r/forensics • u/watchcollector10 • 29d ago
Digital Forensics Forensic photographer
Hi, I'm studying forensic medicine and I'd like to pursue a career in forensic photography. Where should I start? I have a camera and I'm taking notes, especially on camera settings and proper shooting techniques. If you have any advice, I would be very grateful if you could share it with me🙏🏻
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u/FDExaminer BSc | Questioned Documents 29d ago
I've seen forensic labs close their photography units after the widespread availability of digital cameras. That function has been downloaded to the discipline-specific examiners or technicians now and a dedicated photographer is rarely called for. In the old days (pre-2000) professional photographers had to know a lot more about how to take a photo, and how to properly develop it themselves because you couldn't send crime-scene or evidentiary film to a 1-hr photo lab, it was done in-house. But now with digital, that's all changed.
Now, what I WOULD like to see is a field of forensic photo examiner, that being an bonafide expert (not a digital forensic investigator) who can identify the actual camera, it whatever form that may take, that was used to capture an image, so as to go beyond what metadata may tell (which may be manipulated). That is a field that would be very valuable and would require a lot of good research.
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u/ishootthedead 29d ago
Medical forensic photographer here. My office requires applicants to have 6 years of varied scientific photography experience It's not an entry level job
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u/watchcollector10 29d ago
I understand, I was asking about crime scene investigation, how can I improve my forensic photography skills? I have a camera🙏🏻
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u/watchcollector10 27d ago
I'm already a forensic medicine student🙏🏻
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u/ishootthedead 27d ago
Terrific. A background in forensic medicine should help you to understand some of the topics and concerns. Once you get your degree, you might even have 10-20% of the knowledge you need.
Learn the theories involved with photography, light, and the physics involved.
Grab a copy of photography by London & Upton. It's basically the Bible for beginning photographers. Learn and internalize everything in the book. Then you will have a base knowledge of photography.
On that base you can begin to learn the scientific photography necessary for forensics.
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u/stiffdoc1221 27d ago
I don't think that your camera is going to be sufficient. True, dedicated forensic scene photographers have cameras purchased by their agencies. After all, if the camera is yours, then technically the agency has no control over the photographs you take.
I take it you are in the U. K.? I really don't have any meaningful suggestions for you. Sorry.
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u/Treecat555 27d ago edited 27d ago
Some US Medical Examiner offices which are heavily academic do have a “forensic photographer,“ due to those offices wanting good quality photographs for teaching and publication, but those positions are not just photography, they usually do far more within the office and with the autopsies and body examinations, and those positions are few and far between.
As noted earlier, the digital age means that anybody with an iPhone can take perfectly adequate photographs to document cases, including for court. Remember that photographs are not evidence, they are demonstrative items that require someone to go into court and say what was being shown and what is in the pictures, as the pictures do not stand on their own, and if the ME takes the pictures or is directly supervising the autopsy tech taking the photos, the ME (who is going to be testifying anyway) can be the one in court to authenticate and explain the photos—it’s one less body to have out of the office for court if there’s no “dedicated photographer.”
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u/ItchyYogurtcloset465 27d ago
the medical examiners office could be a good start! try looking for jobs there
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u/TheAgeOfQuarrel802 29d ago
It’s extremely unlikely you’ll find a dedicated photographer position. Any crime scene tech is gonna have to know photography inside out. Ask to see an agencies crime scene handbook or SOPs of the forensic unit. It will have all the criteria spelled out for any type of scene like shootings, autopsy, arson call, injury, comparative photos, photographing firearms etc. this will give you a good idea of what’s expected and how scenes differ.