UNIVERSITY OF CAGAYAN VALLEY

Balzain West, Tuguegarao City

SCHOOL OF CRIMINOLOGY

Name of Student:
Year and Block:
Subject: Forensic Photography
Instructor: MRS. PACITA A. TOLENTINO
Module No. 1 – Prelim Coverage
Title: Photography

Overview:
- Personalities behind the development of Photography.
- Principles of photography
- Elements of photography
Introduction:
Forensic Photography plays a very important role in crime scene investigation. The role of
the photographer is crucial, since the captured images will be presented in court and will portray
the crime scene itself. Hence, it is very important for a photographer to learn, not only how to
manipulate the camera, but everything that goes with it.

Learning Outcomes:
- Discuss the history of photography
- Knows the principles of photography
- Explain the elements of photography

Learning Objectives:
- Students will understand historical development and principle of Photography in
connection with law enforcement and criminal justice.

Discussion: (Pls refer to your hand-outs)

PHOTOGRAPHY
The word photography is a derivative of two Greek words phos which means “light” and graphia
meaning “write”. It is best translates to “write with light” (Herschel, 1839)
MODERN DEFINITION OF PHOTOGRAPHY
It is an art or science which deals with the reproduction of images through the action of light,
upon sensitized materials, with the aid of a camera and its accessories, and the chemical
processes involved therein.
POLICE PHOTOGRAPHY is an art or science which deals with the study of the principles of
photography, the preparation of photographic evidence and its application to police work.
FORENSIC PHOTOGRAPHY is the art or science of photographically documenting a crime
scene and evidence for laboratory examination and analysis for purposes of court trial.
FORENSIC derived from the Latin word forensis which means “of the forum”.

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
1664-1666 ISAAC NEWTON discovers that white light is composed of different colors.
1727 JOHANN HEINRICH SCHULZE discovered that silver nitrate darkened upon exposure
to light.
1814 JOSEPH NICEPHORE NIEPCE achieves first photographic image with camera obscura
– however, the image required eight hours of light exposure and later faded.
Niepce called his picture-making process heliography ("sun drawing")
1834 HERCULES FLORENCE coined the term photographie.
1837 LOUIS JACQUES-MANDE-DAGUERRE first daguerreotype, the first image that was
fixed and did not fade and needed under thirty minutes of light exposure.
1839 JOHN F. W. HERSCHEL coined the word PHOTOGRAPHY (then suggested Negative
and Positive in the following year) and pointed out that images can be made permanent by
dissolving away unexposed silver compounds with a solution of hyposulfite of soda (hypo or sodiu
m thiosulfate).
1839 Birthyear of photography when WILLIAM HENRY FOX TALBOT, an English scientist,
1839, pointed out the basis of MODERN PHOTOGRAPHY. Later, in 1841, Talbot patents the
Calotype process - the first negative-positive process making possible the first multiple copies.
Calotype or talbotype is an early photographic process introduced in 1841 by William Henry Fox
Talbot, using paper coated with silver iodide. The term calotype comes from the Greek (kalos),
"beautiful", and (tupos), "impression".
1840 First American Patent issued in photography to ALEXANDER WOLCOTT for his camera.
1843-1844 the earliest evidence of photographic documentation of prison inmates in Belgium and
1851 in Denmark.
1850’s the earliest evidence of these galleries was found in Birmingham, England.
1850 LOUIS DESIRIE BLANQUART-EVRARD introduced a paper printing coated with
albumen to achieve a glossy surface.
1851 FREDERICK SCOTT ARCHER invented the Collodion process – images required only
two or three seconds of light exposure.
1858 NADAR/Gaspar Felix Tournachon made the first aerial photography of PARIS from a hot
air balloon.
1859 A photograph was used in the case Luco v US to prove that a document of title for a land
grant was, in fact, a forgery.
1960 LASER (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) was invented making
possible Holograms (three dimensional pictures).
1861 OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES invents stereoscope viewer.
1871 RICHARD LEACH MADDOX invented the gelatin dry plate silver bromide process
negatives no longer had to be developed immediately.
1875 First recorded use of accident photography in Blair v inhabitants of Pelham where a
photographed was admitted in evidence to assist the jury in understanding the case.
1877 Photographs were admitted as evidence in a civil suit involving a train wreck in Lock v The
Sioux City & P.R.R.
1879 REDDEN v GATES was the first case to hold that a relevant photograph of an injured
person was admissible in evidence.
1880 Eastman Dry Plate Company founded and in 1884, GEORGE EASTMAN invents flexible,
paper-based photographic film. Later, in 1888, Eastman patents Kodak roll-film camera.
1880 In England, SIR WILLIAM ABNEY discovered the use of Hydroquinone as a developing
agent.
1890 ALPHONSE BERTILLON published La Photographie Judiciaire (1890), which contained
rules for a scientifically exact form of identification photography.
1900 First mass marketed camera-the BROWNIE.
1910 The state of Massachusetts approved the use of photographic speed recorders to speeding
motorist.
1911 People v Jennings, the use of fingerprint photographs for identification purposes was
approved.
1913/1914 First 35mm still camera developed.
1927 General Electric invents the first modern flash bulb.
1932 First light meter with photoelectric cell introduced.
1934 In State v Thorp, UV photography was approved concerning a picture of footprints in blood
on a linoleum floor.
1935 Eastman Kodak markets Kodachrome film and in 1941, Eastman Kodak introduces
Kodacolor negative film. Later in 1954, Eastman Kodak introduces high speed Tri-X film.
1942 CHESTER CARLSON receives patent for electric photography (xerography).
1943 First appellate court case passing upon the admissibility of color photographs in Green v
Country of Denver.
1948 EDWIN HERBERT LAND markets the polaroid camera.
1963 Polaroid introduces instant color film as the Polacolor film capable to take finished pictures
in B&W or color in less than one minute.
1965 Introduction of a fully automatic electronic flash unit which made possible to take strobe
flash photographs at distances from 2 to 20 feet without changing lens opening or shutter speed.
1967 Beginning of the use of video tapes as legal evidence.
1973 Polaroid introduces one-step instant photography with the SX-70 camera.
1978 Konica introduces first point-and-shoot, autofocus camera.
1980 Sony demonstrates first consumer camcorder. This decade also the introduction of quality
35mm SLRs.
1984 Canon demonstrates first digital electronic still camera.
1985 Pixar introduces digital imaging processor.
1990 Eastman Kodak announces Photo CD as a digital image storage medium.