Are you comfortable in knowing what photos should be taken at different types of crime scenes or serious accidents, how to utilize the “Rule of Three” and understand why it should be used?

Do you understand why and when evidence markers or accurate scales are needed when photographing a crime scene or piece of evidence, and its correct placement? 

Do you know how to utilize the techniques of “time photography” and “painting with light” to turn a dark nighttime crime scene into what appears to be a daylight scene, and how to apply them to other situations and evidence?

Do you know how to reduce or eliminate glare from the window and vehicle glass, display cabinets, video/TV monitors, cell phones, and even make the glass disappear in your photographs?

Do you know the proper techniques to photograph specific types of evidence such as footwear and tire impressions, blood enhancement chemicals including Bluestar, bullet path and strikes, and morgue evidence?

Are you currently good at performing close-up or Macro photography, and can you correct for lighting conditions, glare, depth of field issues, and clarity?

If you answered “No” to one or more of the above questions and in general would like to create better crime scene and evidence photographs, this course will help you.

THE PURPOSE AND TARGET AUDIENCE

This course is designed for personnel who need to document crime scenes in more difficult lighting conditions and hard-to photograph types of related evidence.  These more advanced techniques would typically be used by evidence technicians or crime scene specialists for specific types of evidence.  

 

In order to get the most out of this course, you should already understand the basic operations of a digital camera and flash.  This course will include a brief review of basic controls including shooting modes, focus, exposure controls and compensation, lens/perspective distortion, white balance and flash usage.  NOTE:  If you do not have a very good understanding of the basic camera controls/topics just listed, it is highly recommended that you take the course “Essential Camera Operations and Controls” before this course or you could have difficulty understanding and proceeding through this more advanced course.   

THE NEED

When more serious crime scenes occur, more serious photography techniques are needed, especially for critical pieces of evidence that can help solve or prove a case in court.  You will not only need to show investigators, attorneys, juries, and evidence experts the general scene itself but in many cases specific views of critical pieces of evidence.  

Every situation has different lighting conditions whether photographing an entire scene or a close-up of a fingerprint.  As the photographer responsible for capturing the highest quality image, you need to have the knowledge of how to create the highest quality work product, especially for expert examiners who will work off of the photograph you produce.  

This course will teach you how to use various techniques to create a better general scenes and specific evidence photographs.   

TOPICS ARE COVERED IN THIS COURSE

  • General review of camera features and controls
  • A critique of sample images and how to improve them
  • Archiving and documentation procedures of images
  • Equipment care and set up procedures
  • Scene photography and composure (Rule of Three)
  • Injury photography 
  • Time photography
  • Painting with light
  • Two and three dimensional footwear/tire impression photographic techniques
  • Glass and glare techniques
  • Photographing chemical blood enhancement including Bluestar
  • Shooting scene evidence photography techniques
  • Close up and Macro photography techniques
  • Tips and techniques for latent print photography

HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF TYPICAL RESULTS (BEFORE) FOLLOWED BY IMPROVED QUALITY (AFTER) IMAGES USING TECHNIQUES YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS COURSE.

Your Instructor

RS&A Instructor

Scott Campbell

Scott Campbell is a 28-year veteran of the City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin Police Department, retiring as an Identification Supervisor and Shift Commander for their Identification Division in 2006. Scott started his career in uniform patrol and then was assigned to a variety of specialized units including the Tactical Enforcement Unit, or S.W.A.T., where he was utilized as one of the lead instructors. In 1994 Scott transferred to the Identification Division where he began his crime scene, evidence photography and fingerprint identification career as an Identification Technician. In 2001 he was promoted to Supervisor and was appointed the Division’s Training Coordinator where he developed instructional programs and trained new technicians, recruit officers, detectives and supervisors for the department. In addition to his work related practical experience, Scott has received more than 800 hours of training in the fields of forensic identification, crime scene processing and management, evidence photography, and instructor development. With more than 25 years of experience as a crime scene technician, fingerprint identification specialist and instructor, Scott has provided approximately 300 specialized training courses and lectures in over 35 different states. He has provided training for Ron Smith and Associates; State of Wisconsin Technical Colleges; North East Multi-Regional Training (Illinois); and The University of Arkansas – Criminal Justice Institute. He is a Life Active member of the International Association for Identification and member the Wisconsin Association for Identification. Scott has an Associate Degree in Police Science and has been certified by the International Association for Identification as a Senior Crime Scene Analyst. He has served as a member of the IAI’s Forensic Photography and Electronic Imaging Science and Practice Sub-Committee.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    BEFORE YOUR BEGIN

    • Course Welcome - Scott Campbell

    • Course Outline (PDF)

    • Before Your Begin (PDF)

    • Your Instructor - Scott Campbell, CSCSA (PDF)

    • Need Help? Got Questions? (PDF)
  • 2

    COURSE DOCUMENTS - PRINT ALL (Not Required)

    • READ ME BEFORE YOU PRINT ANYTHING

    • Lecture Slides and Exercises - PRINT ALL (PDF)
  • 3

    MODULE 1

    • Module 1 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Course Introduction - Instructor Scott Campbell
  • 4

    MODULE 2

    • Module 2 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Camera Features and Controls Review - 1

    • Camera Features and Controls Review - 2

    • Camera Features and Controls Review - 3
  • 5

    MODULE 3

    • Module 3 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Sample Images - Review and Critique
  • 6

    MODULE 4

    • Module 4 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Archiving Images & Documentation
  • 7

    MODULE 5

    • Module 5 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Equipment Care & Camera Set Up

    • Additional Camera Set Up
  • 8

    BEFORE YOUR FIRST PHOTO

    • Before Your First Photo - Camera Set Up

    • Before your First Scene Photo (PDF CHEAT SHEET)
  • 9

    MODULE 6

    • Module 6 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Scene Photography and Composure - PART 1

    • Scene Photography and Composure - PART 2
  • 10

    EXERCISE 1

    • Exercise 1 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Composure (Rule of Three) SET UP

    • Composure (Rule of Three) REVIEW
  • 11

    MODULE 7

    • Module 7 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Fields of View - Injuries
  • 12

    EXERCISE 2

    • Exercise 2 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Injury Photography
  • 13

    MODULE 8

    • Module 8 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Serious Accident Scenes
  • 14

    MODULE 9

    • Module 9 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Time Photography
  • 15

    EXERCISE 3

    • Exercise 3 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Time Photography - SET UP

    • Time Photography - REVIEW
  • 16

    MODULE 9B

    • Module 9B - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Time Photography - Other Uses
  • 17

    EXERCISE 4

    • Exercise 4 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Time/Glare Photography - Part 1 - SET UP & REVIEW

    • Time/Glare Photography - Part 2 - SET UP

    • Time/Glare Photography - Part 2 - REVIEW
  • 18

    MODULE 10

    • Module 10 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Painting With Light
  • 19

    EXERCISE 5

    • Exercise 5 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Painting with Light - SET UP

    • Painting with Light - REVIEW
  • 20

    MODULE 11

    • Module 11 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Impression Evidence - Footwear & Tire Tracks
  • 21

    MODULE 12

    • Module 12 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • 3 Dimensional - Footwear & Tire Track Photography
  • 22

    EXERCISE 6

    • Exercise 6 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • 3 Dimensional Footwear - Part 1 - SET UP

    • 3 Dimensional Footwear - Part 1 - REVIEW
  • 23

    MODULE 12B

    • Module 12B - Lecture Slides and Notes

    • Painting 3 Dimensional Footwear with Light - Using a Flashlight
  • 24

    EXERCISE 7

    • Exercise 7 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • 3 Dimensional Footwear - Part 2
  • 25

    MODULE 13

    • Module 13 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • 2 Dimensional Footwear and Tire Track Photography
  • 26

    EXERCISE 8

    • Exercise 8 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • 2 Dimensional Footwear - PART 1
  • 27

    MODULE 13B

    • Module 13B - Lecture Slides and Notes

    • Painting 2 Dimensional Footwear with Light - Using a Flashlight
  • 28

    EXERCISE 9

    • Exercise 9 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • 2 Dimensional Footwear - PART 2
  • 29

    MODULE 14

    • Module 14 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Tire Tread Pattern Photography
  • 30

    MODULE 15

    • Module 15 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Glass and Glare
  • 31

    EXERCISE 10

    • Exercise 10 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Glass - Part 1 - SET UP

    • Glass - Part 1 - REVIEW
  • 32

    EXERCISE 11

    • Exercise 11 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Glass - Part 2
  • 33

    MODULE 15B

    • Module 15B - Lecture Slides and Notes

    • Polarizer Filters and Vehicle VIN Numbers
  • 34

    MODULE 16

    • Module 16 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Photography of Blood Enhancement
  • 35

    MODULE 17

    • Module 17 - Lecture Slides & Notes - PART 1

    • Shooting Scene Evidence Photography - PART 1

    • Module 17 - Lecture Slides & Notes - PART 2

    • Shooting Scene Evidence Photography - PART 2
  • 36

    MODULE 18

    • Module 18 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Close Up and Macro Photography
  • 37

    EXERCISE 12

    • Exercise 12 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Macro Photography - Part 1 - SET UP

    • Macro Photography - Part 1 - REVIEW
  • 38

    EXERCISE 13

    • Exercise 13 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Macro Photography - Part 2 - SET UP

    • Macro Photography - Part 2 - REVIEW
  • 39

    MODULE 19

    • Module 19 - Lecture Slides & Notes

    • Tips and Techniques for Latent Print Photography
  • 40

    FINAL WORDS FROM SCOTT

    • Instructor Final Words

    • Need Help? Got Questions?
  • 41

    COURSE EVALUATION

    • Course Evaluation
  • 42

    FINAL EXAM

    • Crime Scene and Evidence Photography - Written Exam

I.A.I. APPROVED

This RS&A online course is approved by the following International Association for Identification Certification Boards: The Crime Scene Certification Board approves 36 training hours. The Forensic Photography Certification Board approves 36 training hours. The Footwear Certification Board approves 36 training hours. The Latent Print Certification Board approves 12 training hours. All continuing education credits apply to both certification and re-certification with the expectation of CS which only applies to recertification.

Course Tuition and Access Limits

Online Course Cost (36 Hours): $600.00

Max time to complete this course: 90 Days

DOWNLOADABLE COURSE BROCHURE

Crime Scene & Evidence Photography - Course Brochure.pdf