Crime Scene & Forensic Photography Course
Dates: November 2 – 4, 2011
Who May Attend: The course is open to law enforcement AND non-law enforcement
Location: San Francisco Police Academy, 350 Amber Drive, San Francisco, CA 94131
Presenter & Course Flyer: South Bay Regional Public Safety Training Consortium, San Jose, CA
Certified: California POST Plan IV
Course Fees: $120
To Register or for More Information: Reservation questions? Call (408) 270-6458
Course Description: This training course provides the student with extensive knowledge and practical experience pertinent to crime scene and forensic photography of physical evidence and latent prints found or developed on evidence. Also, equipment and procedures pertinent to crime scene and forensic photography and the detection and preservation of physical evidence will be covered in this course. Additional major topics included in this course are the proper selection of cameras, lenses, tripods, films, filters, specialized lighting techniques and high-energy forensic lights. The student will be equipped with essential skills and knowledge in regards to…
- Select camera settings to properly expose digital film
- Demonstrate the ability to use Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual Modes on modern digital cameras
- Demonstrate the use of available light and electronic flash to properly expose digital film
- Explain and demonstrate how lens aperture settings may be used to increase or decrease depth-of-field
- Explain and demonstrate how to properly photograph a crime scene and individual evidence
- Demonstrate the ability to operate digital cameras in general photography, crime scene, macro (close-up) photography, and examination quality photography
- Explain the importance of documenting every photograph taken at a crime scene via photographic logs, sketches, evidence recovery logs, latent print lift logs, and identification tags
- Demonstrate the techniques of “painting” a scene with light in a simulated nighttime setting
- Demonstrate the use of lasers to illustrate bullet trajectories
- Demonstrate the techniques to photograph fluorescent latent prints with ALS forensic light sources
- Explain the four major vantage points of crime scene photography
- Explain the requirements to present digital photographic evidence in a court of law
A three-ring binder containing copies of presentations, reference material and job aids are included. Certificates of completion will be awarded upon conclusion of the course.
Class size limited to 30 students and fills up quickly.
NOTE: Students are REQUIRED to bring their own cameras (preferably DSLR cameras), lenses (normal, macro, & zoom), owner’s manuals, tripods, memory cards, electronic flash attachments, flashlights, extra batteries, and photographic scales. Other items to bring but are not required are remote shutter release cords, off-camera flash sync cords, lens filters, and if possible any other crime scene photographic equipment and supplies issued by their department for use at crime scenes. It is highly recommended that each student familiarize themselves with the operation and settings of their camera before the start of this course.
Mike Stapleton
Stapleton & Associates, LLC
Phone: (925) 999-9162
Cell: (916) 595-7557
websites: www.StapletonAndAssociates.com and www.forensicsRus.com
