CRIME SCENE PHOTOGRAPHY

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Introduction to Incident Scene
Photography New Mexico State Police Criminal
Investigations Section Crime Scene Team
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Learning Objectives

• Identify the requirements for a photo to be
  admissible in a court of law
• Identify the elements of a good, technical
  photograph

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Learning Objectives

• Identify the elements of technical photography
• Demonstrate how to properly photograph footwear
  impressions
• Demonstrate how to properly photograph tire
  impressions
• Demonstrate how to properly photograph latent
  prints

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• Introduction to Incident Scene Photography

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Introduction

• For police officers, photography has become the
  primary way of documenting crime traffic
  collision scenes.
• Photography is a combination of art science.

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Why Take Photographs At A Crime Scene?

• Photographs document the scene in a way people
  can understand.
• Photographs can be used to recreate the crime and
  to prove or disprove a suspects explanation.
• They can help a jury understand where and how the
  crime was committed.
• A picture is worth a thousand words.

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To Be Admissible in Court

• Fair
• Not biased or prejudicial
• Must not appeal to the emotions of the jury
• Accurate
• Technically correct
• Form, Tone, Color and Scale

Test
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To Be Admissible in Court

• Relevant
• Of value to the court and jury in making
  decisions
• Chain of Custody must be maintained
• The photo must be identified
• Introduced in court by a person who is qualified
  to identify it

Test
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NM DPS Digital Imaging Policy

• Capture
• Take pictures in accordance with the
  manufacture's instructions, DPS policy and your
  training and experience.
• Do not view the images (other than by the
  camera's built-in monitor) prior to the images
  being transferred to CD.
• Storage
• Store the images onto a permanent media (CD) as
  soon as possible. Once the images are stored
  onto a CD, the CD will be treated as original
  evidence...

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NM DPS Digital Imaging Policy

• The CD should be labeled with a permanent
  (Sharpie) marker
• Case
• Item
• Photographer's name
• Date images were captured date transferred to
  disc
• Location where the images were captured
• Dissemination and image enhancement
• Before any enhancements are made, you must make a
  working copy of the CD.
• An Image-Processing Log" shall be kept for
  enhancements. The log will detail all steps used
  to obtain the enhanced image. The software (
  version) shall be documented.
• Software shall be generally or scientifically
  accepted in the photography community as a valid
  tool for enhancement.

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Labeling the Disc as Evidence

• Label as Original
• Case
• Item
• Case Agent
• Description
• Date taken
• Date to disc
• Photographer

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Elements of a Good, Technical Photograph

• Must be correctly exposed
• Have maximum depth of field
• Have an accurate perspective
• Be in sharp focus

Test
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Impression Evidence

• Orientation (overview and midrange shots)
• Show where the impression is located in the crime
  scene.
• Close-up
• Use a scale on the same plane as the impression.
• Keep the film plane parallel to the plane of the
  impression
• MUST USE A TRIPOD
• Lighting
• Block out ambient light with a large piece of
  cardboard and use a strong light source at
  oblique angle to show the best detail in the
  impression.

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Footwear Impression _at_ 90
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Tire Impressions

• Photograph tire impressions in sections showing
  one circumference of the tire.
• Taking overlapping photographs, with a tape
  measure, parallel to the tire impression.

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Tire Impressions
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Photography of Very Important Vehicles

• Exterior Photos
• Use the 21 point method
• Sometimes it is not possible to get all 21 photos
• Do your best
• If you have multiple vehicles involved in a crash
• Take the standard over-view photos of the ENTIRE
  scene first
• Then, take 21 photos of each vehicle individually
• Then, take mid-range and close-up photos of the
  evidence

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21 Point Method
Edge
Edge
Front
Diagonal
Diagonal
Front Edge
Front Edge
Front Axle
Front Axle
Side
Side
Rear Axle
Rear Axle
Rear Edge
Rear Edge
Diagonal
Diagonal
Edge
Edge
Rear
These 20 Photos 1 Photo Directly Down 21
Photos
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Begin by Taking Over-view Photos of the Scene
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Then, Take 21 Photos of Each Vehicle
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Example of 21 Photos of Each Vehicle
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21 Photos of Each Vehicle
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21 Photos of Each Vehicle
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21 Photos of Each Vehicle
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21 Photos of Each Vehicle
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21 Photos of Each Vehicle
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21 Photos of Each Vehicle
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21 Photos of Each Vehicle
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21 Photos of Each Vehicle
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21 Photos of Each Vehicle

• You will not be able to get all 21 shots due to
  the position of the vehicles
• Just do your best

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Photographing the Interior of a Vehicle
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Photographing the Interior of a Vehicle
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Photographing the Interior of a Vehicle
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Photographing the Interior of a Vehicle
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Photographing the Interior of a Vehicle
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Photographing the Tread Pattern
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Fingerprints

• Should be photographed before lifting
• Orientation shot to show location
• Consider using black white film for greater
  contrast
• Macro or close-up lens
• Scale on the same plane must be used
• 90 degree shot
• Use a tripod

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Fingerprints
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Tool marks serial numbers

• Orientation photo
• Evidence at the scene
• Close-up photos
• Use a scale on the same plane as the evidence
• 90 degree photo
• Oblique light to create small shadows in the
  detail
• Use a tripod.

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Serial Number
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Toolmarks
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Impression Evidence

• Orientation
• Show where the impression is located in the
  overall crime scene.
• Lighting
• Block out the ambient light with an umbrella and
  use a strong light source at an oblique angle to
  show the best details.
• Close-up
• Use a scale on the same plane as the impression.
• Keep the film plane 90 to the impression
• Consider using a tripod

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Footwear Impression
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Tire Impressions

• Photograph tire impressions in sections showing
  one circumference of the tire.
• Taking overlapping photographs, with a tape
  measure, parallel to the tire impression.
• Keep the film plane 90 to the impression

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Tire Impressions
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Photography of Bloodstains

• Use color film
• Take orientation photos to show location
• Take close-up photos to show detail
• Keep the film plane 90 to the print
• L-shape ruler is preferred to get both width and
  length of stain
• Consider using a tripod

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Photography of Bloodstains

• Use bounced lighting or diffused light.
• Oblique lighting works best when dealing with
  stains on fabric (very low angles).
• May need additional magnification
• A macro lens or the macro feature on the camera
• A step-up lens

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Overview, midrange, close up
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Photos of bloodstains
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Bloodstains _at_ 90 To the Floor
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Bloodstains _at_ 90 to Wall
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Low Light Photography Issues

• We often need to photograph scenes in low light,
  the following is an overview.
• The CSI Effect means that Juries no longer rely
  on just your word. They want to see what you saw.
  
• Your ability to shoot in low light will depend on
• Ambient light
• Your photography equipment
• Lighting Equipment that you can supply
• DWI equipment, etc.
• Other resources available to you
• Fire Department lighting equipment, etc.

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One Flash
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Flash Existing Light
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Flash flashlight uses

• Bounce flash
• Light is bounced off white, reflective surface
• Fill flash
• To fill the shadow/shaded area
• Multiple flash
• Painting with light
• Flashlight
• Painting with light
• Direct
• One or more light sources at 45 degree angles

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Flash Photography

• Direct reflective
• Light is reflected directly off the subject into
  lens, and causes very high contrast
• Oblique lighting
• Light source at low angle, usually to show detail
  by creating shadows in the subject surface
• Diffused lighting
• An translucent material is placed between the
  light source and subject
• Transmitted lighting
• With transparent subjects the light source is
  transmitted through the subject toward the lens

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No Flash vs. Multiple Flash
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No Flash vs. Multiple Flash
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1, 2 Multiple Flash
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The basics of low light photos

• Put your camera on a tripod or sturdy surface
• turn your car off if that is what you are using
• Put you camera on a manual type setting (M)
• Set the aperture (A) as low as it will go
• Set the shutter speed (S, Tv) as slow as it will
  go
• Turn on the timer function, turn off the flash
• The flash will automatically make the shutter
  speed too fast for this.

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The basics of low light photos

• Light up the scene with a flashlight, and focus
  the camera.
• Press the button to take the photo, and when the
  shutter opens (you hear the click)
• Shine as many lights into the scene from as many
  different angles as you can until the shutter
  closes (it clicks again)
• Dont shine the light toward your camera.
• Off shoe flashes are best, incandescent bulb
  flashlights are OK, LEDs are not so good (beam of
  light is too focused)
• Look at the back of your camera to see if you
  need more or less light, and take more photos.

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PHOTOS OF A.L.S. AND LUMINOL
The rules are different for these photos. They
require additional training and experience to do
them correctly
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The End