The Use of Digital Photography in Forensic Science - Coursework Example

Forensic Science is the convergence of science and law enforcement in solving crimes through the scientific analysis of evidence. A forensic scientist has the job of applying principles of chemistry and physics in reference to a particular case. Hall Dillon identifies that the job of a forensic scientists entails two things, “One is to analyze physical evidence found either on a victim, at the sceneof a crime, or both and to compare it to evidence found on thesuspect. The other is to provide expert testimony in a court of law” (2-3).These primary tasks of the forensic scientist involve a number of responsibilities that he must perform in order to know the truth in each case. The use of digital photography is a convenient and helpful aid in the work of a forensic scientist. The perpetuation of an image through photography paves the way that allows a crime lab professional to examine data. The Use of Forensic Photography The first role is the common perception and idea that people have of this type of work. This involves going to the scene of the crime and carefully gathering and investigating the available physical evidence that could help solve a case. This is more particular in terms of criminal cases where most forensic scientists’ work revolves around although they are not limited to crimes since certain civil cases would also involve the expertise that forensics can offer. The second role is essentially the culmination of the hard work that goes into a day’s work. The forensic scientist must now go to court to ascertain the truth by proving it through what he has gathered. The report that they provide are used by the bench to render sound judgment based. His expert testimony serves to strengthen the case of the party who represents the truth whether it is the prosecution or in some cases the defense for lack of substantial evidence to prove guilt. Before going to the court of law to present their evidentiary findings, the forensic scientist must first collect data, and in this, the function of digital photography finds its most use. Photography may seem like a straightforward field with the fundamentals being the same in most aspects. But the different applications varies the necessities of the context that the picture must be taken. To put it more simply, there are various specializations that require different things. An editorial picture is different from an advertisement and this divergence is even truer when it comes to forensic photography. The understanding of the basic premises of photography would be helpful to succeeding in capturing good photos. Lighting is an important part of this field of study. The appropriate light exposure is substantial in producing quality photos. Different types of films fit to certain types of pictures. For instance, infrared films give a more defined recording of energies good for black and white images compared to traditional film which limits the light to permeate through the film and causes a glow surrounding a bright object because of its anti-halation layer (Gestring 2). The Basic Principles of Photography Brian Gestring also expounded on the fundamentals of colour in photography through the principle of colour temperature. The essential property of this principle is the black body where heat is applied to for light to impress it and is thus measured in Kelvin. Daylight and the camera flash are the best examples that determine a photos colour temperature. Lighting depends largely on the source and the distance of the object. The position of the light source is proportional to its effect to the composition of the picture (Gestring 3-4). Closer to the light source means more light while distance means less light conversely. The type of the light source also has an effect to the picture as it could either be natural or artificial, indoor or outdoor. Digital photography, unlike analogue which depends on silver halide crystals, is composed of the element we refer to as pixels which can be seen by continuously enlarging the image. An increased number of pixels or megapixels (mostly in the millions) are a major factor in having a higher resolution picture. Lens quality is another determinative factor in producing a good quality picture as well as the computer software used in the process. Recoding in digital imaging starts from exposure and then takes the image apart and saves it is a storage device which is then recreated through a computer algorithm. The capability of digital cameras to switch resolutions and allow for higher resolution pictures means that more time must be appropriated for the device to properly save the image where good software becomes advantageous since it provides for faster buffering. Another great feature of a digital camera is the burst rate which takes a particular number of photographs continuously in rapid speed without having to worry about expending the film improvidently since developing is no longer necessary because of the electronic media storage device. In order to efficiently take advantage of the burst rate feature, it would be a good idea to adjust the camera’s setting to lower the photo resolution (Gestring 32-33). Documenting A Scene The job of a forensic scientist in a crime scene is to document and memorialize what could be seen at that particular moment. Documentation could either be passive or active. In the former, keeping a record for later use while in the latter scientific method is the main thrust. Both kinds are important for various reasons. “Investigators are collecting data, using conjecture to developtheories, testing their theories, and documenting based upon their working hypothesis” (Gestring 26). A kind of passive documentation is establishing photography which allows the judicial process to have a good grasp of recreating the scene since there is substantial amount of time which could lapse between them. Overlap of images in relation to each other gives a panoramic view of the area as found. The image below gives a good example of how this technique could help a forensic scientist. The four photographs each in their perspective give a different view of the room. Parts of it overlap which creates a more comprehensive overview of the place. Figure 1: Different angles of a room (Gestring 23). Active documentation then comes in to focus on the substantial areas that could prove a particular fact. A close-up is a good example of active documentation used by forensics. A macro lens is the most appropriate tool in this setup. The field of view should fill the entire shot to enable enlargement for easy scrutiny of the investigators (Gestring 24). Lighting is also a major consideration. Dark parts in a photograph could lead to hidden evidence and the use of flash in these cases is the best solution. Fill flash is used by forensic scientists to eliminate shadows in a photo. Night photography usually requires the aid of a tripod with remote shutter to stabilize a shot (29). Different flashes produce different quality photos and to document a given area. Figure 2: Flash Photography (Gestring 25). Photography Hardware There are three main types of a digital camera, the point and shoot, professional and the high end (Blitzer and Jacobia 21). The point and shoot camera is cheaper compared to the other types but it does not enable the feature of changing camera lenses and has limited zoom in functions (Jones 21). The Single Lens Reflex (SLR) cameras are more versatile than their point and shoot counterparts. Lenses, as accessories, are available according to model. Wide-angle lenses capture a good amount of area but it is susceptible to distortion while a telephoto lens makes distant images appear closer. The most advisable is to use a normal lens (ibid 22). To be consistent with the function of forensic photography as a perpetuation of the scene, steering away from fancy amusement lenses must be cautioned. Selecting the appropriate photographic system is dependent upon a number of factors. The basic requirements that will enable a forensic photographer to perform his job include the skill of changing the camera lens that must be a supported function of the device. A flash off camera is also indispensable which “means that a wire from the camera to the flash should be able to transmit metering and flash synchronization information to the flash yet still allow the photographer to move the flash to alter the angle of illumination or prevent reflection” (Gestring 32). The recommended minimum resolution for latent print by the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) is actually 1,000 pixels per inch (ibid 33). Forensic science has become an involving field which has developed alongside technology. The area of forensic photography is perhaps a great example of how it has evolved immensely. The advent of digital photography has enabled the forensic scientist to take advantage of digital imaging as a tool in his basic purpose of stimulating memory and taking the judicial system into the scene as it happened. Since the members of the court such as the judge, the lawyers, the witnesses and the jury often have to go back a particular interval of time to analyse the place, pictures are the best way to take them there. Digital photography, besides the obvious element of being inexpensive, provides the forensic scientist ample choices in conducting his work. Finding the truth has become easier because of the ability to preserve the necessary details through a photo. This is a great demonstration how science has become indispensable in law enforcement. Bibliography Blitzer, Herbert L., and Jack Jacobia. Forensic Digital Imaging and Photography. San Diego: Academic, 2002. Google Books. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. Dillon, Hall. "Forensic: A Career In." Occupational Outlook Quarterly Fall (1999): 2-7.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. www.bls.gov. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. Gestring, Brian J. A Forensic Scientist’s Guide To Photography. New Jersey: American Board of Criminalistics Certifications Examinations, 2007. PDF. Jones, Patrick. Practical Forensic Digital Imaging: Applications and Techniques. Boca Raton, FL: CRC, 2011. Google Books. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. Read More