DIGITAL

PHOTOGRAPHY
JENIFER M. DATO
 DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
A form of photography that uses digital technology
to make images of subjects. Digital photographs can
be displayed, printed, stored, manipulated,
transmitted, and archived using digital and computer
techniques without chemical processing. It is one of
several forms of digital imaging.
DIGITAL IMAGES
These are created by non-photographic equipment
such as computer tomography scanners and radio
telescopes.

It also be made by scanning conventional

photographic images.
FEATURES OF A DIGITAL CAMERA

Sensor – It read the intensity of the light

as filtered through different color filters.
Storage – Digital memory
devices store the digital image
information, either as RGB color
space or as a raw data. Nearly all
digital cameras now use built in
and/or removable solid-state flash
memory.
Multifunctionality and connectivity
– A digital memory device is usually used for storing images, which may
then be transferred to a computer later. It can take pictures, and may also
record sound and video. It can be used as webcams. Some can use the
PictBridge standard to connect to a printer without using a computer. It can
display pictures directly on a television set.
Performance metrics – Quality of a digital image is the sum of
various factors, many of which are similar to film cameras.

What is a pixel?
A digital photo is not one
non-dividable thing. If you zoom
in far enough you’ll see that
your image is like a mosaic
formed by small tiles, which in
photography are called pixels.

The amount of these pixels and the way they are distributed are
the two factors that you need to consider to understand resolution.
a. Pixel count – created by
marketing organizations of
digital camera manufacturers
because consumers can use it
easily to compare camera
capabilities.
Pixel count
The first kind of resolution refers to the pixel count which is the number
of pixels that form your photo. In order to calculate this resolution you
just use the same formula you would use for the area of any rectangle;
multiply the length by the height. For example, if you have a photo that
has 4,500 pixels on the horizontal side, and 3,000 on the vertical size it
gives you a total of 13,500,000. Because this number is very unpractical
to use, you can just divide it by a million to convert it into megapixels. So
13,500,000 / 1,000000 = 13.5 Megapixels.
Pixel density
The other kind of resolution is about how you distribute the total amount of
pixels that you have, which is commonly referred as pixel density.

Now, the resolution is expressed in dpi (or ppi), which is the acronym for dots
(or pixels) per inch. So, if you see 72 dpi it means that the image will have 72
pixels per inch; if you see 300 dpi means 300 pixels per inch, and so on.

The final size of your image depends on the resolution that you choose. If an
image is 4500 x 3000 pixels it means that it will print at 15 x 10 inches if you
set the resolution to 300 dpi, but it will be 62.5 x 41.6 inches at 72 dpi. While
the size of your print does change, you are not resizing your photo (image
file), you are just reorganizing the existing pixels.
In summary, no resolution is not the same as size, but they are related.
b. Resolution – provides an indication of the amount of detail that
is captured. It is simply based on the number of pixels produced
by the image sensor.
- refers to the size of
the digital image the
camera produces,
and is usually
expressed in terms of
"megapixels" or how
many million pixels
it can record in a
single image.
 c. Dynamic range – the range of luminosity which can be
reproduced accurately.

Dynamic range in
photography describes the
ratio between the maximum
and minimum measurable
light intensities (white and
black, respectively).
DOES SENSOR SIZE MATTER FOR CAMERAS?

The size of the camera's sensor determines how

much of this light is used to create the image.
Because a sensor stores such valuable information,
if there is a large camera sensor size, more
information can fit, producing better quality images
than smaller sensors.
Sensor size and angle of view
– cameras with digital sensors
that are smaller than the typical
35mm film size will have a
smaller field or angle of view
when used with a lens of the
same focal length. Angle of
view is a function of both focal
length and the sensor or film
size used.
Digital camera backs – most
digital cameras are built to
operate as a self-contained unit.
This is especially so that at the
lower-end, for these cameras
usually include zoom lens and
flashes that cannot be changed.
Scanning and multi-shot camera
backs are usually used only in
studios to take pictures of still
objects.
 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF DIGITAL
PHOTOGRAPHY
Advantages:

1.It allows shooting in both color and black and white;

there is no need to change film.
2.There is no need to worry about running out of film.
3.It allows you to see the image directly through the lens
using a prism and moving mirror arrangement.
4. It has an LCD monitor that can be used for framing
shots or reviewing pictures already taken.

5. It also provides a high degree of control over exposure,

focusing, control balance, and other creative functions.

6. An added feature on many digital cameras is the ability

to shoot video.
7. It offers an automatic exposure bracketing (AEB). The
digital camera’s exposure bracketing system
automatically varies exposures in a series of three shots.

8. You can take as many photographs in one go as the

memory card will allow.

9. You can conveniently share your pictures.

Disadvantages:
1.Digital cameras are not as sensitive to light as the film-based
cameras.
2.They require more light to make an exposure.
3.The shutter lag or the delay between pressing the shutter
button and actually capturing of the image can lead to missed
opportunities.
4.The LCD viewfinder can sometimes be hard to see on a bright
day.
5.Camera battery life is limited due to the abundance of
computerized parts.
 @ LEGAL ASPECTS

@ TECHNICAL ASPECTS
ALTERED OR NOT?
ALTERED OR NOT?
 Film VS. Digital Photography
Elements of Film Elements of Digital
Photography? Photography?

• LIGHT  Light

• MECHANICAL DEVICE (CAMERA)  Mechanical Device (Camera)

Image Sensor
• SENSITIZED MATERIALS (FILM & PAPER) 

• CHEMICAL PROCESS (DEVELOPMENT & PRINTING)

 Digital files can be viewed in
computer monitor.
 Film VS. Digital Photography
•IS IT POSSIBLE TO MANIPULATE
(EDIT) FILM BASED PHOTOGRAPHS?
•YES!
 FILM BASED PICTURES CAN BE
MANIPULATED IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER:

• 1. THROUGHOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESS, AN INDIVIDUAL SKILLED IN

PHOTOGRAPHY CAN ALTER THE IMAGE.
• FOR INSTANCE, WHILE TAKING A PICTURE, A PERSON CAN USE A SMALL F-
STOP AND A FAST SHUTTER SPEED TO MAKE A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN
DURING THE DAY APPEAR AS IF SOMEONE TOOK IT AT NIGHT.
 FILM BASED PICTURES CAN BE MANIPULATED IN THE
FOLLOWING MANNER:

• 2. INDIVIDUALS ALSO CAN ALTER A PHOTOGRAPH DURING THE DEVELOPMENT

STAGE.
• "THROUGH THE JUDICIOUS SELECTION OF EXPOSURE TIMES FOR THE PAPER
EMULSIONS AND FILTERS TO SCREEN SELECTIVE COLOR WAVELENGTHS, A
SKILLED PHOTOGRAPHER CAN PRODUCE A DIFFERENT IMAGE FROM THE ONE ...
VIEWED THROUGH THE CAMERA'S EYEPIECE.
 FILM BASED PICTURES CAN BE MANIPULATED IN THE
FOLLOWING MANNER:

•3. ALSO, DURING DEVELOPMENT, A TECHNIQUE KNOWN AS CROP

AND SPLICE CAN CHANGE THE PICTURE. USING THIS METHOD, A
PERSON COMBINES TWO NEGATIVES BY CROPPING OUT A
PORTION OF ONE AND SPLICING IN ITS PLACE PART OF ANOTHER.
HOW TO DETECT MANIPULATION OF FILM BASED
AND DIGITAL IMAGES?
•THE FOLLOWING FACTORS CAN BE SCRUTINIZED:
 Density of the image (based on light
exposure/Uniformity),
 The shadows in the picture,
 Existence or nonexistence of splice lines, and
 Continuity of the image.
Altered or Not? One or distinct person?
Original Photograph
 ADMISSIBILITY OF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHS IN CRIMINAL
COURTS.

•ARE DIGITAL PHOTOS DIGITAL PHOTOS ADMISSIBLE IN COURT AS

EVIDENCE?
•YES. NO COURT HAS HELD A DIGITAL PHOTO AS INADMISSIBLE
JUST BECAUSE IT IS DIGITAL.
 PEOPLE OF THE PHIL. VS. RUSTAN PASCUA
G.R. NO. 182835 (APRIL 10, 2010)

• IN THE SC, RUSTAN RAISED HIS OBJECTION TO THE ADMISSIBILITY OF

THE OBSCENE PICTURES, EXHIBIT A.
• THE SC SAID THAT THE OBJECTION IS TOO LATE SINCE HE SHOULD HAVE
OBJECTED TO THE ADMISSION OF THE PICTURE ON SUCH GROUND AT
THE TIME IT WAS OFFERED IN EVIDENCE. HE SHOULD BE DEEMED TO
HAVE ALREADY WAIVED SUCH GROUND FOR OBJECTION.
 ALMOND V. STATE, 274 GA. 348 (GA.
2001).
• IN THIS CASE, A JURY FOUND MASTRO ALMOND GUILTY OF MALICE MURDER AND THE
SALE OF COCAINE.
• ON APPEAL, ALMOND RAISED THE ISSUE OF DIGITAL IMAGES AS EVIDENCE AT HIS TRIAL.
• THE COURT STATED THAT BECAUSE THE RECORD SHOWED "THAT THE PICTURES WERE
INTRODUCED ONLY AFTER THE PROSECUTION PROPERLY AUTHENTICATED THEM AS
FAIR AND TRUTHFUL REPRESENTATIONS OF WHAT THEY PURPORTED TO DEPICT," THEY
WERE PROPERLY ADMISSIBLE.
 ADMISSIBILITY OF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHS IN CRIMINAL COURTS
CONT…

• THE GEORGIA SUPREME COURT DID NOT PROVIDE ANY OTHER GUIDELINES FOR
DETERMINING THE ADMISSIBILITY OF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHS. IN FACT, THE
COURT WENT ON TO SAY THAT "WE ARE AWARE OF NO AUTHORITY,
AND APPELLANT CITES NONE, FOR THE PROPOSITION THAT THE PROCEDURE FOR
ADMITTING PICTURES SHOULD BE ANY DIFFERENT WHEN THEY WERE TAKEN BY A
DIGITAL CAMERA."
ADMISSIBILITY OF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHS IN CRIMINAL COURTS
CONT…

•“ ... WE DO NOT AGREE THAT THIS COURT SHOULD IMPOSE A

HIGHER BURDEN OF PROOF FOR THE ADMISSIBILITY OF DIGITAL
PHOTOGRAPHS MERELY BECAUSE DIGITAL IMAGES ARE EASIER TO
MANIPULATE.” OWENS V. STATE, 363 ARK. 413, 421 (ARKANZAS,
USA, 2005)
 REQUIREMENTS TO ADMIT DIGITAL PHOTO

•LIKE ALL EVIDENCE.

•RELEVANT (TENDS TO PROVE SOMETHING)
•AUTHENTIC (MEETS BEST EVIDENCE
REQUIREMENTS)
CLAIMS OF ALTERATION

• PARTY MUST OFFER SOME EVIDENCE OF ALTERATION.

• “…. WE FURTHER DISAGREE …. THAT EXPERT TESTIMONY OF NO ALTERATION
WAS REQUIRED WHEN THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THE STILL
PHOTOGRAPHS HAD BEEN ENHANCED …. OR ALTERED IN ANY WAY.” OWENS V.
STATE, 363 ARK. 413, 421 (ARK. 2005)
•“THE FACT THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO ALTER DATA CONTAINED IN A
COMPUTER IS PLAINLY INSUFFICIENT TO ESTABLISH
UNTRUSTWORTHINESS. THE MERE POSSIBILITY THAT THE LOGS
MAY HAVE BEEN ALTERED GOES ONLY TO THE WEIGHT OF THE
EVIDENCE NOT ITS ADMISSIBILITY.”. UNITED STATES V. BONALLO,
858 F.2D 1427, 1436 (9TH CIR. OR. 1988)
 “WEIGHT, AND NOT ADMISSIBILITY”

•POSSIBILITY OF ALTERATION – WITH NO SUPPORTING EVIDENCE –

DOESN’T GO TO ADMISSIBILITY.
•“.... A MERE CLAIM THAT PHOTOGRAPHS MAY BE ALTERED SHOULD
NOT BAR THEIR ADMISSION. THE PROPONENT IS NOT REQUIRED
TO PROVE A NEGATIVE.” (UNITED STATES V. HARRIS, 55 M.J. 433,
440 (C.A.A.F. 2001)
HOW TO DEFEAT THE DEFENSE?

•REDUCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALTERATION OR DELETION

(ACCIDENTAL OR INTENTIONAL).
•ESTABLISH A SIMPLE PROCEDURE TO HANDLE DIGITAL
PHOTOS.
HANDLING DIGITAL FILES
• GOAL: MOVE IMAGES TO STABLE, UNALTERABLE MEDIA ASAP,
BY:
 Limiting access to the flash media.
 Not deleting or altering images.
 Keeping media away from electronic devices.
 Burning all images to CD Burning all images to CD-
R/DVD-R.
 Confirming burn.
 Documentation.
 ALTERATION VS. ENHANCEMENT
•ALTERATION: WHEN THE CONTENT OF THE PHOTO IS CHANGED.
•ENHANCEMENT:
• NO ALTERATION.
• WHAT IS IN THE IMAGE IS MADE EASIER TO SEE.
• STILL A “FAIR AND ACCURATE PORTRAYAL.”
• NOTE: ORIGINAL PHOTO MUST BE KEPT FOR REFERENCE.
Technical Aspects of Digital Photography

HOW DIGITAL CAMERA

WORKS?
THE MODE DIAL OF DSLR
THE MODE DIAL OF DSLR

•P, S,A, AND M MODES

•THESE MODES ALLOWS THE PHOTOGRAPHER TO
HAVE A FULL CONTROL OVER CAMERA SETTINGS
(APERTURE OPENING, SHUTTER SPEED) AND
DESIRED RESULTS (DEPTH OF FIELD, MOTION BLUR).
THE MODE DIAL OF DSLR CONT…

•P-PROGRAMMED — CPU OF THE CAMERA WILL

SELECT THE APPROPRIATE SHUTTER SPEED AND
APERTURE BASED ON THE SCENE;
•THE USER HAS CONTROL OVER OTHER SETTINGS.
 THE MODE DIAL OF DSLR CONT…

•S-SHUTTER-PRIORITY
•USER WILL SET THE DESIRED SHUTTER SPEED; THE CAMERA WILL
AUTOMATICALLY SET THE APERTURE OPENING….

•USER CAN SELECT FAST SHUTTER SPEED TO FREEZE ACTION OR

SLOW SHUTTER SPEED TO EMPHASIZE MOTION.
THE MODE DIAL OF DSLR CONT…

• A-APERTURE-PRIORITY-
• USER WILL SET THE DESIRED APERTURE OPENING, THE CAMERA WILL SELECT
THE APPROPRIATE SHUTTER SPEED...
• SELECTBIGGER APERTURE OPENING TO BLUR BACKGROUND DETAILS OR
SMALLER APERTURE OPENING TO INCREASE DEPTH-OF-FIELD TO BRING BOTH
MAIN SUBJECT AND BACKGROUND INTO FOCUS.

1/5/2022
DEPTH OF FIELD. AREA THAT IS IN FOCUS…
THE MODE DIAL OF DSLR CONT…

•M-MANUAL- MATCH SHUTTER SPEED AND APERTURE TO

YOUR CREATIVE INTENT.
•NOTE: THE PHOTOGRAPHER WILL SET TO THIS MODE IF
HE/SHE KNOWS THE COMBINATION OF SHUTTER,
APERTURE, ISO, AND LIGHTING CONDITION.
EXPOSURE TRIANGLE
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY IN POLICE WORK

The use of digital cameras is an excellent means of

recording for crime scene investigations. By viewing
the image recorded on a small screen set within the
digital camera, the forensic photographer can ensure
that the image has been recorded accurately. With
digital cameras, the image recorded can be
electronically transferred between sites for the purpose
of briefing or searching against databases.
Source: Pepper, 2005
 Some police forces invest heavily in digital
imaging equipment with large image recording
ability, such as over 5 million pixels so that the
image is not compressed as in smaller cheaper
cameras with only 3 million pixels.
Compression of the image results in information
being removed to allow storage

Source: Pepper, 2005

 IMPORTANT ISSUE REGARDING THE USE OF
DIGITAL CAMERAS

❖ Security and integrity of the electronic image from

the time it was taken at the crime scene to the
investigative process and the presentation in court.
 CHAIN OF CUSTODY
refers to the documentation
that establishes a record of
the control, transfer, and
disposition of evidence in a
criminal case.

Evidence in a criminal case may include DNA samples, photographs, documents, personal property,
or bodily fluids that were taken from a defendant or discovered at the scene of an alleged crime.