How good crime scene photos help tell the story of the incident

Submitted by: Hilary Romig, PoliceOne Contributor

It is the investigator’s job to relay the events of the crime in the best possible manner. Crime scene photos help to tell a story. A good set of photos can help those involved in the investigation find out what took place, and also help outsiders such as a jury see the whole picture, so to speak. Since crime scene photography is essentially retelling the scene of the crime, there should be nothing missing from the story. For example, if an investigator were photographing a burglary scene, the point of entry should photographed, followed step by step (to the extent possible) of everywhere the suspect went from there. Even the smallest hint of action should be captured on film. If the suspect broke in through a window and knocked over a stack of books, those books should be photographed as well as the window. Every photo should link together creating an overlap effect.  Overlapping means that each photo connects with each other. For instance, if the first shot includes the window where the suspect entered, the next photo should include the window, but focus on the next object. From there, the trail should continue, all the while including one object, from the previous photo. This is crucial for putting the piece of the puzzle together.  Another key factor when it comes to crime scene photography is the need for urgency. As soon as the police are involved, the scene should be photographed. This is done promptly so that no potential evidence is disturbed.  Each element of the scene should be captured in film as well. Going back to the example of the thief, the books in the stack that were knocked over should be photographed. Not only to link the photos together, but the books themselves should be photographed. This is the case for each step along the trail. If an object as small as a pencil is knocked off of a table, that pencil should be photographed.  For certain cases, aerial photos should be taken. This brings the whole scene into one shot.  When it comes to taking photographs at a crime scene, the investigator should take as many photos as they can. It is best to have too many photos rather than not enough. After all, once the scene is cleared, evidence is removed and the original crime scene no longer exists. It is best to capture each element in the most detailed way possible.