We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Technology

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What are Crime Scene Photographs?

Margo Upson
By
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 11,758
Share

One of the most important tools that a crime scene investigator has is the pictures taken at a crime scene. Crime scene photographs are used to record the crime scene in its original form, before evidence is collected and anything is moved around. Taking crime scene photographs, on either 35 millimeter film or with a digital camera, is one of the most important steps to processing a crime scene because it allows investigators to view the crime scene weeks, months or even years after the crime took place.

Crime scene photographs are important for preserving a record of the original crime scene. Photographs are normally taken at three levels: overall, mid-level and close-up. Overall shots show the overall crime scene. Mid-level shots show distances and relationships between objects. Close-up shots show the details of evidence or anything else relevant to the crime.

It is important that these photographs are taken before anyone has the chance to wander through the crime scene, potentially moving things from their original location. It is done after the nature of the crime has been determined and a general theory about the crime has been put together. This theory, which may include the criminal's entrance and exit points, any potential weapons and how the crime was committed, will help to direct the photographer towards the shots that need to be taken.

After they have been taken and developed, crime scene photographs become an essential part of the case file. Even though a sketch of the crime scene will also be created, the photographs provide investigators with the opportunity to return to the original crime scene to look for anything that may help to solve the case. Crime scene photographs can help investigators remember little nuances of the crime scene, and can be compared to witness and victim testimonies, allowing for accuracy checks.

Crime scene photographs are considered visual evidence, and can be used in court cases. The pictures must use scales, where appropriate. For example, the size of blood splatters could be shown by placing a quarter, or other small and easily identifiable object, on a clean surface near the splatters. The camera angles used must also be taken into consideration. Overall views of the crime scene must be taken from several different angles. Pictures of smaller objects and areas should also be shown from several different perspectives. In order for pictures to be usable, they must also be clear, without distracting dirt marks on the lens, deep shadows or blurring that would make details difficult to see.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Margo Upson
By Margo Upson
With a vast academic background that has ranged from psychology and culinary arts to criminal justice and education, Margo Upson brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role as a WiseGeek writer. Her wide-ranging interests and skill at diving into new topics make her articles informative, engaging, and valuable to readers seeking to expand their knowledge.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
By ZsaZsa56 — On Apr 30, 2012

I saw an exhibition of actual crime scene photographs from prohibition era New York. I think they usually avoid displaying that kind of stuff publicly, but so much time had passed and many of the crime scenes depicted correspond to famous events.

By gravois — On Apr 30, 2012

Do the police keep photos of a crime scene forever? And are all the pictures that they take stored in digital formats these days? I ask just because it is amazing to think of all the crime scene photos that will be stored going into the future. One day it will constitute a vast and macabre archive, but one that it will be vital to preserve.

By summing — On Apr 29, 2012

I friend of mine has a huge blown up copy of a forensic crime scene photo that he had framed and hung on his wall. It is not of a body or anything but it does have the chalk outline and some faint hints of blood.

It is an interesting idea for an art project. When you think of crime scene photos you only really think about the documentary aspect of it. But they have an aesthetic dimension as well. The police tape, the blocky outline, the menace suggested by the familiarity of the entire scene. It makes for an oddly compelling wall hanging.

Margo Upson
Margo Upson
With a vast academic background that has ranged from psychology and culinary arts to criminal justice and education,...
Learn more
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-are-crime-scene-photographs.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.