Forensic Photography
By: Allie Gruber and Olivia
Carmichael
Forensic Photography
• Requirements:
– High ethical and professional standing
– Employed in Forensic Science including photography.
– Have minimum of 3 years working with photography
– 40 classroom hours of photography
– You must receive two letters- one from an individual and
one from supervisor.
What’s the point?
• The point of a forensic photographer is to capture the
evidence that you may not have noticed at the scene, the
lighting and bring out key evidence at the scene.
• Some photographers take close-up pictures of bloodstains,
cuts, tears in clothes.
• For certain times, special light sources are needed for
photography.
• They record the original scene as it is when they arrive.
• Gives a permanent visual record to many investigators.
• These photos can be used in court for visual evidence against
the suspect.
Equipment
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Camera
Normal lens
Wide-angle lens
Close-up lens
Filters
Flashes
Tripod
Film
Notebook/pen
Ruler
flashlight
• Sync card for electronic
flashes
• Camera protection
• Color film and black and
white film
Steps in Recording a Scene
•
•
•
•
•
Secure the scene
Take preliminary notes
Take overview photographs
Make a sketch
Record items of evidence
Skills of a Forensic Photographer
• You must correctly expose the film, and when shooting
photos, forensic photographers must shoot photos with the
maximum depth of field. This insures that the photos are very
sharp, and clear for any visual reference that might be
needed.
• Photographers must know how to shoot photos in every type
of lighting. A crime can happen anywhere, so the forensic
photographers must know how to properly expose photos,
even in the hardest areas to expose.
Educational Paths
• There is no required route to become a forensic photographer, but
schooling is key though when trying to find a photographer.
• Many successful photographers have degrees in science and in
photography.
• Many receive an undergraduate degree in photography and in criminology.
• Forensic photographers can be more successful when they know how to
use computers, for any digital work through photos.
• Key classes: science, criminology, computer courses, and photography
Case Study William Lester Suff
• His real name was Bill Lee Suff, his serial name
was the “Riverside Killer.”
• He not only killed over 13 women but he also
beat his two month old daughter to death, his
wife also helped him kill their daughter.
• He would drive in a van until he would spot his
victims, then he would stab them to death with
the knife he carried with him.
• Many people described Bill Lee as a “friendly
nerd who was always doing things to help
people.”
Case Study Cont.
Suff’s Victims
William Lester in Court
Interview with Philip Cicero
•
1. Q- What are the classifications of a forensic photographer/ what
type of educational background does it involve?
A-Here are the minimum requirements for my position from the State of
Tennessee website.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience: Successful completion of two years of course
work (i.e., 90 quarter hours) from an accredited
college or university in photography, visual arts or digital imaging,
including at least nine quarter hours in photography, and
experience equivalent to two years of professional and/or forensic
photographic work.
• ANSWER CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE 
Interview Cont.
•
Substitution of Experience for Education: Qualifying full-time
professional and/or forensic photographic work may be
substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis to a
maximum of two years (e.g. experience equivalent to one
year of full-time work in professional and/or forensic photography may
substitute for one year [i.e., 45 quarter hours] of the
required education, including the nine quarter hours in photography).
Necessary Special Qualifications: (1) must possess a valid motor
vehicle operator’s license, (2) must pass a physical and
psychological examination by licensed physicians, (3) must have
fingerprints on file with the Tennessee Bureau of
Investigation, (4) must have a good moral character as determined by
investigation, (5) must be willing to carry and use a
firearm, (6) must successfully complete the Tennessee Bureau of
Investigation crime scene investigations training course and
the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation firearms and weapons training
course within the first year of employment.
I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Commercial Photography and have
worked in Photography for over 20 years.
Interview Cont.
• 2. What is a typical day for a forensic photographer?
Typically, my day to day duties include photographing fingerprints
found on evidence from crime scenes. Then I take those photographs and
enhance them in the computer for Latent Fingerprint examiner to make
comparisons. The best way to describe the enhancing process is that I
improve the clarity of the fingerprint using a computer and software
that tracks and records everything that is done to the image. The
software that I use then is able to verify that nothing was altered or
modified. All of the enhancements are done using a computer but are
based on traditional photography. Such as lighten, darken, dodge, burn,
sharpen, adjust contrast and so on.
Then as you can imagine I have a collection of a whole lot of digital
images. I am also responsible for maintaining a database of all of those
images as well as archiving and storing all of those images so that at
any point from now on we will be able to find and retrieve those
pictures.
Interview Cont.
• 3. Is photography your whole job or do you do other things on the
side of this?
In addition to my day to day duties. I also am assigned to work as part
of a Violent Crime Response Team. Which means I need to be prepared to
be on call and be ready to go out on Crime Scenes day or night. I also
teach TBI Agents and Police Officers from across the state of Tennessee
about how to operate their digital cameras as well as what to take
pictures of at crime scenes. I also make enlargements of fingerprints
and charts for Court presentations. And I'm responsible for any other
photographic needs of the TBI.
Interview Cont.
4. What are the pros/cons of being in the forensic
sciences/photography?
Pros
• It is a really great job.
• Every day is different. You never
know what you are going to be
doing
the next day.
• Photographing fingerprints can be
very difficult, so that is fun for a
photographer to get to be
creative to figure out how to
make the best
picture.
• Every day I'm reminded that I get
to do something to really help the
world and help make it a better
place.
Cons
• Forensic Photography is a
very exacting job. There is
no room for
mistakes.
• There can be some very
difficult stuff to see on
Crime Scene duty as
you can imagine.
Bibliography
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
International Association for Identification. International Association for Identification. 20 Jan. 2009
http://www.theiai.org/certifications/imaging/requirements.php.
"Forensic Photography." Westchester gov.com. 2008. 20 Jan. 2009
http://www.westchestergov.com/labsresearch/ForensicandTox/forensic/photo/forphotoframeset.htm.
"Forensic Photography for the Crime Scene Technician." Crime Scene and Evidence Photography. 16 Jan.
2009. 20 Jan. 2009 http://www.crime-scene-investigator.net/fet-ol.html.
"Forensic Photographer." School in the USA.com. 2009. The EI Group. 20 Jan. 2009
http://www.schoolsintheusa.com/careerprofiles_details.cfm?carid=1105.
http://www.cybersleuths.com/billkelly/bkchap2.htm
http://www.trutv.com/graphics/photos/serial_killers/predators/bill_suff/7-1Bill-Suff-with-his-daugh.jpg
http://ezinearticles.com/?Photography---Forensic-Photography&id=187123