POLICE PHOTOGRAPHY

PROF. ALLAN L. TILLA-IN, MS. CRIM

DEFINITION OF TERMS:
1. Photography = Derived from the Greek word “Phos” or “Photos” which
means “light” and “Grapho” means “Writing” or “Graphia” meaning “to
Draw”. Sir John F. W. Herschel coined the word photography when he
first wrote a letter to Henry Fox Talbot.
= Is the art and science of reproducing image by means of light
through some sensitized material with the aid of a camera, Lens and its
accessories and the chemical process required in order to produce a
photograph.

2. Forensic = Derived from the Latin word “Forum” which means “a market
place” where people gathered for public discussion.
= When used in conjunction with other science it connotes a
relationship to the administration of justice. It is sometimes used
interchangeably with the word legal.

3. Police Photography = Is the application of the principles of photography

is relation to the police work and in the administration of justice.

4. Photograph = Is the mechanical and chemical result of Photography.

Picture and photograph are not the same for a picture is a generic term
is refers to all kinds of formed image while a photograph is an image
that can only be a product of photography.

B. USES OF PHOTOGRAPHY

1. Personal Identification
= Personal Identification is considered to be the first application of
photography is police work. Alphonse Bertillion was the first police who
utilized photography in police work as a supplementary identification in his
Anthropometry system.
2. For Communication
= Photograph is considered to be one of the most universal methods of
communication considering that no other language can be known universally
than photograph.
3. For Record Purposes
= Considered to be the utmost used of photography in police work.
 Different Views in photographing
a. General View
= taking an over-all view of the scene of the crime. It shows
direction and location of the crime scene.
b. Medium View
= Is the taking of the photograph of the scene of the crime by
dividing it into section. This view will best view the nature of the
crime.

c. Close-up View
= Is the taking of individual photograph of the evidence at the
scene of the crime. It is design to show the details of the crime.
d. Extreme Close-up View
= Commonly designed in laboratory photographing using some
magnification such as Photomacrography and photomicrography.

4. For Preservation
= Crime scene and other physical evidence requires photograph for
preservation purposes. Crime scene cannot be retain as is for a long period
of time but through photograph the initial condition of the scene of the
crime can be preserved properly.

5. For Discovering and Proving

= Photography can extend human vision in discovering and proving
things such as:
a. The use of Magnification
Photomicrography = Taking a magnified photograph of small
object through attaching a camera to the ocular of a compound
microscope so as to show a minute details of the physical evidence.
Photomacrogaphy = Taking a magnified (enlarged) photograph
of small object by attaching an extended tube lens (macro lens) to the
camera.
Microphotography = is the process of reducing into a small
strips of film a scenario. It is first used in filmmaking.
Macrophotography = used synonymously with photomacrogaphy.
Telephotography = Is the process of taking photograph of a far
object with the aid of a long focus and Telephoto lens.

b. Used of Artificial Light such as X-ray, Ultra-violet and Infra-red

rays to show something which may not be visible with the aid of
human eye alone.
 6. For Court Exhibits
= Almost all evidence presented in court before formally be accepted
requires that they satisfy the basic requirements for admissibility which is
relevancy and competency. A question of relevancy is usually proved by
proving the origin of the evidence and its relation to the case and this is
usually supplemented by photograph of the evidence giving reference as to
where it came from.
Evidence presented in court once accepted became known as Exhibit.
Either Exhibit 1,2,3 etc. for the defense or Exhibit A, B, C etc for the
prosecution.

7. Crime Prevention
= with the used of video camera (hidden camera) and other advanced
photographic equipment crimes are being detected more easily and even to
the extent of preventing them from initially occurring.

8. Police Training
= Modern facilities are now being used as instructional material not
only in police training as well as in other agencies.

9. Reproducing and Copying

= With the use of photography any number of reproduction of the
evidence can be made those giving unlimited opportunity for its examination
and even allow other experts or person to examine the specimen without
compromising the original.

C. ESSENTIALS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
1. Light = is an electromagnetic energy that travels in a form of a wave
with the speed of 186, 000 miles per second.
2. Camera = a light tight box designed to block unwanted or
unnecessary light from reaching the sensitized material.
3. Lens = is the light gathering mechanism of the camera that collect
the reflected light coming from the object to form the image.
4. Sensitized material = composed of a highly sensitized chemical
compound which is capable of being transformed into an image
through the action of light and with some chemical processes. ( Film
and Photo Paper).
5. Chemical Process = is the process necessary for reducing silver
halides into a form so as a latent image and a positive image be made
resulting to what we called Photograph.
E. LIGHT: ITS NATURE, CHARACTERISTICS, SOURCES AND
CLASSIFICATION
Light is defined as an electromagnetic energy with the speed of 186,00
miles per second. Its wave travel is said to be characterized in certain extent
based on velocity, wavelength and frequency of the number of vibration of the
wave per second.
Light wavelength is the distance measured between two (2) successive
crest or through of wave and it is expressed in either Millimicron (nanometer)
or Angstrom. Millimicron is the units of light wavelength which is equivalent to
one-millionth part of a millimeter which the Angstrom is relatively smaller for it
has an equivalent measurement of ten (10) millionth part of a millimeter.
Once light hits a certain medium, its action can be characterized as
either: Reflected, Transmitted or Absorbed (RAT). Reflected once the light
hits a mirror and it bounce back. Transmitted when the light hits a transparent
glass which would allow the light to pass through its medium and Absorbed when
the light hits a dark colored object and prevents it from either bouncing or
passing through.
Isaac Newton in 1666 proved that the light which men see as white light
is actually a mixture of all colors of the spectrum. This is produced when we
allow light to hit a glass prism (Sharp Edge of the Glass). A rainbow array will
then be shown with colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet colors
(from top to bottom). The visible light is also said of have a wavelength of
between 400-700 millimicron or nanometer.

1. Types of Light
Lights can largely be classified into visible and invisible light.
a. Visible Light
= Is the type of light that produces different sensation when
reach the human eye. It is the type of light, which is capable of
exciting the retina of the human eye.
b. Invisible Light
= lights in which their wavelength are either too short or too long
to excite the retina of the human eye i.e. X-ray, Ultra-violet and
Infra-red lights.

2. Photographic Rays
a. X-ray
=Light with the wavelength between .01 to 30 millimicrons. It is
produced by passing an electric current through a special type of vacuum
tube. It was incidentally discovered by Conrad Wilhelm Roentgen. This
type of light works in the principle of shadow photography.
 b. Ultra-violet ray (Before the violet)
= Radiation having a wavelength of 30 to 400 nanometers designed to
photograph fingerprints in multi colored background, documents that are
altered, decipherment of erase writing and developing invisible writing. It is
commercially known as “black Light”.

c. Visible Light
= Is the type of radiation having a wavelength of 400 to 700 millimicrons
designed for ordinary photographing purposes.

d. Infra-red (Beyond the Red)

= Considered as the photographic rays with the longest wavelength ranging
from 700 to 1000 millimicrons. It is designed to take photograph of over-
written documents, obliterated writing, and charred documents or for black
out photography. Sometimes referred to as heat rays.

3. Light Source
A. Natural Light= are those light which come to existence without the
intervention of man e.i. Sunlight, moonlight and starlight.
1. Bright Sunlight
= object in an open space casts a deep and uniform shadow and
the object appears glossy.
2. Hazy Sunlight
= object in an open space casts a transparent or bluish shadow.
This is due to thin clouds that cover the sun.
3. Dull Sunlight
= object in an open space cast no shadow due to thick clouds
covering the sun.

Daylight may still be classified as: open space bright sunlight,

under shade bright sunlight, hazy sunlight, cloudy sunlight and cloudy dull
sunlight.
These conditions and their colors affect the appearance of the
object being photograph. Factors such as atmospheric vapor, atmospheric
dust and quality of the reflected light coming and not coming from the
source should likewise be considered.
 A. Artificial Light = otherwise known as man-made light
e.g. fluorescent bulb, incandescent bulb and photoflood lamp.

1. Continuous radiation
Photoflood lamp= is likewise known as Reflectorized light or Spot
light. It is a light with a reflector at the back which focuses the light
to the object the common wattages of this lamp is 500 watts.

Fluorescent Lamp = are tube lamps in which the walls are coated
with fluorescent powders with both ends is mounted with a holder
that serves as the reflector. This is commonly used by everybody
more than it is used in photographing.

Incandescent bulb = are bulb with a wire filament connecting two

wires which sustain the electrical charge that produces the light.
Everybody likewise commonly uses this although it is more expensive
in terms of electrical consumptions.

Infra-red Lamp
Ultra-violet Lamp

2. Short Duration type

Flash bulb = are chemical lamps, as it generate lights by the rapid
combination of metal in oxygen. The bulb can be used only once as
the bulb is busted when fired electrically. There are thin filaments
inside the bulb with two electrical contacts. When the current
flows through the filament, it becomes incandescent and ignites
the explosive primer that ignites the aluminum foil that burns,
giving flash of tense light.

Electronic Flash = produces light by an instantaneous electrical in

charges between two electrodes in a gas filled glass bulbs. The
electrical energy for the discharge is kept in capacitor or
condenser. It usually ranges from 1/300 second and 1/5000
second, and because of this, subject in fast motion can be arrested
or stopped in the photographs.

4. SENSITIZED MATERIAL
= It refers to the film and photographic paper that basically composed of
emulsion containing Silver Halides suspended in gelatin and coated on a
transparent or reflective support.
Parts of the Sensitized Material
1. Emulsion = is that part of the film or photographic paper which
contains the silver grains which is the one sensitive to light. In a
colored film this emulsion surface can be composed of three layers
(Blue, Green and Red) with filters intervening.
2. Anti Halation Backing = is the one designed to hold back the light and
prevents halation.
3. Base = Support the emulsion

I. Types of Film
A. According to Use
1. Black and White Film = usually represented by a prefix
or a suffix “Pan” or “Ortho” and generally used in black
and white photography. Examples are Ortholith film, Tri
X-Pan and Pan X-plus.

2. Colored Film = can be divided into two: the Negative

type and the reversal type of colored film. The
former is usually having names ending in color while the
word chrome represents the latter.
e.g. Blue sensitive film, Ultra-violet film, Infra-
red film, Orthochromatic film and Panchromatic film.
B. According to Spectral Sensitivity
Spectral sensitivity = is the responsiveness of the film
emulsion to the different wavelength of the light course.
1. Blue – Sensitive film = sensitive to U.V. light and Blue
Color.
2. Orthochromatic Film = Sensitive to U.V. Light up to the
green. ( popular in the marker as KODALITH FILM)
3. Panchromatic film = Sensitive to U.V. Light up to red
(sensitive to all colors of the visible light)
4. Infra-red Film = Sensitive to all colors and to infra-red
light.

FILM SPEED (Emulsion Speed)

This refers to the degree of sensitivity of the film to light.
1. ASA (American Standards Association) = this is expressed in
arithmetic value system. The bigger the number the more sensitive
the film is.
ASA 10, 20 , 30 , 40,50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1000
2. DIN ( Deutche Industre Normen) = expressed in Logarithmic value
system. Used in the same principle as the ASA.
 Din 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33 etc.
3. ISO (International Standard Organization) expressed as
combination of ASA and DIN rating.

II. Photographic Paper

Is that sensitized material that will record the visible image in the
final development and become the photograph.

Types of Photographic Papers

A. According to Emulsion Used (Silver halides content)
1. Silver Chloride paper = used for contact printing, the size of
the positive print is the same as the size of the negative used.
Sensitivity to light is low and give blue-black tones when
properly developed.
2. Silver Bromide paper = used projection, printing and enlarging
process. This is one of the most ideal photo paper used for
police photography. Will give a black tone when properly
developed.
3. Silver Chlorobromide paper = used both for projection and
contact printing. Slow emulsion.

B. According to Physical Characteristics

b.1. Weight
1. Light weight = designed for high flexibility and when paper
thickness is not of consideration. Intended for purposes, which
involves folding.
2. Single Weight = papers used for small prints or which are need
to be mounted on solid and fine details necessary in the
production. Used in ordinary photographic purposes.
3. Double weight = generally used for large prints because they
stand up under rough treatment.
B.2. Surface Texture
a. Glossy paper =designed for fine details and brilliant
image formation.
b. Semi-mate paper = obscure the fine details
c. Rough papers = used for large prints or where breath
rather than detail is necessary.
B.3. Color
a. White = better used in police photography.
b. Cream = preferred for pictorial effect, portraits,
landscape or when warmth effect is desired.
 c. Buff papers = prepare for tone prints
C. According to Contrast (grade)
1. Velox No. 0 = used for printing extremely contrast negative or
extremely exposed film.
2. Velox No. 1 = used for high contrast negative (over exposed
film)
3. Velox No. 2 = used for normal exposed film
4. Velox No. 3 = used for negative with weak contrast (under
exposed)

5. CAMERA
Is a light tight box with light gathering device and a means of blocking
unwanted or unnecessary light from reaching the sensitized material.

Basically, camera can produce image with its four-(4) basic parts such as
light tight box, lens, and shutter, Holder of sensitized material.

Essential Parts of a Camera

1. Light Tight Box – a box designed to keep light out and serve as a frame
to hold other parts.
2. Lens – designed to collect or to focus the reflected light from an object
to form an image on the film.
3. Shutter – designed to control the time during which the light reaches the
film
4. Holder of the sensitized material – located at the opposite side of the
lens designed to hold firmly the sensitized material to prevent the
formation of the multiple or blurred image
5. View finder – designed to determine the field of view of the camera or
the extent of the coverage of the given lens

OTHER PARTS OF A CAMERA

A. Viewing System
Is that part of the camera which provides the means of showing to
the photographer the entire scene coverage that can be recorded in the
sensitized material.
B. Film Advancer (film advance lever or knob) =designed to transfer
the exposed film to the other side or to the take up spool and the
unexposed film will be the opposite side of the lens for another
exposure.
C. Shutter speed = is that part of the camera which regulates the
time exposure of the film thus, affecting the amount of light
 reaching the sensitized material. It is usually expressed in a
fraction of a second.

1/1 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/15 1/30 1/60 1/125 1/250 1/500
etc.

The speed number in the left is always two times powerful in terms of
light gathering than that of the right number
Using a fast shutter speed the photographer can stop or “freeze” the
action of a person provided that necessary adjustment on the lens opening be
made in order to maintain normal exposure.
D. Lens Aperture = the ratio between the diameter of the whole lens
in relation to the focal length of the lens. It is the light gathering
power of the lens. Otherwise known as lens opening or relative
aperture and it is expressed in F-number.

f 2.8 f-4 f-5.6 f-8 f-11 f-16

The lower the f-number, the bigger the lens opening and the bigger the
lens opening the greater the volume of air that will passed through the lends
and reach the sensitized material.

If the objective of a photographer is obtain the widest possible coverage

of the lens in which objects are all sharp, It will be advisable to used a smaller
lens opening.
E. Focusing = is that mechanism of a camera designed to control the
degree of sharpness of the object to be photograph. It is usually
obtained by estimating the distance from the camera and that of
the object that will make a sharp or clear image.
Types of focusing device:
1. Range finder (Either coincidence or split image type)
Coincidence otherwise known as superimposed image focusing. In this type of
focusing a single object will appeared double once the object is not in
focus, but moving the focusing adjustment this double image will
coincide or superimposed to form a single object.
Split Image focusing on the other hand will show an image in split or two parts
once the object in not in focus once the two parts of the image has
been united then the object is already focused

2. Ground Glass
 This is observed from the viewing system of the camera, once the object
is not in focused the object will be viewed to be blurred and will turn sharp
and clear once adjusted.

3. Scale Bed
Estimating the distance of the object and adjusting the camera control
based on his estimation do this.

TYPES OF THE CAMERA

1. View Finder Type – it is considered as the smallest and the simplest
type of camera
2. Single Lens Reflex Camera – it is a type of camera best suited for
police work due to its interchangeability of the lens
3. Twin Lens Reflex Camera – A type of camera with dual lens, one for
focusing and the other for forming the image.
4. View or Press type – is considered the biggest and expensive type of
camera, used for movie making
5. LENS
= It is the image-forming device of the lens that actually has a greater
effect on the quality of the image to be formed.
= a medium or system which converge or diverge light rays passing
through it to form an image.
= Can be a glass or transparent material, which permit light to pass
through and change the direction of light.
Daniel Barbaro = first to introduce the use of lens in the camera.

CLASSIFICATION OF LENSES
1. According to the type of image to be produced
a. Positive or Convex Lens (Converging Lens) Characterized by the
fact that it is thicker at the center and thinner at the side which
is capable of bending the light together and forms the image
inversely.
b. Negative or Concave Lens (diverging Lens) Characterized by the
fact that it is thinner at the center and thicker at the side and
forms the virtual image on the same side of the lens.
2. According to Degree of Corrections
a. Meniscus Lens = lens that has no correction.
b. Rapid Rectilinear Lens – lens corrected of distortion
c. Anastigmat Lens – correcting astigmatism
d. Achromatic Lens – correcting chromatic aberration
 e. Apochromatic Lens – correcting both astigmatism and chromatic
aberration

INHERRRENT LENS DEFECTS

1. Spherical Aberration= Inability of the lens to focus light passing the
side of the lens producing an image that is sharp in the center and
blurred at the side.
2. Coma = (Also known as lateral aberration) = Inability of the lens to focus
light that travels straight or lateral, thus making it blurred while the
light reaching the lens oblique is the one the is transmitted sharp.
3. Curvature of Field = the relation of the images of the different point
are incorrect with respect to one another.
4. Distortion = Is a defect in shape not in sharpness. It can either be
Pincushion distortion (curving inward) or Barrel (curving outward).
5. Chromatic Aberration = Inability of the lens to focus light of varying
wavelength. The lens refracts rays of short wavelength more strongly
than those of longer wavelength and therefore bringing blue rays to a
shorter focus than the red.
6. Astigmatism= is a form of lens defects in which the horizontal and
vertical axis are not equally magnified. Inability of the lens to focus
both horizontal and vertical lines.
7. Flares = condition of the lens producing multiple images.

LENS CHARACTERISTICS
1. Focal Length – is the distance measured from the optical center of the
lens is set to focus at infinite position. As according to focal lenses may
be classified as:
a. Wide Angle or Short Focus = with focal length not longer than the
diagonal half of the negative. Useful in taking photograph at short
distance with wider area coverage.
b. Normal or Medium Focus = with focal length approximately equal
but not longer than twice the diagonal half of the negative.
c. Long or Telephoto Lens = with focal length longer than twice the
diagonal half of the negative. Best used in long distance
photographing but with narrow area coverage.

d. ZOOM lens = lens with variable focal length or that which can be
adjusted continuously by the movement of one or more elements in
the lens system.
 2. Relative Aperture – the light gathering power of the lens expressed in F-
number
a. Depth of Field – is the distance measured from the nearest to the
farthest object in apparent sharp focus when the lens
b. Hyperfocal distance = Is the nearest distance at which when a
lens is focused with a given particular diaphragm opening will gives
the maximum depth of field.
3. Focusing = is the setting of the proper distance in order to form a sharp
image. The one that controls the degree of sharpness of the object.

6. CHEMICAL PROCESS
The process of making the latent image visible and permanent.
a. Development (Use of either D-76, Dektol or Universal Solution)
= Is the process necessary for reducing the silver halides to
form the image.
Elon, Hydroquenone = used as main developing agents
b. Stop bath = normally composed of water with little amount of
dilute acetic acid that serves as a means to prevent contamination
between the developer and the acid fixer.
c. Fixation = Is the process by which all unexposed silver halides are
dissolved or removed from the emulsion surface and making the
image more permanent.
Sodium Thiosulfate (hypo) is the main fixing agent that
dissolves unexposed silver halides.

Other chemicals used:

Acetic Acid and Boric acid = serves as neutralizer
Sodium Sulfate = serves as the preservative
Potassium Bromide = restrainer or hardener
Sodium bicarbonate and borax powder = serves as accelerator
Dodging = is the process of eliminating unwanted portion of the negative
during enlarging.
Cropping = is the process of omitting an object during the process of
enlarging and printing.
Vignetting = is the gradual fading of the image towards the side through
skillful adjustment on the dodging board.
Dye toning = is the process designed in changing the color tone of the
photograph.
Burning-In = refers to additional exposure on a desired portion of the
negative used for purposes of making a balance exposure.