Digital Photography for Law Enforcement

This comprehensive course equips law enforcement professionals with the technical knowledge and practical skills necessary to effectively document crime scenes, evidence, and investigations using modern digital photography equipment. Participants will gain confidence in adjusting camera settings to accurately capture scenes and evidence as they appear in the field.

The curriculum covers a wide range of law enforcement photography applications, including documentation of human injuries, outdoor nighttime crime scenes, and various investigative situations. Instructors emphasize practical problem-solving techniques for managing the challenging lighting conditions commonly encountered during crime, crash, and fire investigations. Through a combination of indoor and outdoor exercises conducted during both daytime and nighttime hours, students will work directly with their departmentally issued or personal cameras under professional guidance.

Course Topics

• Three primary camera shooting modes
• Exposure triangle fundamentals
• Familiarity with departmentally issued cameras
• Scene documentation basics
• Specialized evidence photography including footwear, tire tread, injury, and macro close-up techniques
• Daytime and nighttime flash photography and light painting methods
• Digital image archiving and chain of custody procedures

Beyond hands-on training, the course emphasizes industry-standard methods for recording scenes and archiving images in compliance with guidelines established 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).

Course Details

Duration: 24 hours

Class Hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Note: The second day includes evening hours)

Fee: $695.00

Instructor: Nancy Sulinski-Steffens

Certification: This course is approved for IAI Crime Scene Certification.

Intended Audience

This course is designed for patrol officers, crime scene technicians, detectives at all experience levels, investigations supervisors, medical examiner and coroner investigators, military investigative personnel, and prosecuting attorneys.

Required and Recommended Equipment

Strongly Recommended: Participants should bring a digital camera in SLR format, memory cards with compatible reader, external flash unit with mounting capability, off-camera sync cord, battery charger with extra batteries, tripod, small flashlight for nighttime work, bubble level, appropriate work clothing for outdoor conditions, and a laptop for post-exercise photo review.

Recommended: Remote shutter release cable or wireless remote, circular polarizing filter matching your camera's lens specifications, and macro lens or magnifying filters.