Forensic Photography Requires a Well-Stocked Kit
By Kelly M. Pyrek

The purpose of crime scene photography is to record the original scene as well as to record the initial appearance of evidence in order to provide investigators with a permanent visual record of the scene for later use in trial or other court proceedings, according to Steven Staggs, author of Crime Scene and Evidence Photographer's Guide. To be admissible in court, the photographs must meet three major points of qualification:

• The object pictured must be relevant to the point at issue
• The photograph must not appeal to the emotions or tend to prejudice the court or the jury
• The photograph must be free from distortion and not misrepresent the scene or object reproduced

Having a well-stocked photography kit is essential for a crime scene photographer. Staggs suggests the following components:

• High-quality 35mm camera body such as a Minolta, Nikon or Olympus
• Normal lens, such as a 50mm lens
• Wide-angle lens such as a 28mm lens
• Close-up lenses or accessories such as macro lens, 1:1 adapter, etc.
• Color filters
• Electronic flash
• Remote sync cord for electronic flash
• Extra flash batteries
• Locking cable release
• Tripod
• Extra film (both color and black and white)
• Notebook and pen
• Rulers
• Gray card for accurate exposures
• Flashlight
• Other equipment: telephoto lenses, supplementary light meter for low-level readings, white handkerchief or other flash-diffusion material, levels, tape measure, color chart and ABFO #2 scale for injury photography

According to Staggs, the five steps in recording the crime scene are: secure the scene; take preliminary notes; take overview photographs; make a basic sketch of the scene; record each item of evidence. The key to taking overview photographs is to depict the crime scene exactly as it was when it was encountered, without reconstructing the scene or moving objects. Great care must be taken not to destroy any evidence during this step. Photographs should be taken outside of the crime scene, including all aspects of the general locale, especially doors, windows and other means of entry and exit. Inside the scene, photographs should be taken of the entrance of the scene then subsequent photos of the entire scene, moving around the entire room to photograph all walls, if appropriate. These photos should show the positions of any and all items of evidence. Two photographs should be taken of every item of evidence; one should be a mid-range shot to depict how the object is related to its surroundings and the other should be a close-up to capture the details of the item itself. When using marking or measuring devices, two photographs should be taken; one of the object without the measuring device and one with the measuring device so there is no dispute over potential alteration of the scene or object. For more information, visit http://www.crime-scene-investigator.net/.

Click here to Subscribe

More News