Crime Scene Photography- Importance & its types

CRIME SCENE PHOTOGRAPHY

All physical crime scenes, including traffic collisions, burglaries, homicides, and other crimes against people or property, should be photographed. Photographs, on the other hand, can be deceptive and confusing to the viewer. Crime scene photographers must therefore ensure that their work is ethical and honest while capturing as much accurate information and detail as possible. Documenting all elements of a crime scene is important in determining what happened, how it happened, and who did it.

Crime scenes are typically chaotic and unpredictable, with first responders assisting victims and investigators getting started. Capturing photographic evidence can be difficult even in the best of circumstances.

• In all forensic investigations, the first step is to secure the crime scene properly and not contaminate the evidence.

• The next thing a photographer should assess the available light and weather conditions before adjusting camera settings. Crime scenes can be indoors, outdoors, or a combination of the two; they can be vehicles, multiple rooms, or any combination of locations; thus, no single camera setting will work for all crime scenes.

• Next comes the shooting of the scene as photographs or video graphs. Photographs should be taken before anything is disturbed, working their way through the scene from outside to close-ups. To demonstrate the relationship of evidence to the overall scene, many shots should be taken, ranging from the entire scene to medium shots.

Importance of Photography:

o Show invisible traces, visually unrecognizable clues, stains, etc.

o Photography with ultraviolet rays, infrared rays, X-rays, colored filters, macro photography, photomicrography, microphotography, digital photography, and photogrammetry can be done.

o A complete series of pictures should be taken (an overview, a midrange, and a close-up)

o Pictures showcase the relationship between the objects placed in the crime scene - holography is used to photograph prints and impressions even on carpets and grass.

o There should be no distortions, glares, or shadows in the photography.

o Keep proper perspective and tonal relation.

Types of photography in forensic science:

 Simple manual and digital photography

 Manual & Digital SLR photography

 Filter photography (blood stain on red background)

 Colour and b/w photography (fingerprint on document)

 Infrared (latent impression, blood stain), ultraviolet

 Highspeed (trace down the path of bullets)

 Surveillance photography & videography

 Crime scene photography

Basic steps to take care of:

• A minimum of four photographs should be captured for the general view (corpus delicti & items of evidence).

• Close-up photographs along with a scale to indicate dimensions

• Record the items covered, positions of the cameras, and types of illumination used

o main site of the scene of occurrence

o route of the approach of the offender

o start from the entry point

o try to include all the evidence from different possible angles

o location of the corpus delicti

o position and identity of the corpus delicti

o evidence on the deceased (injuries, weapon, hair, fibers)

o marks of struggle (bloodstain, disturbed scene, bedding)

o evidence left by the offender (weapon, bullets, cartridge case, cigarette buds, fingerprints, footmarks, bullet holes, tool marks etc)

o point of exit

o route of departure

Author:- Sumithara