This course will teach you how to effectively use your agency’s digital camera system. You will learn the proper approach to various types of law enforcement-related scenes that require photography documentation - from human injuries to outdoor nighttime crime scenes. The primary focus of this course is to equip you with the confidence to adjust the camera settings to record both the scene and all related evidence the way you observe them.

We will teach you the necessary skills to overcome the lighting challenges that crime, crash, and fire investigations create. You will be immersed in indoor, outdoor, daytime, and nighttime practical situations using your departmentally issued or personal cameras. IPTM’s instructor will work alongside you and share best practices so that you can become proficient in photographing a variety of scenes and evidence.

In addition to the practical exercises, we will emphasize court proven methods for properly recording the scene and archiving the images correctly with the suggested standards and best practices set by the Scientific Working Group on Imaging Technology (SWGIT), the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC), and the Scientific Working Group on Digital Evidence (SWGDE).

Topics Include

• Three primary camera shooting modes
• Exposure triangle
• Familiarization with departmentally issued cameras
• Basics of scene documentation
• Footwear, tire tread, injury, and macro close-up evidence photography
• Daytime/Nighttime flash photography and painting with light
• Digital image archiving as related to chain of custody

Note(s)

On the second day, class will run into evening hours.

Audience

Patrol officers, crime scene technicians, newly assigned and seasoned detectives, investigations supervisors, crime scene technicians, medical examiner and coroner investigators, military investigative personnel, and prosecuting attorneys

Course Length

24 hours

Note(s)

This course is IAI Crime Scene Certification approved.

Related Courses

• Advanced Forensic Photography
• Digital Photography for Law Enforcement
• Digital Photography for Law Enforcement (Online)
• Digital Photography for Traffic Crash Investigators

What Our Students Are Saying

• “This course was very informative and useful for my career. Nancy is an instructor with real world experience and an obvious passion for the subject matter. I appreciated the amount of hands-on training that we received. ” – Special Agent Q.K.
• “Outstanding course-lectures are on point; good visual aids of topics. Practicals reinforced lectures.” – C.S.
• “Imparted a great deal of operational knowledge covering all environments and situations I am likely to encounter.” – S.H.
• “Excellent in all areas, hands-on, especially the night photos.” – J.S.
• “Instructors were excellent. Very informative class. Classroom and practicals were very hands on – great for understanding the camera.” – Ofc. T.A.
• “Instructor knowledge and real-world experience. Hands on work with instructors actively helping.” – M.S.
• “Great job with hands on and explaining methods with simplicity.” – Det/Sgt. A. D.
• “The instructors are highly motivated and knowledgeable. They have an ease with teaching. I learned more about photography in 40 hours than I have in 23 years in law enforcement.” – Det. C.I.
• “It’s amazing how much I didn’t know about photography until this course.” – Const. J.C.
• “This was a great course. I only wish I had been able to take it sooner in my career.” – Det. N.B.
• "Nancy is very knowledgeable and engaging. All of the hands-on projects were very beneficial. The little tips and tricks were helpful and I know I will put them to use in the field." – Crime Scene Technician T.H.