Chapter 6 - Crime Scene Photography

Question 1

What are the four key elements of crime scene documentation?

Answer 1

· notes
· photographs / video
· sketches
· reports

Question 2

Describe how a photograph might create an identification problem.

Answer 2

Photographs that are created in which the viewer has absolutely no idea of what the item is or why the photograph was taken.

Question 3

Describe how a photograph might create a confusion problem.

Answer 3

Confusion in photographs arises when photographs are produced of similar items on similar backgrounds with no way to distinguish between them.

Question 4

What are the three basic photographs associated with crime scene photography?

Answer 4

·Overall photographs
· evidence-establishing photographs
· evidence close-up/forensic quality photographs

Question 5

What is the purpose of an overall photograph?

Answer 5

The purpose of overall photographs is to depict the general condition in layout of the scene.

Question 6

What is the purpose of an Evidence establishing photograph?

Answer 6

To frame the item in conjunction with some obvious landmark evident in the overall photographs.

Question 7

What are the minimum requirements to include in a crime scene photography log?

Answer 7

It should include basic administrative data and, at the very minimum, identify the subject of the photo and the exposure number.

Question 8

How does the f-stop affect the resulting photograph?

Answer 8

F-stop affects the light and depth of field.

Question 9

How can a crime scene technician prevent overexposure or bleaching out of close-up photographs when using fill flash techniques?

Answer 9

Use a sync cord, bump flash or diffuser.

Question 10

Describe at least three critical mistakes that occur when using video cameras in the crime scene.

Answer 10

Move too fast, don’t pause long enough for review of specific items, lighting.

Question 11

A fisheye lens is appropriate for Crime Scene photography situations. True or false?

Answer 11

False!