Forensic
Photography
by
Charlotte Beetham
In this essay I will look at the
history of forensic photography and how it is today. Also the training needed
and the techniques you would need to know and also look at 1 organization,
which does forensic photography. I will
also take about the positives and the negatives in this line of work, and will
end with an appraisal
of images.
History
The earliest trace of forensic
photography was from Belgium and Denmark in the early 1800’s. Police in these
counties would photograph inmates in their prisons to document who had been
sentenced. These were the first mug shots, which led to the prisons to hire
photographers to do the job for them. In the 1870’s forensic photography had
spread to a lot of other countries, but were limited to larger cities. Professional
photographers would get employed by the police stations to take portraits of
the criminals.
Forensic photography now
Photography in forensics is becoming
one of the most important parts of an investigation, next to key witness
statements, reports from police and lots of other evidence, which is provided
by the scene itself.
Forensic photography is used to
minimize the risk of any statements, which could cause confliction. If there were
a corpse on the scene then that would be photographed as well as the scene so
that people doing the post mortem would know what state the corpse was in and
what position it was found to. The image would also after they have been used
as evidence would be then documented and stored away for future reference
incase a case is brought to an appeal for further evidence.
Photographic evidence is very important to both prosecution and defense.
It also helps the officers, which weren’t at the scene to see what they found. (Rowlinson, 2010)
Training
Once being
chosen to be a crime scene investigator or a scene of crime officer (COSO)
while you are on a crime scene you would get some general crime scene
photography. The qualifications need to become a forensic photographer is
either to become a crime scene investigator or a scene of crime officer (COSO)
with good passes at a GCSE grade which has to include English and either
(biology/ chemistry) or maths and at least one A level or higher in a science
subject.
What people
would call a typical way to get employment, as a forensic photographer is to
complete a recognised course in photography such as a City & Guild or a
BTEC National Diploma in Photography. Applying for police jobs in the forces or
specialist forensic service companies on the job taking full advantage of
subsequent on the job training. Greater Manchester and the metropolitan for
examples of large police forces which would take on dedicated and reliable
photographers to work with a team to work alongside CSI’s (crime scene investigators).
In the small forces CSI’s would cover their own forensic photography after some
intensive training course in forensic photography at the central police
training and development authority centre.
There are lots
of other specialist courses that include forensic photography such as
fingerprints, footwear, vehicle examination, lighting and documents is included
within the photographic units of the police forces or forensic science
companies. Some employers may also support work-based courses such as NVQ/
SVQ’s.
Employers may
support work-based qualifications, such as Apprenticeships and NVQ/SVQs. Photo
Imaging NVQ/SVQs are currently available at levels 2, 3 and 4.
Health &
Safety - All photographers need to understand Health & Safety legislation,
and should be capable of assessing and managing the risks and potential dangers
associated with the use of electrical lighting, equipment and props. Forensic
Photographers may be subject to physical stresses from carrying heavy camera
equipment and lighting, indoors and out, in all seasons and all environmental
conditions. They should therefore seek advice about appropriate techniques for
lifting and moving equipment. There may also be a range of other risks specific
to their area of work and they should seek suitable training in appropriate
risk management procedures and best practice. (Forensic Photographer )
Techniques
With the exception of life-saving
efforts nothing should be moved or even touched at the crime scene until the
forensic photographer has arrived. An
extensive amount of images should be taken of the entire scene. These images
would include overall, mid-range, and close-up photographs which should show
all significant items and all entrances and exits. The reason you need to use
the different types of ranges is to first capture and object relative to its
surroundings, and then document all the close-up details. The outside of the
building needs to be documented as well because the exterior is just as
important as the inside, which should be shot from various angles and notes
made if there are any irregularities. It is also common for forensic
photographer to photograph onlookers, which are outside the scene as members of
the crowd may be implicated in the crime under investigation. Also nearby
vehicles should be photographed.
The images taken from any scene may only become visual proof of the
scene as it was; therefore it is vital to maintain perspective in the photo’s.
the best way to maintain a natural perspective by shooting photographs with a
camera aimed at a 90 degree angle. Any distortion in the images may compromise
the image making it useless for evidence in court. For each of the photographs
which the photographer or a photographic team should be logged with the
relevant information, including a description of the photograph, from where the
images was taken, camera settings, and any enhancements techniques used, such
as flash or lens filters.
Generally color photographs are taken but images are sometime more
beneficial for enhancement purposes maybe taken in black and white. Photomicrography
uses extension tubes between the lens and the camera, allowing for an increased
magnification that is particularly useful when documenting trace evidence, such
as fibers or glass fragments. Different types of light sources and filters can
visualize previously latent evidence, such as biological fluids. (Forensic Science Central)
The
forensic science service
The
forensic science service (FSS) is the market leader in the supply of forensic
services to police forces in England and Wales and has a very well known reputation
for excellence in the development and deployment of new and advanced techniques
known globally. Its heritage and expertise also provide the basis for
world-class training services.
The forensic science service (FSS) established
the development and implementation of DNA technologies. It also paved the world’s
first DNA database, launched in April 1995.
The FSS has been 100%govenment –owned
company or GovCo, since 2005. The change in position from a Trading fund allows
it to respond faster to changes in the forensic science market and compete more
effectively with other business in the field.
They
offer all these services, Blood Pattern Analysis, Body Fluids, Cold Case
Review, Crime Scene Services, Digital Solutions, DNA Solutions, Drugs, Fibers,
Fingerprints, firearms & Ammunition, Fire Investigation Services, Footwear,
Forensic Histology Services, Forensic Intelligence Services, FORS: Forensic Bibliographic Database, FORSight: The
Forensic Abstracts Journal, Glass And Paint, Hair,
International
Solutions, Marks & Traces, Mobile Forensic Services, Mobile Phone & PDA
Analysis, Pathology Services, Questioned Documents, Scenesafe, Products, Sexual
Offence Service, Software Solutions, Specialist Resourcing Services,
Toxicology, Training Services. (Service)
Positive
and negative aspects of the job
The
positives in forensic photography is that you get to work as a team and be
apart of something that will help people get justice for a crime that is
committed against them. Also you would get to travel to different areas, which
is also good, despite the reason why you are there.
The
negatives in forensic photography are that the scenes that you see can be very
distressing and you may end up with needing psychological help, because if you
don’t it can cause you harm. This is why the police have hired psychologists to
help the officers, investigators photographers and other members of the team if
they wish to get help. Also the hours aren’t necessarily the same everyday like a normal 9-5
job, but are more likely to be flexible, which could cause personal problems.
Also you cannot exhibit your work in an art gallery because they will be all
Appraisal
of photographs
(Autopsy Photos of Lisa McPherson)
I
decided instead of showing you different sets of images I would show you one
set of autopsy images to show you how much detail is needed for this forensic
photography.
A
pre-warning the following images are very distressing.
This
is a full body shot of Lisa, her private areas have been covered with white
squares just for the Internet but when used in court they would not be there.
This would have been taken not long after her death; it looks like she has just
been moved from her hospital bed onto the autopsy table. Everyone when they die
have there own special ID number which when the body is being photographed or
anything need to be on show and checked to make sure that they have the right
person. This card also has measurements on it to measure wounds on the victim’s
body.
This
image is of Lisa’s back. In this image you can see a lot of redness which is
Lisa’s blood settling on her back because she had been lying on her back. If
you look closely you can see a bruise on her left hip. Again you can see her ID number at the bottom
of her back.
This
image is the back of Lisa’s right shoulder there is a 3/4-inch drying abrasion, which is a
wound caused by superficial damage to the skin, which in
this image is the brown patch. Again you can see her ID number on the orange
card.
This
image is the front of Lisa’s shoulder. You can also see in this image the blood
setting down to her back on her neck and the side of her chest. Again
you can see her ID number.
This
image is to show Lisa’s left leg from the side. You can see multiple bruises
and what look like bite marks which I have read up on which are in fact insect
bites. Someone in one of reports thinks they might have been cockroach
bites. Again you can see her ID number.
This
image is to show the inside of Lisa’s right leg. Which has some bruising and
bite marks again plus you can see the blood settling again on her calf, and
behind her right knee. Again you can see her ID number.
This
image is the back of Lisa’s legs. Which also have bruises and bites. You can
also see the blood, which has settled better than the other images of her legs.
Again you can see her ID number.
This
image is of Lisa’s right foot. You can see that there are more bites to her
feet and quite a big laceration on her foot, which you can see on the right
hand side of the image. Again you can see her ID number.
This image is of Lisa’s left hand. You can see that there are some more bite
marks on Lisa’s hand and wrist. Also while studying this image I saw that
Lisa’s nails seem to be very dirty which if you look at her before she died she
doesn’t look the type of girl to have dirty nails, which indicates even more
the neglect, which the Coroner stated in his
report. Also you can see that she still has her cannula in which means these
images were taken not long after she had died. Again you can see her
ID number.
This
image is of Lisa’s right hand. You can see on her lower arm there is another drying abrasion and more bruising and
bites. For the first time you can see the coroners or it could be the
photographer’s hand in the image holding the ID number in shot.
This
image is of Lisa’s right wrist. You can see the drying abrasion more clearly in this image,
which is about 4cm wide. There are bite marks and bruising to her wrists. Again you can see her
ID number.
This
image is of Lisa’s left wrist. There is yet another drying abrasion to her other wrist which is
about 2cm wide. Again
you can see her ID number.
This
image is of one of Lisa’s elbows; to me it looks like her right elbow.
Automatically you can see the abrasion its about 1cm wide in the center of her
elbow. Again
you can see her ID number.
This
image is of Lisa’s right hip you can see that there is really bad bruising to
her hipbone. Again you can see her ID number.
These
images are close-ups of Lisa’s face, which are quite distressing. You can see
by these photographs that Lisa really doesn’t look like her self. If you look
at her lips you can see that she must have been dehydrated because she lips
look really chapped and you can see little cut from were they have spilt. Also
there are some cuts on her face, which are on her forehead, nose and chin.
Again you can see her ID number.
While writing this essay I have found out that to be a
forensic photographer you need to know a lot about photography and science and
that the easiest route to become a forensic photographer is to be a (CSI) crime
scene investigator. Also that you need to have a strong stomach and to be able
to be professional because I had to go to court to present the evidence I would
be able to be emotional but I would have to be sympathetic towards the family
of the deceased. At first when I saw the
autopsy photographs I was really shocked and I said to myself I cant do this
but I looked at them again and thought this women deserved justice and with
these images as evidence would help towards that goal and I want to be able to
do that for people to give their families some relief about knowing the
criminal is being punished for his crime. So yes writing this essay has
definitely got me thinking whether this is the right direction I want to go in
and I can honestly say yes it is.
Bibliography
Autopsy
Photos of Lisa McPherson. (n.d.). Retrieved 10 30, 2011, from
http://www.lisamcpherson.org/lisapics.htm
Forensic Photographer . (n.d.).
Retrieved 10 28, 2011, from skillset:
http://www.skillset.org/photo/careers/photographers/article_3424_1.asp
Forensic Science Central. (n.d.). Retrieved 10 22, 2011,
from Forensic Science Central:
http://forensicsciencecentral.co.uk/photography.shtml
Service, F. S. (n.d.). Retrieved 10 22, 2011, from Forensic
Science Service: http://www.forensic.gov.uk/html/company/
Rowlinson, J. (2010, 11 29). Explore Forensic's.
Retrieved 10 22, 2011, from
http://www.exploreforensics.co.uk/forensic-photography.html
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