What is Forensic Photography?
A brief history on Photography, Forensic Photography and techniques used in Forensic Photography.
Photography is accepted as the top priority process in crime scene investigation because properly taken photos of the crime scene and evidences are permanent records for the crime. Photos taken with a proper camera from a proper point of view with proper lighting and proper technique will yield an impeccable result which will help the police forces with the case and the court process.
Brief History on Photography and Forensic Photography
Although first invented as “heliography” (a very complicated process) in 1824, it wasn’t until 1839 that the first practical photography was invented. Forensic photography started almost immediately after the invention of practical photography. Established by French detective and researcher Alphonse Bertillon in 1840, forensic photography is a process used to report and document a crime scene or a criminal case to showcase the evidence and to document the crime in its purest form for investigators and law enforcement to support and prevent confusion in criminal cases. The photography techniques and the equipment used in it are specialized for its own field.
Earliest Known Surviving Heliographic Engraving (1825) and a Forensic Photograph of a crime scene, Paris (1902)
The history and development of forensic photography.
As mentioned above, forensic photography was established by French detective and researcher Alphonse Bertillon, along with other biometric forensic findings such as fingerprint detection and anthropometry. This marked the beginning of a new era in forensic science, even influencing the renowned novelist Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes.
Alphonse Bertillon – Sample Mugshot (1853)
How does the process of Crime Scene Investigation start and develop?
The process starts with a directive given by the public prosecutor to the Crime Scene Investigation Unit and continues until the end of the case. The information given by the first responder unit is recorded, but these records do not affect the crime scene investigation process. As in most scientific research, the first principle is doubt, or in other words, “Everything can be deceiving.” Crime scene investigation then continues with photography, which has its own specialized techniques and methods. The findings at the crime scene are then given to the criminal laboratory according to the directives given by the prosecutor or the court.
Steps and Techniques in Forensic Photography.
The crime scene investigation is crucial for finding evidence about the crime and creating a detailed report about the crime scene. These reports could include up to 4000 photographs in a single crime scene.
The main purpose of forensic photography is to capture, identify, differentiate, and archive the images so they can be used in the future for recognizing the crime scene and the evidence. Therefore, these photos should be taken with great attention to detail, capturing the specifications and details of the evidence. The images should be clear, sharp, and should showcase the color, shape, structure, and components of the object in utmost detail.
There are certain techniques in forensic photography to make vast amounts of photographs useful for the investigation. These techniques include overall pictures of the crime scene, panoramic images, mid-distance images, and close-up images. Before starting photography, a data sheet including the nature of the incident, address, time, and the code of the responding team is photographed.
The overall picture can include the environment and the periphery of the crime scene (buildings, vehicles, furniture, shops, roads/streets, etc.) and a panoramic photography method is used for this type of photography.
Mid-distance photography is used after the evidence is identified and numbered. These photos are taken from certain fixed points of view while preserving the entirety of the crime scene.
Close-up photography is done by using special rulers and gauges. In cases where no gauges are present, certain objects with specific dimensions can be used, such as coins and cigarette boxes.
