While detectives and police officers are given most of the credit in Hollywood films, in reality, crime scene photographers are just as essential to the investigative process. One missed image could be the difference between convicting a dangerous criminal and letting them walk free. Professionals in forensic photography must have a deep understanding of investigative and judicial processes and must have an eye for detail. There’s far more to photographing a crime scene than just pulling out a camera and capturing a few images.
Today, crime scene photography is often cited in court cases as substantial evidence, and so forensic photographers must be well aware of the important parts of a crime scene and the way that they should be photographed so that they can be used in cases. However, it was Alphonse Bertillon, inventor of the mug shot, who came up with a system of standard metrics that led to serious improvements in the investigative process. Since photography was created in the 1940s, crime scenes and criminals were being photographed. Trigger warning: graphic descriptions of violence
