Introduction to a derivative of

Forensic two Greek

Photography words Phos
What is which means
Photography? “light”
There are and Graphia
three (3) meaning
definition of “write”.
the word * Therefore
PHOTOGRA photography
PHY best translated
1. Literal to “write with
Definition: light.”
* The word 2. Modern
photography is Definition
* accessories,
Photography – and the
is an art or chemical
science which processes
deals with the involved
reproduction therein.
of images 3.
through the Technical/Leg
action of al Definition:
light, upon * Modern
sensitized photography
materials, may be
with the aid defined as
of a camera any means
and its for the
chemical, visible light
thermal, and infrared
electrical or rays.
electronic This definition
recording of is board
the image of enough to
sciences, or include not
objects formed only the
by some type conventional
of methods of
radiant energy, photograph
including but almost any
gamma rays, new process
X-rays, ultra- that may be
violet rays, developed.
Elements of photography,
Photography the
1. Images preparation of
2. Sensitized Photographic
materials evidence, and
3. Light its application
4. Camera to police
5. Chemical work.
Police Objectives of
Photography Police
is an art or Photography
science which 1. To produce
deals with the a pictorial
study of the record of
principle of everything
pertaining to disposition
the crime and
2. To help in information
keeping the relating to the
police case
Introduction to Forensic
officer’s Photography

memory There are three (3) definition of the word

PHOTOGRAPHY
accurately as 1. Literal Definition:

possible as to * The word photography is a derivative of

two Greek words Phos which means
“light”
where he finds and Graphia meaning “write”.

* Therefore photography best translated to

things “write with light.”

2. Modern Definition
3. To help in * Photography – is an art or science which
deals with the reproduction of images
securing and through the action of light, upon
sensitized materials, with the aid of a
camera and its
obtaining accessories, and the chemical processes
involved therein.

confession 3. Technical/Legal Definition:

* Modern photography may be
defined as any means for the
chemical, thermal, The uses of
electrical or electronic recording of the
image of sciences, or objects formed by
some type of Photography
radiant energy, including gamma rays, X-
rays, ultra-violet rays, visible light and
infrared rays. in Police
This definition is board enough to include
not only the conventional methods of Work
photograph
but almost any new process that may be
developed. 1.
Elements of Photography
1. Images Identification-
2. Sensitized materials
3. Light
4. Camera This is the
5. Chemical

Police Photography is an art or science very first use

which deals with the study of the principle
of
photography, the preparation of of
Photographic evidence, and its application to
police work.
Photography
Objectives of Police Photography
1. To produce a pictorial record of
everything pertaining to the crime in police
2. To help in keeping the police officer’s
memory accurately as possible as to where
he finds work.
things
3. To help in securing and obtaining
confession disposition and information Photographs
relating to the
Case
are
used to fingerprint
identify identification
criminals, files.
missing 2.
person, lost or Communicatio
stolen n and Micro
property, Film Files -
licenses, which
anonymous includes
letter report files,
checks, accident
laundry marks, files,
and the transmission
civilian or of photos,
personnel photographic
supplement suicide, fire,
to reports objects of
with modern evidence,
day electro- latent
photography fingerprints,
machines. evidential
3. Evidence- traces can
Photographs frequently be
serve as improving by
evidence of control
the crime (lighting/film/
scene, traffic paper filter),
accidents, by
homicides, magnification
(Photomicrogr confessions,
aphy/ re-
Photomicrogra enactment.
phy), or 5. Court
invisible exhibits-
radiation through
(infra-red/ultra demonstration
-violet/x-ray enlargement,
4. Offender individual
Detection- photos,
Photographs projection
are used in slides, or
surveillance, motion
burglar traps, pictures.
6. photograph in
Reproduction crime scene
or copying because of
of privacy.
questionable 7. Personnel
checks and Training-
documents photographs
evidential and film
papers, relating to
photographs, police tactics,
official investigation
records and techniques,
notices. mob control
*Note: Suicide and
note cannot be
catastrophe prevention
situation. inspections are
8. Crime and made.
fire prevention 9. film
hazard pertaining to
through safety
lectures, programs
security juvenile
clearance delinquency
detection traffic
devices, education,
photos of public
hazardous fire cooperation
conditions and civil
made when defense.
In general, 3. as away to
then, there are present, in the
four primary courtroom, an
ways of using impression of
photographs in the pertinent
police works elements of a
1. as a mean crime
of 4 as a training
identification and public
2. as a method relations
of discovering, medium for
recording, and police
preserving programs
The uses of Photography in Police Work
evidence; 1. Identification - This is the very first use
of Photography in police work. Photographs
areused to identify criminals, missing
person, lost or stolen property, licenses,
anonymous letterchecks, laundry marks, and
the civilian or personnel fingerprint 9. film pertaining to safety programs
identification files. juvenile delinquency traffic education,
public cooperation and civil defense. In
2. Communication and Micro Film general, then, there are four primary ways of
Files -which includes report files, using photographs in police works
accident files,transmission of photos,
photographic supplement to reports 1. as a mean of identification
with modern day electro-photography 2. as a method of discovering, recording,
machines. and preserving evidence;
3. as away to present, in the courtroom, an
3. Evidence- Photographs serve as evidence impression of the pertinent elements of a
of the crime scene, traffic accidents, crime4 as a training and public relations
homicides,suicide, fire, objects of medium for police programs
evidence, latent fingerprints, evidential
traces can frequently be improving by Forensic photography/Forensic
control (lighting/film/paper filter), by Imaging/Crime Scene Photography* The
magnification(Photomicrography/Photomicr process of photographing crime scene or any
ography), or invisible radiation other objects for court presentation.* The
(infra-red/ultra-violet/x-ray art or science of photographically
documenting a crime scene and
4. Offender Detection-Photographs are evidence forlaboratory examination and
used in surveillance, burglar traps, analysis for purposes of court trial.
confessions, re-enactment.
Importance of Forensic Photography
5. Court exhibits- through demonstration
enlargement, individual photos, projection 1. Small objects but of great importance in a
slides, ormotion pictures. crime committed may escape in the first
phase ofexamination by the investigator but
6. Reproduction or copying of maybe seen and recording on the
questionable checks and documents photograph.
evidential papers,photographs, official 2. A good photograph of the crime scene is a
records and notices.*Note: Suicide note permanent record which is always available
cannot be photograph in crime scene especially in court presentation o in court
because of privacy. proceeding.
3. Used as an aid by the investigator to
7. Personnel Training- photographs and describe in court some of the details of the
film relating to police tactics, crime scene they have investigated
investigation techniques, mob control and several months ago, the small details and
catastrophe situation. exact locations of objects.
4. To assist the investigators inn
8. Crime and fire prevention hazard using photographic equipment and
through lectures, security clearance techniques in their effort to solve crime.
detection devices,photos of hazardous fire
conditions made when prevention
inspections are made.
The Types of Photography
1. Photomacrography- photographing
objects directly enlarge on the negative 10. Thermo
and magnified from one to nine times.
Taking a magnified (enlarged) photograph
of small object by attaching an extended photography-
tube lens (macro lens) to the camera.
2. Photomicrography- the art
photographing minutes objects when a kind of
magnified by means of a microscope and
enlarge from 10 times and up. Taking a
magnified photograph of small object photo where
through attaching a camera to the ocular of a
compound microscope so as to show
aminute details of the physical evidence. we use laser
3. Infra-red photography- the art or
process of photographing or recording
unseen objects by means of infra-red. beam radiation
4. Ultra-violet photography- the art or
process of photographing or recording
unseen objects by means of ultra-violet using laser
lights or filters. It involves two methods:
Ultra-violet lamp and ultra-violet filter.
5. Microphotography- a very small beam film.
photograph as encountered in microfilming
or with the use of micro-film. is the process
of reducing into asmall strips of film a Example: The
scenario. It is first used in filmmaking.
6. X-ray- is the process of photographing
and recording the internal structure of the Night vision.
body.
7. Astrophotography- it is a specialized
type of photography that entails recording 11. Aerial
images as astronomical objects and large
areas of the night sky.
8. Flash photography- Applied to the photography-
technique whereby exposures are made
with illumination from one or more
photographs A kind of
9. Mug Shot photography- it is usually use
for personal identification which is the first
use of photography in police work. photography
applied for
photo it involves
mapping using
12 Underwater specialized
photography- equipment or
photographing software that
things capture
underwater images with
13. Night elongated
photography- fields of
technique used view. it is
to capture something
image at night. knows as
14. wide format
Panoramic photography.
10. Thermo photography- a kind of photo
photography- where we use laser beam radiation using
laser beam film. Example: The Night
vision.
11. Aerial photography- A kind of 10. The varying shade of gray will finally
photography applied for photo mapping form the complete image.
12 Underwater photography-
photographing things underwater. Take Note:
13. Night photography- technique used to
capture image at night. (Gray) Black and white and Dark – meaning
14. Panoramic photography- it involves over exposed.
using specialized equipment or
software that capture images with Light bright- meaning under exposed.
elongated fields of view. it is
something knows as wide format Brown- More Light- Bright - Over Exposed
photography.
15. Macrophotography-used Little Light-Dark- Underexposed
synonymously with photomacrogaphy.
16. Telephotography -Is the process of
taking photograph of a far object with the
aid of a long focus and Telephoto lens.
William
The Principles of Photography
Henry Fox
What are needed to produce positive
photograph?
Talbot-
1. A photograph is the mechanical and
chemical result of photography.
2. To produce a photograph, light is needed invented the
aside from sensitized materials.
3. Lights reflected or radiated by a subject
must reach the sensitized materials while all Calotype and
other light must be excluded.
4. The exclusion of all unwanted and
unnecessary light is achieved by placing the known as
sensitized materials material aside a camera.
5. The amount of light on the sensitized
material after exposure is not immediately the father of
visible to the eyes.
6. To make the formed image visible, it must
undergo the developed process. Modern
7. The visual effect that result from the
chemical processing is depended on the
quantity and quality of the exposing light. photography
8. More light will yield an opaque or black William Henry Fox Talbot- invented
shade on the sensitized material after the Calotype and known as the father
development. of Modern photography.
9. Too little light will produce a transparent
or white shade
10. Thermo photo
photography- mapping
a kind of 12 Underwater
photo where photography-
we use laser photographing
beam radiation things
using laser underwater
beam film. 13. Night
Example: The photography-
Night vision. technique used
11. Aerial to capture
photography- image at night.
A kind of 14.
photography Panoramic
applied for photography-
it involves The Principles
using of
specialized Photography
equipment or Calotype- is used paper with its surface
fibers impregnated with light sensitive
software that compounds.

Louis-Jacques-Mande Daguerre(1839)-
capture went on to develop the daguerreotype
process, the first publicly announced and
commercially viable photographic process.
images with The daguerreotype required only minutes of
exposure in the camera, and produced clear,
finely detailed results.
elongated Daguerreotypes were the forerunners of our
modern film. It was made of copper plate
fields of coated with silver and exposed to iodine
vapour before it was exposed to light. To
create the image on the plate, it must be
view. it is exposed to light for about 15 minutes.

Sir Isaac Newton

something •An English philosopher, Mathematician
and physicist who discovered and proved
that the strongest light is white light.
knows as James Clark Maxwell
•A British scientist who discovered the
wide format wavelength structure of light after 20 years
of research.
•He Likewise researched on colors.
photography. DANIEL BARBARO (1514-1570) He was
an Italian who encouraged the use of camera
obscura for artistic endeavors.
1. Photography Henry Fox
= Derived from Talbot.
1. Photography - Derived from the
the Greek word Greek word “Phos” or “Photos”
which means “light” and “Grapho”

“Phos” or means “Writing” or “Graphia”

ESSENTIALS OF
PHOTOGRAPHYmeaning “to

“Photos” which Draw”. Sir John F. W. Herschel

coined the word photography when
he first wrote a letter to Henry Fox
means “light” Talbot.

Is the art and science of reproducing

and “Grapho” image by means of light through
some sensitized material with the aid

means of a camera, Lens and its accessories

and the chemical process required in
order to produced a photograph.

“Writing” or 2. Police Photography - Is the

“Graphia” application of the principles of
photography is relation to the police
work and in the administration of
meaning “to justice.
3. Photograph - Is the mechanical and

Draw”. Sir John chemical result of Photography.

Picture and photograph are not the
same for a picture is a generic term is

F. W. Herschel refers to all kinds of formed image

while a photograph is an image that
can only be a product of
coined the word photography.

photography Different Views in photographing

when he first General View - taking an over-all view of the

scene of the crime. It shows direction and

wrote a letter to
location of the crime scene.
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 electric current through a special type of vacuum
nature of the crime. tube. It was incidentally discovered by Conrad
Close-up View - Is the taking of individual Welhelm Roentgen. This type of light works in
photograph of the evidence at the scene of the the principle of shadow photography.
crime. It is design to show the details of the Ultra-violet ray (Before the violet) - Radiation
crime. having a wavelength of 30 to 400 nanometers
Extreme Close-up View - Commonly designed designed to photograph fingerprints in multi
in laboratory photographing using some colored background, documents that are altered,
magnification such as Photomacrography and decipherment of erase writing and developing
photomicrography. invisible writing. It is commercially known as
“black Light”.
Infra-red (Beyond the Red) - Considered as the
ESSENTIALS OF PHOTOGRAPHY photographic rays with the longest wavelength
ranging from 700 to 1000 millimicrons. It is
designed to take photograph of over-written
Light - is an electromagnetic energy that travels documents, obliterated writing, and charred
in a form of a wave with the speed of 186, 000 documents or for black out photography. It is
miles per second. sometimes referred to as heat rays).
Camera - a light tight box designed to block Natural Light - are those light which come to
unwanted or unnecessary light from reaching the existence without the intervention of man e.i.
sensitized material. Sunlight, moonlight and starlight.
Lens - is the light gathering mechanism of the Bright Sunlight - object in an open space casts
camera that collect the reflected light coming a deep and uniform shadow and the object
from the object to form the image. appears glossy.
Sensitized material - composed of a highly Hazy Sunlight - object in an open space casts a
sensitized chemical compound which is capable transparent or bluish shadow. This is due to thin
of being transformed into an image through the clouds that cover the sun.
action of light and with some chemical Dull Sunlight - object in an open space cast no
processes. (Film and Photo Paper) shadow due to thick clouds covering the sun.
Chemical Process - is the process necessary for Artificial Light - otherwise known as man-
reducing silver halides into a form so as a latent made light e.g. fluorescent bulb, incandescent
image and a positive image be made resulting to bulb and photoflood lamp.
what we called Photograph

SENSITIZED MATERIAL - It refers to the

film and photographic paper that basically
Types of Light composed of emulsion containing Silver Halides
suspended in gelatin and coated on a transparent
Visible Light - Is the type of light that or reflective support.
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.
It refers to the type of radiation having a Parts of the Sensitized Material
wavelength of 400 to 700 millimicrons designed
for ordinary photographing purposes.
Invisible Light - lights in which their 1. Emulsion - is that part of the film or
wavelength are either too short or too long to photographic paper which contains the silver
excite the retina of the human eye i.e. X-ray, grains which is the one sensitive to light. In a
Ultra-violet and Infra-red lights. colored film this emulsion surface can be
X-ray - Light with the wavelength between .01 composed of three layers (Blue, Green and Red)
to 30 millimicrons. It is produced by passing an with filters intervening.
 2. Anti Halation Backing - is the one designed
to hold back the light and prevents halation.
3. Base - Support the emulsion Shutter speed =
Photographic Paper - It is that sensitized
material that will record the visible image in the is that part of
final development and become the photograph.

Types of Photographic Papers the camera

1. Silver Chloride paper - used for contact
printing, the size of the positive print is the same which regulates
as the size of the negative used. Sensitivity to
light is low and give blue-black tones when
properly developed. the time
2. Silver Bromide paper - used projection,
printing and enlarging process. This is one of the
most ideal photo paper used for police exposure of the
photography. Will give a black tone when
properly developed.
3. Silver Chlorobromide paper - used both for film thus,
projection and contact printing. Slow emulsion.
4. Variable contract paper - combines the
contrast range in one paper it uses a special affecting the
chlorobromide emulsion that produces varying
contrast responses upon exposure to different
colors of light. amount of light
reaching the
CAMERA- is a light tight box with light
gathering device and a means of blocking
unwanted or unnecessary light from reaching the sensitized
sensitized material.

Essential Parts of a Camera material. It is

1. Light Tight Box – a box designed to keep
light out and serve as a frame to hold other parts. usually
2. Lens – designed to collect or to focus the
reflected light from an object to form an image
on the film. expressed in a
3. Shutter – designed to control the time during
which the light reaches the film.
4. Holder of the sensitized material – located fraction of a
at the opposite side of the lens designed to hold
firmly the sensitized material to prevent the
formation of the multiple or blurred image. second.
5. View finder – designed to determine the 6. Shutter speed - is that part of the camera
field of view of the camera or the extent of the which regulates the time exposure of the film
coverage of the given lens. thus, affecting the amount of light reaching the
sensitized material. It is usually expressed in a
fraction of a second.
7. 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 INHERRRENT LENS DEFECTS
opening or relative aperture and it is expressed
in F-number. 1. Spherical Aberration - Inability of the lens
8. Focusing - is that mechanism of a camera to focus light passing the side of the lens
designed to control the degree of sharpness of producing an image that is sharp in the center
the object to be photograph. It is usually and blurred at the side.
obtained by estimating the distance from the 2. Coma - (Also known as lateral aberration)
camera and that of the object that will make a - Inability of the lens to focus light that travels
sharp or clear image. 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
TYPES OF THE CAMERA respect to one another.
4. Distortion - Is a defect in shape not in
sharpness. It can either be Pincushion distortion
1. View Finder Type – it is considered as the (curving inward) or Barrel (curving outward).
smallest and the simplest type of camera 5. Chromatic Aberration - Inability of the lens
2. Single Lens Reflex Camera – it is a type of to focus light of varying wavelength. The lens
camera best suited for police work due to its refracts rays of short wavelength more strongly
interchangeability of the lens than those of longer wavelength and therefore
3. Twin Lens Reflex Camera – A type of bringing blue rays to a shorter focus than the
camera with dual lens, one for focusing and the red.
other for forming the image. 6. Astigmatism - is a form of lens defects in
4. View or Press type – is considered the which the horizontal and vertical axis are not
biggest and expensive type of camera, used for equally magnified. Inability of the lens to focus
movie making. both horizontal and vertical lines.
5. LENS - It is the image-forming device of the 7. Chromatic Difference of Magnification
lens that actually has a greater effect on the 8. Flares -condition of the lens producing
quality of the image to be formed. A medium or multiple images.
system which converge or diverge light rays
passing through it to form an image. Can be a
glass or transparent material, which permit light LENS CHARACTERISTICS
to pass through and change the direction of light.
1. Focal Length – is the distance measured from
the optical center of the lens is set to focus at
Positive or Convex Lens (Converging Lens) - infinite position. As according to focal lenses
Characterized by the fact that it is thicker at the may be classified as:
center and thinner at the side which is capable of a. Wide Angle or Short Focus - with focal
bending the light together and forms the image length not longer than the diagonal half of the
inversely. negative. Useful in taking photograph at short
Negative or Concave Lens (diverging Lens) - distance with wider area coverage.
Characterized by the fact that it is thinner at the b. Normal or Medium Focus - with focal
center and thicker at the side and forms the length approximately equal but not longer than
virtual image on the same side of the lens. 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.