Received : 13‑01‑15 Review completed : 19‑02‑15 Review Paper Accepted : 11‑03‑15 FORENSIC PHOTOGRAPHY: A REVIEW Vinod Sargaiyan, * Deepti Bharddwaj, ** Pooja Singh, *** Rahul Sharma, † Sana Noor Siddiqui, †† Sateesh Bhatele ††† * Senior Lecture, Department of Oral Pathology, Maharana Pratap College of Dentistry & RC, Gwalior, India ** Senior Lecture, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Maharana Pratap College of Dentistry & RC, Gwalior, India *** Senior Lecture, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Maharana Pratap College of Dentistry & RC, Gwalior, India † Post Graduate Student, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Maharana Pratap College of Dentistry & RC, Gwalior, India †† Senior Lecture, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Peoples College of Dental Sciences and Rc, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India ††† Post Graduate Student, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, SGT Dental College and Hospital & RC, Gurgaon, Haryana, India _________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT UV, normal, and IR light source photography for Forensic photography is the art of producing the documentation of the examination, latent an accurate reproduction of the scene of a fingerprinting processing, detection of semen and crime or an accident to aid in investigation and bloodstains, trace wound pattern detection, teeth presentation of evidence during the legal restorations, and bite mark documentation has [1] process.It provides investigators with photos opened a new frontier for forensic science. of victims, places and items involved in a crime Need for the Forensic Photography or accident. Forensic photography often The need to photographically record injury represents the best method to collect and patterns as they appear on skin is paramount to preserve evidence in forensic odontology cases the odontologist and pathologist. Since vast and is especially utilized for measurement of amounts of time often elapse between the craniofacial dimensions, teeth arch commission of a crime and the trial of the morphology which include bite marks and perpetrator, photographs frequently are the only dental restorations.Photography of this kind permanent record of the injuries to the victims. involves choosing correct lighting, accurate Therefore, it is imperative that the forensic angling of lenses, and a collection of different investigator be able to properly photograph injury viewpoints. Scale-like items for length patterns as a means of preserving such evidence. Photography is one of the most important applied measurement. Advances in photographic protocols of forensic dentistry. The demands on equipments and aids and especially digital the photographer can be great, especially in photography along with photo softwares have situations where an injury is the only evidence enabled more accurate presentation and tying a suspect to the crime. Time, patience and utilization of data in a crime or accident scene. preparation in forensic photography are This article discusses the types of requirements for successful pattern injury photographic evidence and the specific documentation. While often frustrating and time techniques utilized in full spectrum forensic consuming, when done properly the results yield digital photography. good evidence, bringing with it a sense of KEYWORDS: Forensic photography; forensic accomplishment and satisfaction that the forensic sciences; bite marks dentist has made a significant contribution to the case. Developing the skills necessary to INTRODUCTION competently document these injuries with visible Forensic photography regularly represents the and non visible light is one of the great challenges paramount method to collect and preserve in forensic dentistry.[1] evidence in forensic cases including forensic Different Types of Techniques: odontology. Modern technology enables the When presented with an injury, the forensic investigator to obtain photographs using dentist or investigator must decide wavelengths of the light spectrum that are 1. What information the injury may contain. normally obscured from vision. The use of ALI, IJOCR Apr - Jun 2015; Volume 3 Issue 2 60 Forensic photography Sargaiyan V, Bharddwaj D, Singh P, Sharma R, Siddiqui SN, Bhatele S Fig. 1: Spectrum of Electromagnetic Radiation Fig. 2: Levels of light penetration into skin when illuminated by varying wavelength 2.The extent of the injury, and Various types of photographic technique are 3.How best to photographically record it. available today in order to cater the different need Preserving the detail of the injury with arising out of different situations.Some of these photographs may involve a combination of color technique are used routinely,easier to perform and and black & white visible photographs as well as a mere more standardized adaptation to what we the use of the non-visible ultraviolet and infrared use in our day to day life,while others are more photographs. complex,requiring a thorough knowledge of The Standard Technique optics and its principles,along with the advanced The photographer should develop a standard knowledge of various kind of camera technique which includes orientation photographs systems,lens properties,and the processing showing where the injury occurred on the body. techniques.In this part of the chapter,described Additionally, this protocol should include close- first will be the simpler technique followed by the up photographs, placing the lighting source at more complex other techniques.Following is the different angles in relation to the injury. list of various techniques that are used in forensic Photographs should be taken with and without a photography: scale.The use of a scale serves as a reference to I. Visible light photography record the relative size of the injuries in the 1.Digital photography photographs.While there are a number of 2.Visible light color photography acceptable scales,including coins,when 3.Visible light black and white photography. unavailability of appropriate scales occurs,many II. Alternate light imaging (ALI) and forensic investigators use the ABFO No.2 scale in fluorescent techniques their photographs. This right-angled scale was III. Non-visible light photography. developed by a photogrammetrist (Mr. William 1.Reflective long-wavelength ultraviolet(UVA) Hyzer) and a forensic dentist (Dr. Thomas photography Krauss) for the purpose of minimizing 2.Infrared photography. photographic distortion and assuring accuracy in I. Visible light photography measurement. It has a black, white, and gray scale By far, the most common type of photography for color correctness, as well as three perfect utilized today is photography using visible light, circles and metric scales.The photographer should both in color and black and white. Manufacturers retain the original scale used in the photograph in of photographic equipment and films develop and the event enlargement to life-sized reproductions market equipment and supplies that are becomes necessary.It is essential that the standard specifically designed to have an optimal technique developed by the forensic photographer performance in the 400- to 760-nm range of the includes exposing many photographs for each electromagnetic spectrum. For the photographer case. One should not be hesitant about using wishing to take pictures in this range of light several rolls of film for a photo shoot.[2] energy, there is relatively little practice required Forensic Dental Photography: Types & to ensure highly detailed and sharply focused Technique photographs.[2] IJOCR Apr - Jun 2015; Volume 3 Issue 2 61 Forensic photography Sargaiyan V, Bharddwaj D, Singh P, Sharma R, Siddiqui SN, Bhatele S 2. Visible Light Color Photography interchangeable bodies; one loaded with color Advancements in design and manufacture of film, the other with black and white. It may seem modern 35-mm cameras have greatly simplified redundant to rerecord the injury with black and color photography. These cameras have the white photographs when color photographs of the capability to photograph objects with great same injury were just taken or is it? Remember accuracy and precise color detail. As discussed that the human eye is very adept at seeing images previously, the lenses have coatings and the flash in color. Because of the color information units are filtered to direct only visible light to the processed optically by the retina, other important film. Modern films record the images in brilliant details of the injury may be overlooked. When the colors and sharp detail. The most critical injury is photographed in black and white, the eye variables to consider when taking still is not distracted by the color composition of the photographs in color are (1) the type of the film injury and the normal surrounding areas. and (2) the intensity of the light present when the Consequently, this absence of color allows the film is exposed. Color visible light photography is viewer to see more detail in the injury. When by far the most common type of photography exposing film for black and white photographs, used today. Modern cameras readily available the same criteria for exposing color photographs today are manufactured and configured to take are followed. These include film selection, photographs using visible light. There are bracketing, lighting, orientation, and close-up generally no special requirements or equipment exposures, both with and without a scale.One needs assuming there is enough visible light cannot take too many