Documenting the Scene
Published on Dec 05, 2017
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Documenting the Scene
Photography
Documenting the scene
- Photography preserves the scene which can later be analyzed and presented in court.
Photographs are essential for investigating and prosecuting a crime. This is because most evidence is transitory: Fingerprints must be lifted; bodies must be taken away and examined; and homes or businesses must be returned to their normal state. Photographs help preserve not only the most fleeting evidence -- like the shape of a blood stain that will soon be mopped up -- but also the placement of items in a room and the relation of evidence to other objects. Such images can prove vital to investigators long after the crime scene is gone.
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Early detectives used to sketch the scene of a crime.
But with the advent of cameras, Photography introduced a way to produce images that were more true-to-life and credible than drawings.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/23/crime-scene-photographs_n_5193672...
But with the advent of cameras, Photography introduced a way to produce images that were more true-to-life and credible than drawings.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/23/crime-scene-photographs_n_5193672...
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Documenting the scene
- Crime Scene Investigators must have a thorough understanding of Camera functions to capture the scene regardless of the situation
Technical Requirements
- Correct exposure, sharp focus, and maximum depth of field.
Technical Requirements
- Correct exposure, sharp focus, and maximum depth of field.
Crime Scene photographers must be methodical in their work. They can't afford to leave out an important piece of evidence or produce photographs that could be considered misleading in court. But they also have the pressure of the entire operation behind them. Before other CSIs can touch or move any of the evidence and even before the medical examiner can remove the body, the forensic photographer must document the scene.
Classifications of Crime Scene Photos
- Overall
- Midrange
- Close-Up
Overalls
The Big Picture
If the crime took place inside, overviews include photos of the outside of the building, its entrances and exits as well as images that place the building in relation to its surroundings. Photos of spectators at the scene can later help locate witnesses or suspects. Overviews also include images of all rooms, taken from overhead and from each corner.
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Mid Range
Relationship
then hone in on key pieces of evidence and captures images of them in the context. These mid-range photos might picture a piece of evidence, like a knife, but at enough of a distance to show its relation to furniture, a blood stain or the rest of the room. Mid-range images establish the distance of object from surrounding objects.
Close Up
Detail Photos
Finally, the photographer thoroughly documents evidence with close-up images. Close-ups include identifying marks like scars on a corpse or serial numbers on a bloodied piece of electronic equipment. A photographer will often include a ruler in the shot to establish scale but always takes a duplicate image without the measuring device. In court, the defense could claim the device covered something important.
Without & With Scale
A photographer will often include a ruler in the shot to establish scale but always takes a duplicate image without the measuring device. In court, the defense could claim the device covered something important.
Discussion Questions
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There are additional qualities that make a photo admissible in court. The image pictured cannot alter the scene or evidence -- say through strategic blocking with a measuring device or an intentionally shallow depth of field. The image must also be relevant to the case and should be composed with technical precision in mind, not emotional appeal.
