using a false license plate with small numbers

  5. Disabling the car's interior light

  6. Matching the number and appearance of the car surveillance team members to the target's car
• Performing surveillance by car


  1. Keeping up with the target's car during the surveillance operation

  2. If the target gets out of his car and starts to walk, one of the surveillance team members should get out and observe him

  3. Following all aforementioned measures for surveillance on foot
• Exercises to detect surveillance (countersurveillance) by car


  • The surveillance car speeds up then stops suddenly while observing which other car is affected
  • The surveillance car enters a dead-end street
  • The surveillance car goes in the opposite direction of traffic
  • The surveillance car stops and goes backwards
  • The surveillance car enters a parking lot and immediately goes out
  • The surveillance car takes a side road and stops
• Gathering information about enemy places


  1. Drawing a diagram of the area, the street, and the location which is the target of the information gathering

  2. Describing the traffic directions, transportation, appearance, security personnel centers, economic characteristics, lighting, etc.

  3. Photographing the area as a whole first, then the street of the desired location, using a zoom camera that can photograph at night or from a distance
• Information to be included in the description of an enemy camp


  • Location
  • Exterior shape
  • Transportation to it
  • Space [area]
  • Weapons used
  • Unit using the camp
  • Fortifications and tunnels
  • Guard posts
  • Amount and periods of lighting
  • Number of armed guards and officers. Officers' ranks
  • Ammunition depot locations
  • Vehicles and motorcycles
  • Leave policy
  • Commander's name, rank, arrival and departure times
  • Degree and speed of mobilization
  • Unit name
  • Sleeping and waking times
  • Means of communication
• Techniques for close targets


  1. Sit on the back of the vehicle

  2. Place some objects on the parcel shelf to obstruct the view from the rear

  3. Sit behind the driver and face across the vehicle shooting through the rear passengers side window, to avoid reflections

  4. Aim the camera through the center of the window and hold steady

  5. Use the continuous mode on the camera, keep taking photographs until well pass the target

  6. Keep the camera vertical for vertical targets
• Alternative method for close targets

  1. Rest your arm along the edge of the window and raise the knee to support it

  2. Place the camera in the crook of the arm extended along the window frame

  3. On instructions from the driver adjust the camera for tilt and swing

  4. Without moving the camera keep shooting until well pass the target

  5. Wear dark clothing so that the black camera does not stand out against a lighted background

  6. It is not necessary to look at the target as the coverage of the shorter focal length lens (wide angle lens) will take in all of the subject
• Unless you are photographing a "soft" target do not make more that one pass as you increase the risk of being detected.
• The ability to quickly and covertly record clear images of documents and situations has always been essential to good spy craft.
• Video surveillance is common, and technology advancements mean that audio and images can now be analyzed in greater detail and with greater accuracy (AI).
• Volker G. Fremuth: '"We can do more for the people if they are not so aware of what we are trying to do."'