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Crime scene photography in SL needs development

05 Jul 2021

  • Need of the hour is to introduce SOPs, equip medico-legal units and train personnel

By Ruwan Laknath Jayakody   The development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for forensic, including crime scene, photography and equipping all medico-legal units with the necessary photographic equipment as well as the provision of a trained, designated photographer to such units is recommended in the context of forensic examinations. This recommendation was made by N.D.N.A. Mendis (attached to the University of Colombo Faculty of Medicine Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology) in a concept paper titled “Forensic Photography: Concepts and Applications for better crime scene examination”, which was published in the Medico-Legal Journal of Sri Lanka’s June 2021 Volume Nine’s Issue One. Forensic photography is a camera-based tool used in forensic medicine and legal investigations that involves the reproduction of facts which are of forensic and legal essence, both as a permanent documentation record and an article of evidence. As P. Davis notes in “Photography”, it is useful for evaluative and evidentiary purposes such as in making identifications and also in the analysis of crime scenes. However, as a piece of evidence, a photograph is admissible in a court of law, only in the event it is deemed, as mentioned by A.W Dutelle in “An Introduction to Crime Scene Investigation” and “Basic Crime Scene Photography”, a fair and accurate recording and representation of the subject in question which could be a scene or object or event of legal significance, and which should be an almost exact reproduction of the facts noticed at such a scene. Additionally, photographers have had to explain various aspects about photographs including technical matters. In this regard, Mendis explains that owing to the lack of knowledge, often, the taking of photographs of crime scenes and other events of forensic interest is done in a wrong manner, thus rendering the results useless from a forensic standpoint. In “Crime Scene Investigation and Reconstruction”, B.R. Ogle Jr. explains the objectives of crime scene photography as being: i) To record the conditions of the scene before any alteration, ii) to record the location and position of the items of evidence that have been collected, iii) to document the point of view of the principals and potential witnesses (described by L.L. Miller in “Sansone’s Police Photography” as statements pertaining to what he or she saw at a scene), and iv) to document the spatial relationships of the relevant items. Every medico-legal unit should, therefore, Mendis notes, have the essential and basic photography equipment and an individual with the necessary technical skills (use of photography software such as Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Lightroom) and knowledge (basic knowledge about cameras and their use, an understanding of the principles of forensic including crime scene photography, and knowledge about its expectations). As Mendis mentions, essential photographic equipment includes single lens reflex (SLR) film cameras which use disposable film rolls (if available) and digital cameras which use reusable memory cards (allows one to instantly preview the photo taken and decide on whether a second shot needs to be taken or if it should be shot from a different angle). The decision on the choice of camera to purchase, Mendis explains, is dependent on the budget and affordability. In this regard, Mendis recommends a digital SLR (DSLR) camera with an interchangeable lens and a higher pixels/megapixels count (the quality of the photograph). However, Mendis advises against deciding on the camera solely on the basis of the megapixels count as the image quality is more affected by factors such as the size of the camera, the quality of the image sensor, and corresponding optics. Apart from the DSLR full-frame camera body with a swirling viewfinder and lenses (short zoom – 18-55 mm and long zoom – 70-100 mm, wide-angle – 14 mm, and macro 105 mm), the other camera equipment required for a forensic photography unit included, as mentioned by Mendis, a dedicated, through-the-lens metering (TTL) flashgun, tripod and monopod, dry box, and/or cabinet. With regard to the basic knowledge about cameras and their use in order to take a properly focused, exposed, and framed photograph, this included having an understanding, as Mendis further notes, about exposure (S. McHugh’s “Understanding Depth of Field” recommends the method and technique of exposure bracketing which is where several shots of the same subject matter are taken using different camera settings), the depth of field (this is, according to N. Marsh’s “Forensic Photography: A Practitioner’s Guide”, vital in close-ups as only the correct aperture setting would result in a clear image), and framing a shot. The appropriate use of the flashgun, such as when capturing backlit objects or items in dark and shaded areas, was also recommended by Mendis. Also, assessing the conditions at the scene and using the appropriate photographic techniques (such as the correct perspective and angle) is the said photographer’s job, Mendis emphasises. R.F. Becker explains in “Criminal Investigation” that the scene should be photographed as it is, prior to placing scales and placards. Concerning aspects of photographic documentation, R.M. Gardner’s “Practical Crime Scene Processing and Investigation” highlights the importance of maintaining a record log of the photographs that were taken. This is further emphasised by H.C. Lee, T. Palmbach, and M. Miller in “Henry Lee’s Crime Scene Handbook” where they observe the need for a systematic and organised visual record of an undisturbed crime scene. In terms of evidence, Mendis adds that a basic set of photographs should be taken of each item, both with and without scale and colour code, along with photographs showing the item's relationship to the scene and a shot of the location of the evidence after the item has been moved or retrieved. Also, Mendis mentioned that a new film roll should be used per each new scene or the reusable memory card should be formatted prior to documenting each new scene. On the matter of the use of photography software for photo editing purposes, Mendis mentioned the importance of retaining the original photographs, and for all changes to be chronologically recorded. Moreover, such usage should, according to Mendis, be restricted to enhancing technology such as correcting the exposure and lighting, whereas the omission (deletion) and addition of items and objects from the originals is unacceptable. Therefore, the recording of the photographs in the raw image format or as a digital negative which is an image file containing unprocessed or minimally processed data or in the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) format was recommended by Mendis.


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