Animal Cruelty Crime Scene Forensic Photography

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Blanche Todd
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1 Animal Cruelty Crime Scene Forensic Photography Belinda Lewis Belinda Lewis Presented for the National Animal Control Association: 2015 What Your Final Product Means Prosecutor: support, recognition as professionals. Community: awareness, donations, support. Media: attraction and coverage Public Trust: willing to make the call, provide information Objectives What are the basics of photography? Understand the rules and protocols of crime scene photography. Understanding continuity of your images as evidence. Identify and troubleshoot some of your challenging conditions Represent your case with your photography Incorporating the basics into your agency, large or small: equipment, training, and funding. NACA

Community: awareness, donations, support. Media: attraction and coverage Public Trust: willing to make the call, provide information Objectives What are the basics of photography?

2 What are the basics of photography? How Your Camera Works: It s All About Controlling The Light Shutter Speed (increase or decrease light) Control motion with faster shutter speed Aperture (size of opening to allow light) (F#) Control depth of field (range of focus) with aperture ISO (sensitivity to light) Let more light in with higher iso, risk noise A Visual To The Three Factors Shutter Speed LIGHT Aperture (opening) I.S.O. sensitivity NACA

motion with faster shutter speed Aperture (size of opening to allow light) (F#) Control depth of field (range of

3 Shutter Speed Faster shutter speeds freeze motion. The faster the shutter speed, the less light you allow into the sensor. Bright sunny day, no problem. 1/50 th of a second 1/1000 th of a second Photo credit: Rob Snyder, FWACC ISO: (light sensitivity) Aperture and Depth of Field NACA

4 Cell Phone Cameras The best camera is the one you have in your hand. Cell phones are not crime scene cameras Download the photos and follow the same storage and continuity rules you do for your stills and videos. Understand the rules and protocols of crime scene photography Example Processing Structure Approach and Define the Scene Secure and Protect Evaluate Physical Evidence Possibilities Narrative Photography Sketch Conduct Detailed Search Record and Collect Physical Evidence Final Survey Release Adapted from the FBI Crime Scene Protocol NACA

5 The Cardinal Rules of Crime Scene Photography: Fill The Frame Maximize Depth of Field Keep the sensor plane parallel 90 degrees to your subject Credit: Edward Robinson Crime Scene Photography All Three Rules: Abigail Fill the Frame Maximize the Depth of Field Sensor at 90 degrees? Photography Protocols Establish your venue Walk Through (video walk through on large scenes) Four corner perimeters and room entry Big to Small Overall Mid-Range Close-up Macro NACA 2015 Photo credit ASPCA 5

degrees to your subject Credit: Edward Robinson Crime Scene Photography All Three Rules: Abigail Fill the Frame Maximize the Depth

6 Scenes: Big to Small Venue House Address Overall Mid-Range Close-up Macro Four Corner Photography NACA

7 Identifying Animals As Evidence Photo ID Boards: Home made or purchased Content: date, time, agency, case, animal # Board and animal in the same plane What is Important to Capture? Paraphernalia and anything that supports your criminal elements. Wall damage Carpet stains Blood spatter Tools/ weapons: perpetrator and defender Injuries: human and animal Thermostat and thermometer readings Food, grain, water, locks, gates, restraints, chain lengths, fighting pits, rape stands, treadmills, cages, feces, Better too many than not enough images! Scales are required with your evidentiary photography Scales come in different tones, use the tone that best achieves a proper exposure. Take photographs without then with scale NACA

Wall damage Carpet stains Blood spatter Tools/ weapons: perpetrator and defender Injuries: human and animal Thermostat and thermometer readings Food, grain, water, locks, gates,

8 Scales Not at 90 degrees Without then with scale 90 degrees Big to small Supplemental lighting Wound photography White scale darkened the subject but flash overexposed it. Try a gray scale, diffused lighting, or diffused flash This is a closeup, be sure you have an overall that shows the animal with the wound. NACA

9 Understanding continuity of your images as evidence Your photos are evidence. Maintain their continuity in storage to maintain admissibility. Considerations for Storage Continuity and Security Price Accessibility to those who need it Review and enhancement * Commercial image storage * Starting out on a budget NACA

Considerations for Storage Continuity and Security Price Accessibility to those

10 Evidence Storage Example Digital Photographic Storage Maintaining Continuity and Admissibility Secure storage at export (server? disc?) Place into continuity Radiographic discs go through the same process. Image Storage Option Using Windows NACA

11 Case Folder Naming System Case Photo Naming System The camera assigns a unique number to each photo within the case folder. Multiple photographers? Multiple folders within each case. Crime Scene Photo Log Not all departments log their photos. We do it at FWACC, our prosecutor loves it. We use a word document. NACA

12 Identify and troubleshoot some of your challenging conditions Remember: It s about controlling the light Why? To gain shutter speed In order to limit motion blur caused by you or your subject To be able to increase your aperture So you have enough depth of field to maximize your image quality Troubleshooting Pictures Motion or blur: Check your shutter speed Have you had too much coffee? Too close to focus? Too dark Use flash Increase room light availability Flashlight Is something fooling the camera? NACA

have enough depth of field to maximize your image quality Troubleshooting Pictures Motion or blur: Check your shutter speed Have

13 Not Enough Flash? This was achieved with vehicle lights Brace on tree, fencepost, or kneel What did we gain by using flash? True color Increased light raised the shutter speed, no blur. Inside something that is cutting your light? Carrier, Dog House, Shed? Supplemental light Flash Flashlight Open doors NACA

14 Oblique Lighting: to show detail Photo credit NEIA 45 degrees: can be multiple light sources 45 degrees Use diffusers to prevent reflections and glare Diffusing Light: prevent glare and reflection NACA

Use diffusers to prevent reflections and glare

15 Dark skin or coat/dark wound White bandage, white scales: dark skin or dark animal. The camera meter is fooled, darkening your photo. Your subject (the wound) is too dark as a result. Try using a gray scale Flash may/may not work Bring exterior light to the subject area. 90 degrees? Indoor Light Temperatures Camera settings Necropsy on gray towels to maintain true colors and prevent reflections from stainless Backlighting: What it does How to beat it Fill Flash You are evaluating a crime scene and note a tool on a window sill. It must be photographed before moving it. It will show up dark if you don t beat the backlight. NACA

Indoor Light Temperatures Camera settings Necropsy on gray towels to maintain true colors and prevent reflections from stainless Backlighting: What it does How

16 Fill Flash to Beat Backlight The light behind the cat is fooling your meter. The flash evened out the lighting. Fill Flash, AE Lock, Exposure Comp. Fill Flash Different approaches, check your manual. Auto Exposure Lock Represent your case with your photography NACA

17 No Manipulation Manipulation = To change by artful or unfair means so as to serve one s purpose. Enhancement Enhancement = To make greater or better, as in value, desirability or attractiveness, such as contrast or brightness adjustments. Originals must be available Macro Photography Sharp forced trauma, penetration to the heart. NACA

Enhancement Enhancement = To make greater or better, as in value, desirability or

18 Light Extremes: high dynamic range All your photography should be an accurate representation of what you saw Close-up: same scene, HDR Software: Photoshop Photomatix pro All originals submitted and available. Proper photos may prevent having to unseal evidence at discovery. NACA

Software: Photoshop Photomatix pro All originals submitted and

19 Big to Small: Tell the Story The panoramic stitched photo does a much better job of visually representing this large property cockfighting case. Present each original used. #1 #2 #3 #8 Big to Small Cockfighting supplement #4 #5 #7 #6 Hoarding: Photograph Animals in Place NACA

20 Using photography when conditions are not ideal Photograph search tasks to help with recall Evidence photographed in place, need evidence id markers next. NACA

21 Be sure the quality of your photo adds support to the elements of your charge Photo shows the water is frozen, not accessible. Skin tenting to support dehydration Comparison Photography Same or separate photos? Check with your prosecutor. Cannot prejudice the jury. Outlines: Without then with scale We collected the door knob and cut out the drywall. NACA

22 Photos to Refute Alibis Perishable evidence: blood, rain, this diaper. Necropsy Photography maintain continuity of the body At scene, in place, scales and id Bag and tag Place in continuity Photograph bagged & tagged before opening for start of necropsy. Necropsy Photo Protocol Each step: 4 angles and from top External views w/ closeups on anything of importance before rinsing. Before Rinsing After Rinsing After Shaving Reflected skin stage of necropsy: Start all over Closeups on hemorrhaging Show shape on wounds that penetrated skin Necessary later for critical comparisons Cavity Organ Brain Cavity NACA

23 4 + 1 Perspective Flip and start over Body cavity and organs Reference points: Overall, mid-range, close up Supplemental lighting, diffused. Moist tissue reflects All findings, supportive and normal. Veterinarian/ Scribe/ Photographer Incorporating the basics into your agency, large or small: equipment, training, and funding. NACA

24 Not Just Crime Scene Photography: Train full scene processing and case packaging for a full understanding of the prosecutors needs If officers cannot appreciate the reasons why we need a step in the process, then we will not receive what we need to support our cases. Cameras Considerations DSLR vs Point and Shoot Shutter lag Lens Requirements Ruggedized? Accessories Field Processing Kit Equipment, Training, and Funding NACA

EVIDENCE PHOTOGRAPHY TEST SPECIFICATIONS MODULE 1: CAMERA SYSTEMS & LIGHT THEORY (37)

EVIDENCE PHOTOGRAPHY TEST SPECIFICATIONS The exam will cover evidence photography involving crime scenes, fire scenes, accident scenes, aircraft incident scenes, surveillances and hazardous materials scenes.