Forensic photography records relevant appearance and spatial context. Use suitable overall, contextual and detail views, preserving originals and the information needed to understand capture and later processing.
Equipment and settings follow the task. No universal camera format, exposure range or number of images guarantees admissibility or measurement accuracy.
By the end of this topic you will be able to:
- Plan context and detail photographs.
- Choose settings and scales for required detail.
- Preserve originals and documented processing.
- Three-shot rule
- A useful framework of overall, contextual and detail views, rather than a universal image count.
- Exposure triangle
- Aperture, shutter duration and ISO settings, with task-dependent trade-offs.
- DSLR vs mirrorless
- Different camera architectures; suitability depends on the complete tested workflow.
- Lens classes
- Choose focal length and reproduction scale for context, working distance and required detail.
- Photo log
- A linked record of image identity, subject and relevant capture and processing conditions.
Where Forensic Photography Sits in Documentation
Photography complements notes, sketches, measurements and video as needed; these are not universally mandated simultaneous channels.
Photography's specific contribution: it preserves the visual state of the scene at a moment in time, including details the SOCO didn't consciously notice. Sketches capture intentional measurements; photographs capture unintentional details. Both matter.
Camera and Lens Selection
Select a tested camera, lens, lighting and support system for the detail and conditions required.
- Sensor format alone does not determine suitability.
- Choose lenses for field of view, working distance, distortion and reproduction scale.
- Use lighting and support that preserve relevant detail and avoid misleading reflections.
A few kit pragmatics:
- Maintain suitable batteries, storage and backup procedures.
- Use a suitable neutral or colour reference where colour matters.
- Validate the workflow rather than cite an unspecified national equipment standard.
Crime Scene Photography: Overall, Midrange and Close-Up Views
Overall, contextual and close-up views provide a useful visual sequence. The number and order depend on the subject and necessary interventions.
A few rules that catch most candidates:
- Preserve context before moving material where practicable.
- Record appropriate close-ups with and without a scale.
- Place a suitable scale in the relevant plane; camera geometry and distortion also affect measurement.
The Exposure Triangle, Applied to Scenes
Three variables determine exposure: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. The choices a photographer makes between them have evidence consequences.
- Aperture affects light and depth of field; very small apertures can reduce detail through diffraction.
- Shutter duration affects motion blur; support and movement determine a usable duration.
- ISO settings influence image rendering and noise; they do not make the sensor physically collect more photons.
Balance settings with lighting, lens, magnification and required detail. There is no universal two-out-of-three rule.
For a static low-light subject, a supported longer exposure may help. Flash, lighting changes or other settings can also be appropriate after testing the resulting detail.
The Photo Log
A photograph by itself is incomplete. The photo log is the companion document that gives every photograph its chain of identification: number, subject, lens, exposure, scale present, date and time.
Standard photo-log fields:
- Photograph number (matching the on-camera frame number and the SOCO's running index).
- Subject (described in the same language as the rough sketch, with item number).
- Distance class (overview, mid-range, close-up).
- Lens (focal length).
- Exposure (aperture, shutter speed, ISO).
- Scale present (yes/no, and which scale).
- Lighting (natural, flash, mixed; specific flash type if used).
- Date and time.
- Photographer's signature.
A missing log entry is a documentation problem to investigate. Assess the image’s provenance, the missing information and the significance for its proposed use.
Film vs Digital, Briefly
Film and digital capture both need identifiable originals and controlled production of viewing or analytical copies.
- Preserve negatives or original digital files and document processing.
- Digital hashes compare files against a reference, not the truth of the scene.
- Retain suitable formats, backups and a documented migration history.
Specialist UV and IR capture depends on spectral response and filtering. Neither medium is inherently the only valid choice.