FORENSIC PHOTOGRAPHY
Faithful representation or accurate
PHOTOGRAPHY
 It is an art or science which
deals with the reproduction of
images through the action of
light upon sensitized materials
(film or paper) with the aid of
the camera and its accessories
and the chemical processes
involved therein.
 is the process of making
pictures by means of
capturing light on a
light-sensitive medium,
such as a sensor or film.
Light patterns reflected or
emitted from objects are
recorded onto a sensitive
medium or storage chip
through a timed exposure.
The most common process
is done through mechanical,
chemical or digital devices
known as cameras.
 The word comes from the Greek
words phos ("light"), and graphis
("stylus", "paintbrush") or
together meaning "drawing with
light" or "representation by
means of lines" or "drawing."
Traditionally the product of
photography has been called a
photograph. The term photo is
an abbreviation; many people
also call them pictures. In digital
photography, the term image
has begun to replace
photograph. (The term image is
traditional in geometric optics.)
POLICE PHOTOGRAPHY
 It is an art or science which
deals with the study of the
principles of photography, the
preparation of photographic
evidence and its application to
police work.
FUNDAMENTAL REQUISITES
PHOTOGRAPH TO BE
JUDICIALLY RECOGNIZED
A.
representation of the original object or
subject.
 The photograph must be free from
distortion and must not misrepresent
the scene or object.
Faithful representation – means the same
likeness as the original or as seen by the
naked eye. So, what is required by law is
likeness of the original, a mere shadow of
an object is not a faithful and accurate
representation of an object.
B. Relevant/ material and competent
“Evidence is admissible when it is relevant
to the issue and is not excluded by the law
or rules of court. (Rule 128, Sec. 3 of the
Rules of Evidence)
1. Material – refers to the probative value
of the evidence
2. Relevant – relates to the case under
investigation
3. Competent – not sanctioned by the
rules of court
Photographs are relevant if they either
assist witnesses in presenting and
explaining their testimony or aid the
court in understanding the issues in the
suit. All photographs must relate to the
matter at hand.
B. Noinflammatory content/unbiased
 Another thing to avoid in police
photography is the inclusion of
emotional things that might be classed
by the court as inflammatory, or
tending to affect the emotions of the
viewer.
BEST EVIDENCE RULE
 Photograph is not a legal
substitute for the objects and
article itself, as evidence.
Nevertheless, all physical
evidence should be
photographed. A photograph of a
 revolver will not be
accepted as evidence in
court. The weapon itself
must be brought to court –
this is an essence of the
“best evidence rule”.
HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY
 Modern photography can be
traced to the 1820s with the
development of chemical
photography. The first
permanent photograph was
an image produced in 1826
by the French inventor
Nicéphore Niépce.
 However, the picture took eight
hours to expose, so he went
about trying to find a new
process. Working in conjunction
with Louis Daguerre, they
experimented with silver
compounds based on a Johann
Heinrich Schultz discovery in
1724 that a silver and chalk
mixture darkens when exposed
to light.
 Niépce died in 1833, but
Daguerre continued the work,
eventually culminating with the
development of the
daguerreotype in 1839.
 Meanwhile, Hercules
Florence had already created
a very similar process in 1832,
naming it Photographie, and
William Fox Talbot had earlier
discovered another means to
fix a silver process image but
had kept it secret. After
reading about Daguerre's
invention, Talbot refined his
process so that it might be fast
enough to take photographs of
people. By 1840, Talbot had
invented the calotype process,
which creates negative
images.
 John Herschel made many
contributions to the new
methods. He invented the cyanotype
process, now familiar as the "blueprint".
He was the first to use the terms
"photography", "negative" and
"positive". He discovered sodium
thiosulphate solution to be a solvent of
silver halides in 1819, and informed
Talbot and Daguerre of his discovery in
1839 that it could be used to "fix"
pictures and make them permanent.
He made the first glass negative in
late 1839.
 Many advances in photographic glass
plates and printing were made in
through the nineteenth century. In 1884,
George Eastman developed the
technology of film to replace
photographic plates, leading to the
technology used by film cameras
today.
DAGUERREOTYPE
 The daguerreotype is an early type of
photograph in which the image is
exposed directly onto a mirrorpolished
surface of silver bearing a coating of
silver halide particles deposited by
iodine vapor. In later developments
bromine and chlorine vapors were also
used, resulting in shorter exposure
times. Unlike later photographic
processes that supplanted it, the
daguerreotype is a direct positive
image-making process with no
"negative" original.
 While the daguerreotype was not the
first photographic process to be
invented, earlier processes required
hours for successful exposure, making
daguerreotype the first commercially
viable photographic process and the
first to permanently record and fix an
image with exposure time compatible
with portrait photography.
 The daguerreotype is named after one
of its inventors, French artist and
chemist Louis J.M. Daguerre, who
announced its perfection in 1839 after
years of research and collaboration
with Joseph Nicéphore Niépce,
applying and extending a discovery by
Johann Heinrich Schultz (1724): a silver
 and chalk mixture darkens when
exposed to light.
The French Academy of Sciences
announced the daguerreotype
process on January 9 of that year.
 Daguerre's French patent was
acquired by the French
Government. In England, Miles
Berry, acting on Daguerre's
behalf, obtained a patent for the
daguerreotype process on
August 14, 1839. Almost
simultaneously in, on August 19,
1839 the French Government
announced the invention a gift
"Free to the World"
BLACK-AND-WHITE
All photography was originally
monochrome, or black and-white.
Even after color film was readily
available, black-and white
photography continued to dominate
for decades, due to its lower cost
and its "classic" photographic look. It
is important to note that some
monochromatic pictures are not
always pure blacks and whites, but
also contain other hues depending
on the process. The cyanotype
process produces an image of blue
and white for example. The
albumen process, first used more
than 150 years ago, produces
brown tones.
TYPES OF PHOTOGRAPHY
COLOR PHOTOGRAPH
 was explored throughout
the late 1800s and early
1900s. Early experiments
in color could not fix the
photograph and prevent
the color from fading. The
first permanent color
photo was taken in 1861
by the physicist James
Clerk Maxwell.
 Maxwell contributed to the area of
optics and colour vision, and is
credited with the discovery that
colour photographs could be
formed using red, green, and
bluefilters. In 1861 he presented
the world's first colour photograph
during a Royal
 Institution lecture. He had
Thomas Sutton, inventor of the
single-lens reflex camera,
photograph a tartan ribbon three
times, each time with a different
colour filter over the lens.
 The three images were reversal
developed to form three colour
separation transparencies, and
then projected onto a screen
with three different projectors,
each equipped with the same
colour filter used to take its
image.
 When brought into focus, the
three images formed a full colou
r image.[53] The three
photographic plates now reside
in a small museum at 14 India
Street, Edinburgh, the house
where Maxwell was born.
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
 Traditional photography burdened
photographers working at remote
locations without easy access to
processing facilities, and competition
from television pressured
photographers to deliver images to
newspapers with greater speed.
Photo journalists at remote locations
often carried miniature photo labs
and a means of transmitting images
through telephone lines.
 In 1981, Sony unveiled the first
consumer camera to use a
charge-coupled device for imaging,
eliminating the need for film: the
 Sony Mavica. While the
Mavica saved images to disk,
the images were displayed on
television, and the camera
was not fully digital. In 1990,
Kodak unveiled the DCS 100,
the first commercially
available digital camera.
Although its high cost
precluded uses other than
photojournalism and
professional photography,
commercial digital
photography was born.
 Because photography is
popularly synonymous with
truth ("The camera doesn't
lie."), digital imaging has
raised many ethical concerns.
Many photojournalists have
declared they will not crop
their pictures, or are forbidden
from combining elements of
multiple photos to make
"illustrations," passing them
as real photographs. Many
courts will not accept digital
images as evidence because
of their inherently
manipulative nature. Today's
technology has made picture
editing relatively easy for
even the novice
photographer.
“The measure of intelligence is
the ability to change”.
USES OF PHOTOGRAPHY
 Photography gained the
interest of many scientists
and artists from its inception.
Scientists have used
photography to record and
study movements, such as
Eadweard Muybridge's
study of human and animal
locomotion in 1887. Artists
are equally interested by
these aspects but also try to
explore avenues other than
the photo- mechanical representation
of reality, such as the pictorialist
movement. Military, police and
security forces use photography for
surveillance, recognition and data
storage. Photography is used to
preserve memories of favorites and
as a source of entertainment.
PHOTOGRAPHY TECHNIQUES
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY
 is the taking of photographs
from the air with a camera
mounted, or hand held, on an
aircraft, helicopter, balloon,
rocket, kite, skydiver or similar
vehicle.
INFRARED PHOTOGRAPHY
 In infrared photography, the film or
image sensor used is sensitive to
infrared light. The part of the
spectrum used is referred to as
near- infrared to distinguish it from
far-infrared, which is the domain of
thermal imaging. Wavelengths
used for photography range from
about 700 nm to about 900 nm.
Usually an "infrared filter" is used;
this lets infrared (IR) light pass
through to the camera but blocks
all or most of the visible light
spectrum (and thus looks black or
deep red).
ULTRA-VIOLET PHOTOGRAPHY
 is a photographic process of
recording images by using light from
the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum only.
The utilization of ultraviolet rays in
document photography is to restore
writings which have been erased
chemically or mechanically or in the
detection of substitution, overwriting
or secret writing.
MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY
 refers to close-up photography; the
classical definition that the image
projected on the "film plane" (i.e. film or
 a digital sensor) is the same
size as the subject.
 It is the process of obtaining
a magnified photograph of a
small object without the use
of a microscope, by using a
short focus lens and a long
bellow extension.
PANORAMIC PHOTOGRAPHY
 is a style of photography that
aims to create images with
exceptionally wide fields of
view, but has also come to
refer to any photograph that
is cropped to a relatively wide
aspect ratio.
PHOTOMICROGRAPHY
 It is the science of obtaining
photographic magnification of
minute objects by using a
camera attached to a
compound microscope. The
camera lens is removed
because the microscope lenses
form the image.
PHOTOGRAPHIC LIGHT RAYS
1. X-Rays
2. Ultraviolet Rays
3. Visible Light
4. Infrared Rays
X-RAYS
 Radiation having a
wavelength between 1 to 30
nanometer and millimicrons.
They are produced by
passing an electric current
through a special type of
vacuum tube.
ULTRAVIOLET RAYS
 Radiation having a wavelength
of 30 to 400 millimicrons. It is
used to photograph fingerprints
on multi colored backgrounds.
Documents that are altered
chemically over writings and detection
of secret writings.
 When this invisible light comes in
contact with a particular substance or
matter, it will produce the phenomenon
known as fluorescence.
Uses of Ultra-violet rays
1. To restore writings which have been
erased chemically or mechanically
2. To detect substitutions, erasures,
overwriting and secret writings.
3. To detect and photograph fingerprint on
multicolored background.
4. To detect invisible inks.
5. It is also used for locating seminal and
urine stains on clothing.
VISIBLE LIGHT
 Rays having a wavelength of 400 to
700 millimicrons
 The portion of the electromagnetic
spectrum that affects the human sense
of sight.
INFRARED RAYS
 Radiations having a wavelength of 700
to 1000 millimicrons, it is used in taking
photographs of obliterated writings,
burnt or dirty documents or black out
photography.
USES OF INFRARED PHOTOGRAPHY IN
POLICE WORK
1. To show photographically erasures,
forgeries writing on charred
documents, dirty, or faded
documents.
2. To detect differences of different ink
and papers.
3. To detect stains in cloth, particularly
gunpowder residues that are hidden
by bloodstains.
4. To take photographs in the dark or
fogs.
 5. It is used in night surveillance.
6. Detection of Secret Writings
7. It is used to photograph latent
fingerprints on multi-colored
background (lampblack
powder is used).
FORENSIC PHOTOGRAPHY
 Forensic photography
(sometimes referred to as
forensic imaging or crime scene
photography) is the art of
producing an accurate
reproduction of a crime scene
or an accident scene for the
benefit of a court.
 Human blood droplets. An
example of a forensics
photograph of an imitation
crime scene. A scale by a
common object (United States
Quarter) has been used.
ALPHONSE BERTILLION
 French photographer,
Alphonse Bertillon was the
first to realize that
photographs were futile for
identification if they were not
standardized by using the
same lighting, scale and
angles. Thus, Bertillon is
credited with the invention of
the mug shot.
WEEGEE
 Among the more famous, and
arguably the most famous crime
photographer, is Arthur Fellig,
better known as "Weegee". He
was known for routinely arriving
at crime scenes before other
reporters, or often even before
the police, The nickname is
speculated to come from an
alternate spelling of the word
"Ouija", implying that Fellig had
a supernatural force telling
where the action was going to
occur.
MUG SHOT PHOTO
 A mug shot, or booking photograph, is a
photographic portrait taken after one is
arrested. [1] The purpose of the mug
shot is to allow law enforcement to have
a photographic record of the arrested
individual to allow for identification by
victims and investigators. Most mug
shots are two-part, with one side-view
photo, and one front-view.
 The mug shot was invented by Allan
Pinkerton, a famous U.S. detective of
the 19th Century. The Pinkerton
National Detective Agency first began
using these on Wanted posters from
the Wild West days. By the 1870s the
agency had amassed the largest
collection of mug shots in the United
States.[2]
CAMERA
 A camera is a device used to capture
images, as still photographs or as
sequences of moving images (movies
or videos). The term as well as the
modern-day camera evolved from the
camera obscura, Latin for "dark
chamber", an early mechanism for
projecting images, in which an entire
room functioned as a real-time imaging
system. The camera obscura was first
invented by the Muslim scientist
Alhazen and described in his Book of
Optics (1015-1021).
 English scientists Robert Boyle and
Robert Hooke later invented a portable
camera obscura in 1665- 1666.
 The first camera that was small and
portable enough to be practical for
photography was built by Johann Zahn
in 1685, though it would be almost 150
years before technology caught up to
the point where this was possible.
STEREO CAMERA
A stereo camera is a type of camera with
two or more lenses. This allows the camera
to simulate human binocular vision, and
therefore gives it the ability to capture 3-D
Images, a process known as stereo
photography.
RANGEFINDER CAMERA
 A rangefinder camera is a
camera fitted with a rangefinder:
a range-finding focusing
mechanism allowing the
photographer to judge the
focusing distance and take
photographs that will be in
focus.
TWIN-LENS REFLEX CAMERA
 A twin-lens reflex camera (TLR)
is a type of camera with two
objective lenses of the same
focal length. One of the lenses
is the photographic objective
(the lens that takes the picture),
focusing screen at the top of
the camera, and a pop-up hood
surrounding it. The two
objectives are connected, so
that the focus shown on the
focusing screen will be exactly
the same as on the film.
However, many inexpensive
TLRs are fixed-focus models.
SINGLE-LENS REFLEX CAMERA
 The single-lens reflex (SLR) is
a type of camera that uses a
movable mirror placed between
the lens and the film to project
the image seen through the
lens to a matte focusing screen.
Most SLRs use a roof
pentaprism or pentamirror to
observe the image via an
eyepiece, but there are also
other finder arrangements, such
as the waist-level finder or porro
prisms.
DIGITAL CAMERA
 A digital camera is an electronic
device used to capture and
store photographs electronically
in a digital format, instead of
using photographic film like
conventional cameras, or
recording images in an analog
format to magnetic tape like
many video cameras.
DISPOSABLE CAMERA
 The disposable or single-use camera
is a simple box camera sold with a roll
of film installed, meant to be used
once. Most use focus free lenses.
Some are equipped with an integrated
flash unit, and there are even
waterproof versions for underwater
photography. Internally, the cameras
use a 135 film or an APS cartridge.
INSTANT CAMERA
 An instant camera is a type of camera
with self- developing film. The most
famous are those made by the Polaroid
Corporation. The invention of modern
instant cameras is generally credited to
American scientist Edwin Land, who
unveiled the first commercial instant
camera, the Land Camera, in 1947, 10
years after founding the Polaroid
Corporation.
BASIC PARTS OF A CAMERA
Cross-section view of SLR system
1. Lens
2. Mirror
3. Shutter
4. Film or sensor (not part of camera)
5. Focusing screen
6. Condensing lens
7. Pentrapism
8. Eyepiece
CAMERA ACCESSORIES
 Tripod - Three-legged device
used to support or hold the
camera during exposure,
particularly when using a slower
shutter speed.
 Cable release - A flexible cable that
screws into the shutter release,
used to prevent camera movement
(also called camera shake)
 Light meter/exposure
meter - A device used to
determine the intensity of
light that strikes the
subject and affect the
film.
 Extension bellows -
An extendable device
that fits between the
lens and camera body
that enables the
photographer to take
close-up shots with a
variable degree of
magnification.
 Motor drive - A device,
either built into the camera
or available as add-on
accessory which is used for
advancing the film
continuously after each
exposure the
shutter-release button
depressed.
 Flash unit - A portable light
source, usually electronic,
that produces an intense
beam of short- duration
light when an electrical
current is discharged
through a gas-filled glass
tube.
PHOTOGRAPHIC LENS
 (known as objective lens or
photographic objective) is
an optical lens or assembly
of lenses used in
conjunction with a camera
body and mechanism to
make images of objects
either on photographic film
or on other media capable of
storing an image chemically
or electronically.
TYPES OF SIMPLE LENSES
Lenses are classified by the
curvature of the two optical surfaces.
A lens is biconvex (or double convex or just
convex) if both surfaces are convex. If
both surface have the same radius of
curvature, the lens is equiconvex. A lens
with two concave surfaces biconcave (or
just concave) If one of the surfaces is flat,
the lens is planoconvex or plano-concave
depending on the curvature of the other
surface. A lens with one convex and one
concave side is convex-concave or
meniscus. It is this type of lens that is most
commonly used in corrective lenses.
 Positive lens is a convex lens, which is
characterized by the fact that it is
thicker on the middle than the edge and
formed a real image on the opposite
side of the lens.
 A lens that converge light, that is why it
is also called as a converging lens.
 It requires proper focusing.
 It forms inverted image.
 It is used in camera lens.
 Negative lens is a concave lens, which
is characterized by the fact that it is
thinner on the middle than the edge and
formed a virtual image on the same
side of the lens.
 It does not require focusing at all.
 It forms virtual image.
 It is used in viewfinder.
 Negative lens is also known as
diverging lens.
LENS CONSTRUCTION
 A practical camera lens will often
incorporate an aperture adjustment
mechanism, often an iris diaphragm, to
regulate the amount of light that may
pass. A shutter, to regulate the time
during which light may pass, may be
incorporated within the lens assembly,
or may be within the camera, or even,
rarely, in front of the lens.
TYPES OF CAMERA LENS
 Normal lens: angle of view of the
 diagonal about 50°: a focal
length approximately equal to
the diagonal produces this
angle.
 Wide-angle lens: focal length
shorter than normal, and angle
of view wider.
 Long-focus or telephoto lens:
focal length longer than normal,
and angle of view narrower. A
distinction is sometimes made
between a long-focus lens and
a true telephoto lens: the
telephoto lens uses a telephoto
group to be physically shorter
than its focal length.
 Zoom lens: have a focal length
that varies as internal elements
are moved, typically by rotating
the barrel or pressing a button
which activates an electric motor.
Commonly, the lens may zoom
from moderate wide-angle,
through normal, to moderate
telephoto; or from normal to
extreme telephoto. The zoom
range is limited by
manufacturing constraints; the
ideal of a lens of large maximum
aperture which will zoom from
extreme wide-angle to extreme
telephoto is not attainable.
INHERENT DEFECTS OF LENSES:
 COMA - sometime known as
LATERAL SPHERICAL
ABERRATION, it concerns with
rays entering the lens obliquely.
CURVATURE OF FIELD
 The image formed by a lens
causes to a sharper focus on
curved surface than on a flat
surface
DISTORTION
 Outer parts of the image
produced by the lens will be
magnified either lens or more
than the outer images.
ASTIGMATISM
 Inability of the lens to focus in different
directions like for example the cross.
INHERENT DEFECTS OF LENSES:
CHROMATIC DIFFERENCE OF
MAGNIFICATION
 Inability if the lens to produce images of
objects with different colors.
ABERRATION
 In optical systems (lenses, prisms,
mirrors or series of them intended to
produce a sharp image) generally leads
to blurring of the image. It occurs when
light from one point of an object after
transmission through the system does
not converge into (or does not diverge
from) a single point.
SPHERICAL ABERRATION
 Photographic rays passing thru the
autes are refracted more sharply than
those of the central rays.
ABERRATION CHROMATIC
 Inability of the lens to focus all the
colors in the same place.
TYPES OF LENSES ACCORDING TO
DEGREE OF CORRECTION:
ACHROMATIC LENS
 A lens corrected for achromatic
aberrations
RAPID RECTILINEAR LENS
 A lens corrected from distortion
ANASTIGMATIC LENS
 A lens corrected for astigmatism
APOCHROMATIC LENS
 A lens designed so that all the three
primary colors are brought to focus at a
single point.
NATURAL (SUNGLIGHT) LIGHTING
CONDITION
Bright- object on open space casts a
deep and uniform shadow (F-11)
 In bright light, the subject will produce
 strong shadow, because the
source of light is not covered by
clouds.
Hazy- object in open space casts a
transparent shadow (F-8)
 In hazy sunlight, the sun is
covered by the clouds and
shadow appears bluish
because of the decrease of
light falling on the subjects in
open space.
Dull - object in open space cast a
shadow (F 5.6)
 In dull sunlight, the sun is totally
covered by thick clouds. No
shadows are formed, due to the
uniform illumination of lights all
around the subjects in open
space.
◼ Exposure is defined as the product
of time and intensity of illumination
acting upon the photographic
material. (Intensity x Time =
EXPOSURE)
◼ Correct Exposure or Normal
Exposure - It refers to the right
amount of light in order to produce
good quality image on the film.
THREE (3) FACTORS THAT
AFFECT EXPOSURES
1. Lens Aperture
2. Shutter speed
3. Film speed
APPERTURE is a hole or an
opening through which light
is admitted. More specifically,
the aperture of an optical
system is the opening that
determines the cone angle of
a bundle of rays that come to
a focus in the image plane
◼A device called a
diaphragm usually serves as
the aperture stop, and
controls the aperture. The
diaphragm functions much like the
iris of the eye— it controls the
effective diameter of the lens opening.
Reducing the aperture size increases
the depth of field, which describes
the extent to which subject matter
lying closer than or farther from the
actual plane of focus appears to be
in focus. In general, the smaller the
aperture (the larger the number), the
greater the distance from the plane of
focus the subject matter may be while
still appearing in focus.
◼ The pupil of the eye is its aperture;
the iris is the diaphragm that serves
as the aperture stop. Refraction in the
cornea causes the effective aperture
(the entrance pupil) to differ slightly
from the physical pupil diameter. The
entrance pupil is typically about 4 mm
in diameter, although it can range
from 2 mm (f/8.3) in a brightly lit place
to 8 mm (f/2.1) in the dark
DEPTH OF FIELD (DOF)
 is the distance in front of and beyond
the subject that appears to be in
focus.
Effect of f-number
 For a given subject framing, the DOF
is controlled by the lens f-number.
Increasing the f-number (reducing the
aperture diameter) increases the
DOF; however, it also reduces the
amount of light transmitted, and
increases diffraction, placing a
practical limit on the extent to which
the aperture size may be reduced.
FOCAL LENGTH
 It is the distance measured from the
optical center of the lens to the film
when the lens is set of focused at
infinity position as according to focal
length which lenses maybe classified.
HYPERFOCAL DISTANCE
 It is the nearest distance which a
lens is focused with a given
particular diaphragm opening
which will be the maximum
depth of field.
FOCUSING
 It is the setting of the proper
distance in order to from a
sharp image in the lens of a
camera, except those fixed
focus which requires no
focusing.
A lens may be focused by any of
the following:
 focusing scale- a scale is
usually found at the lens
barrel indicating pre-setted
distances in feet or in meters.
To focus the lens of the
camera, the distance of object
to be photographed is
measured, estimated or
calculated and the pointer or
marker on the lens barrel is
adjusted to the corresponding
number on the scale.
 Range finder- thru the range
finder, the image of the
subject is set thru a
mechanism thru the angle of
light convergence coming
from the subject as soon as
the aperture is opened.
Crime Scene Documentation
Introduction
 The three most common
methods of recording a crime
scene are:
1. Note taking
2. Sketching
3. Photography
 Helps the crime scene specialist to
accurately recall events and to identify
items of evidence later in a court of law.
 Serves as a valuable reference
concerning the details uncovered
during the search and the thoroughness
of the method.
Note Taking
 Serves as personal record of the
search for evidence.
 It should be detailed that will remain
fully meaningful even months after the
event.
 It should begin with the crime scene
specialist’s name and assignment to
the case.
 It should be supplemented by sketches
and photographs of the scene.
 It should be recorded in the order that
the observations they pertain to are
made, and will not necessarily be in
logical order.
 It should be complete.
Use of Crime Scene Specialist’s Note
Notes are valuable not only as an aid to an
accurate recall of events to be testified to in
court, but also to furnish the raw material
needed in the written formal report of the
case. A different notebook should be used
for each separate case and the notebooks
should be kept permanently in a safe place.
II. Crime Scene Sketches
 Photographs alone are not sufficient
for the adequate recording of crime
scene.
 A crime scene sketch will complement
the photographs and notes made during
the crime scene search.
 Sketch portrays information accurately
not necessarily artistically.
 Artistic ability is not required in order to
construct an adequate sketch of a
crime scene. Sketches clarify the
appearance of the scene and make it
easier to comprehend.
 Sketches are useful in questioning of
 suspects and witnesses as well
as in the writing of investigative
reports.
 Sketches are excellent
companions to photograph.
Where photographs provide
exact details, sketches offer
accurate information about the
placement of objects and they
show relationship and distances
between things.
 A rough sketch is prepared
indicating the actual
measurement of things with a
scale and proportion observed
and oriented to the North pole.
Considerations Involved in Crime
Scene Sketching
 The measurements shown on
the sketch should be as
accurate as possible and they
need to be made and recorded
uniformly.
 Steel tapes are the best means
of taking measurements. It is
difficult to explain an erroneous
measurement on a drawing, and
can introduce doubt in the minds
of others as to the competence
of the entire search of the crime
scene.
Types of Sketches
1. Floor Plan/Over View/Birds Eye
view
2. Ground Sketch
3. Neighborhood Sketch
4. Exploded View/Cross Projection
5. Elevation Sketch.
ELEVATION SKETCH
 The elevation sketch depicts a
side, front, or rear of the exterior
of a structure or one of the
interior walls in a room; used
when the vertical, rather than
the horizontal plane is of
interest.
 South Side Wall.
Types/Methods of Measurements
 Triangulation - considered the most
accurate method for measuring the
relative position of an object within a
scene. Triangulation utilizes two or
more reference points to establish the
position of an object. By drawing a line
that connects the two reference points
and extending a line from each of the
reference points to the object being
measured, a triangle is formed. Ideally,
the distance between both being
measured would be the same
reference points and the object.
 Triangulation generally requires a
minimum of two people to record the
necessary measurements. However
this is a minor drawback since the
baseline method also requires two
people to ensure accuracy over longer
distances; even though one person can
measure a small scene. Additionally,
there are a number of electronic
devices available that will enable one
person to measure even a large scene
utilizing the triangulation method.
 Rectangular Method – This method
uses two walls in a room as fixed points,
from which distances are measured at
right angle to the object.
Baseline or Coordinate Method
- Measures distance of an object from two
fixed points. One form of this method uses a
baseline which is drawn between two known
points. The baseline could be a wall, or
drawn as a mathematical center of a room,
the dimensions of which are known. The
measurements of a given object are then
taken from left to right along the baseline,
to a point at right angles to the object which
is to be plotted. The distance will be
indicated in the legend with a number in
parentheses following the name of the
object.
PHOTOGRAPHING THE CRIME SCENE
Importance of Photography
Permanent record of the crime
scene.
The first step in the investigation of
any crime is to photograph all
aspects of the crime scene
completely and accurately before
any of the objects of evidence are
removed or disturbed. It is better to
take too many photographs than too
few.
Procedures for Photographing the
Crime Scene
 Record useful information in a
series of photographs which will
enable the viewer to understand
where and how the crime was
committed.
 Photographs of the broad area
of the crime scene should be
supplemented by closer shots
of sections containing important
detail.
 Each area or objects should be
photographed so that it can be
located readily in the overall
pictures which will enable the
viewer to gain a clear concept of
its position with reference to
other objects at the scene.
Sequential Photographs of the
Crime Scene
1. Views of the exterior of the
building/vehicle, with relations to
other buildings/vehicles, roads,
streets, etc.
2. Points of entry, inside and
outside
3. Points of exit, inside and
outside
4. Condition(s) of the crime scene
5. Area from which valuable
articles were removed.
6. Articles left at the scene.
7. Trace evidence, such as hairs,
fibers, and cigarette butts.
8. Toolmarks and impressions of
shoes or tire tracks.
9. Fingerprint and footprints, as
well as articles on which these
prints may be found.
Marking Field of View
 Measuring device such as rulers,
yardsticks, and tape measures should
be used to show relative size of, and
distances between objects, or the
degree of magnification of the
enlargement.
 The markers should be beside the
object in a manner that will not obscure
any important piece of evidence.
 Photographs should be taken in two
ways: first without markers and then
with them.
TYPES OF CRIME SCENE
As to location:
 Indoor Crime Scene
 Outdoor Crime Scene - open locations
including crime scene inside the vehicle,
airship and vessel.
 Continuing/Running Crime Scene -
mixed location from indoor to outdoor or
vice-versa, or continuing outdoor alone,
or from one place to another of the
same jurisdiction, or from one place
crossing to another area of jurisdiction.
As to time of Commission:
 Day Time Crime Scene - From sunrise
to sunset.
 Night Crime Scene - From sunset to
sunrise.
--Processing in this type of crime scene can
be extended until day time to ensure proper
collection of physical evidence.
SOCO Standard Operating Procedures
(SOPs)
1. Verbal or written request must include
the cardinal points (5Ws and 1H).
2. SOCO Team must respond to
eventualities not covered by request
on cases when thru TV or radio
broadcast and other reliable sources of
information, a heinous or sensational
crime took place within the AOR and
when concerned citizen reported such.
3. The responding SOCO Team Leader
must take full control of the crime
 scene after coordination has
been made with officer-on-
case and while the crime
scene processing is on going
until such time that the crime
scene has been released back
to the officer-on cases. SOCO
Standard Operating
Procedures (SOPs).
4. The officer-on-case should not
allow anybody to enter the
police line which is securing
the crime scene except the
SOCO team members.
5. The officer-on-case must sign
the SOCO coordination slip
and must witness the
documentation of recovered
pieces of evidence submitted
to the evidence custodian by
the SOCO specialists.
6. All SOCO personnel and
criminal investigators who do
not act in accordance with the
established SOCO procedure or
violate the SOCO SOP will be
subjected to investigation in
relation to the filing of
appropriate charges against
them.
SOCO TEAM ORGANIZATION
1. SOCO Team Leader
2. Photographer and
Photographic Log Recorder
3. Sketcher
4. Evidence Log
Recorder/Custodian
5. Driver/Security
6. Evidence Processor/Collector
7. Specialists (as required)
1) Medical Examiner
2) Odonthologist
3) Engineer
4) Bomb Technician
5) Crime Laboratory Examiner
I. Fingerprint Examiner
II. Firearms Examiner
III. Forensic Chemist
IV. Polygraph Examiner
V. Document Examiner
Range Photographs
Range Photographs
The three types of “range” photographs
are:
General View or Long range – taken to
portray the areas as if a person viewing the
scene is seeing it from the standing position.
The photographer takes the photograph with
the camera at eye level.
Medium View or Mid-range – Portrays the
scene from approximately 10 - 20 feet from
subject matter. In order that the viewer be
permitted to associate the crime scene with
the separate areas of the scene
photographed, these areas should contain
sufficient detail to permit the viewer.
Close-up – Approximately 5 feet or less
from the subject matter. The attention of
close up photography is directed to objects
which could not effectively be seen in the
long range and mid range photograph.
Kinds of photographs taken at scene of
the crime:
1. Over all photographs
2. Photographs of the deceased
3. Photographs of articles of evidence
4. Photograph of the environs
5. Photographs of the body after removal
 Photograph of the body after removal
for identification of the victim.
 Close-up pictures of the wound.
Photographic data:
1. Data to identify the photographs with
the offense.
2. Data to identify the photographer
3. Data to orient the camera position with
the scene.
4. Date and hour when each photograph
was taken.
5. Data reflecting the light and weather
condition when each photograph was
taken.
6. Data reflecting the type and make of
camera, films and details regarding
special equipments used.
7. Focal length of the lens.
8. Data regarding developing, printing
and any special laboratory
techniques.
9. Data to reflect the complete chain of
custody.