Coroner Talk | Death Investigation Training | Police And Law Enforcement

Crime scene photography, also called forensic photography, has been around almost as long as the camera itself. Investigators quickly realized that such technology could freeze time -- creating a supposedly incontestable record of a crime scene, a piece of evidence or even a body.  Today, forensic photographs are essential for investigating and prosecuting a crime.  Photographs help preserve not only the most fleeting evi­dence -- like the shape of a blood stain that will soon be mopped up -- but als­o the placement of items in a room and the relation of evidence to other objects. Such images can prove vital to investigators long after the crime scene is gone. Crime scene photographers must be methodical in their work.­ They can't afford to leave out an important piece of evidence or produce photographs that could be considered misleading in court.  There are three classifications of forensic photos -- overviews, mid-range and close-ups. If the crime took place inside, overviews include photos of the outside