Forensic Photography

FORENSIC 1
FORENSIC PHOTOGRAPHY

INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC PHOTOGRAPHY

Introduction: Forensic photography is a widely used scientific method that aids in criminal
investigation. We will be tackling here the some definition of terms and technicalities you will
encounter on this course. This will give you the background of what how and why we study police
photography.

LESSON 1: INTRODUCTION

A. DEFINITION OF TERMS:

1. Photography = Derived from the Greek word “Phos” or “Photos” which means “light” and
“Grapho” means “Writing” or “Graphia” meaning “to Draw”. Sir John F. W. Herschel coined
the word photography when he first wrote a letter to Henry Fox Talbot.
= Is the art and science of reproducing image by means of light through some sensitized
material with the aid of a camera, Lens and its accessories and the chemical process required in
order to produced a photograph.
2. Police Photography = Is the application of the principles of photography is relation to the police
work and in the administration of justice.
Mostly involves the documentation of crime scenes and injuries. Hence, it is also
sometimes referred as crime scene photography or forensic photography.
3. Photographer - person who take photographs.
4. Police photographer- a police officer needs knowledge and skills on how a camera records
visual and audio components. He must also know how to record images at invisible ultraviolet
(UV) and infrared (IR) wavelengths. Further, he must be familiar with certain techniques such as
close- up photography (macrophotography), the effective use of flash, and the specialized use of
cameras in conditions with limited ambient lighting (night- time photography).
5. Forensic = Derived from the Latin word “Forum” which means “a market place” where people
gathered for public discussion.
6. Forensic Photography- When used in conjunction with other science it connotes a relationship
to the administration of justice. It is sometimes used interchangeably with the word legal.
=it is the art or science of photographically documenting a crime scene and evidence for
laboratory examination and analysis for purposes of court trial (Redsicker, 2001).
It plays a very crucial role in criminal investigations. The photographs taken at the crime
scenes create a permanent record of the scene and the evidence and there, which both
investigators and prosecutors rely on and assists the courts in the admission of justice.
7. Photograph = Is the mechanical and chemical result of
Photography. Picture and photograph are not the same for a picture is a generic term is refers to
all kinds of formed image while a photograph is an image that can only be a product of
photography.
8. Commercial Photography- the application of beauty and artistry.

B. Other Definition of Terms:

1. Acetic Acid- a rarely mild acid used in highly, diluted from, as the rinse bath which follows the
developer in the normal film and paper developing processes.
2. Angle of view- the portion of the scene that is covered through a camera lens.
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3. Aperture- the opening in a diaphragm of lens through which light passes, expressed as a fraction
of the focal length.
4. Autofocus- The camera focuses automatically on the subject in the center of the viewfinder
when you press the shutter release.
5. Available Light- the light condition which the photographer finds existing at the subject position.
6. Back Light- Illumination from a source beyond the subject, as seen from the camera position
which tends to silhouette the subject.
7. Copy- to reproduce via photography
8. Coverage- the area of the image (formed by a lens) which is of useful quantity.
9. Cropping- printing only part of the image that is in the negative or slide
10. Daylight - sunlight or skylight or any mixture of the two.
11.Developer- Chemical Solution used to convert a latent image to a visible image
12.Distortion- an aberration of the lens which is characterized by variable magnification of the image
area and will cause straight lines near the edges of the subject field.
13.Enlarger- consists of a light source, negative holder and a lens and the means of adjusting these
to project an enlarged image from a negative onto a sheet of photographic paper.
14.Exposure- the quantity of light allowed to act on photographic material
15.Flash- a brief intense burst of light from a flashbulb or an electric flash unit, usually used where
the lightning on the scene is inadequate for picture taking.
16.Focusing- the adjustment of the lens to film distance to produce sharp image of the subject
17.Negative- photographic image in which the amount of silver present is more or less based on
reflectivity from the original subject.
18.Format- Size, Shape, and general makeup of negatives, slides, photographic prints, camera
viewing areas or video equipment
19.Illumination- a specific amount of light present in any given area.
20.Image- The photographic representation of an object or scene formed by optical or chemical
action.
21.Multiple Flashes- The use of more than one flash unit, usually operating simultaneously.
22.Natural Size- A photograph enlarged to the true size of the content

HISTORY OF FORENSIC PHOTOGRAPHY

Pre- Photographic History
The early cave paintings of the Upper Paleolithic period can be considered as the earliest
creation of pictorial recording. Such can be traced as far back as about 35, 000 years ago. These
“pictures” could be religious petitions for a bountiful hunting. They could also simply be
depictions of icons that serve to brighten domestics activities (Wright, 1999).
Alhazen- a great authority on optics in the Middle Ages who lived around 1000 AD, invented the first
pinhole camera (also callled Camera Obscura) and was able to explain why the images were
upside down. There were more contributed to the development of the modern photography.
The history of imaging began with the Camera Obscura, the first pinhole camera. Although
there may be a conflict among authors as to who is the first to describe camera obscura, these
early pinhole cameras were used by scientists to observe the sun and by artists to make
sketches. Two others who are credited by some authors as the first to describe the camera
obscura are Roger Bacon in 1267 and Leonardo da Vinci in 1490.
The evolution of the camera obscura includes the addition of lens in 1550 by Girolamo
Cardano, the further addition of lenses and curved mirrors to produce an upright image in 1558
by Giovanni Battista della Porta, and the invention of diaphragm in 1568 by Daniele Barbaro.
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Pinhole Camera, simple design and construction, usually homemade consisting of a box
having a small aperture functioning as lens at one end, the image being projected on the film at
the other end.

Figure 1: Camera Obscura

Thomas Wedgwood made the first known attempt to use a photographic process to take
a photograph with a camera obscura. However, his attempt failed due to a combination of
underexposure and his inability to fix the image. He used the sun pictures/ prints by placing
opacque objects on leather treated with silver nitrate. By means contact printing.

Figure 2. silhouette
Professor J. Schulze in 1727, accidental creation of his first photo sensitive compound. Mixes
chalk, nitric acid and silver in a flask. And through the action of light.

The following dates outline important pre- photographic events in history.

▪ 1200s Simple glass lenses were introduced.

▪ 1472 Leonardo da Vinci discovered the multicolored nature of white light.
▪ 1676 J.C. Sturm invented a portable camera obscura with reflex mirror and focusing lens.
▪ 1704 Sir Isaac Newton published Opticks is which he presented his discoveries in optics and
elaborated on his corpuscular theory of light.
▪ 1725 J.H. Schulze experimented on light sensitivity of silver salts, contact images (from
stencils) on liquid mixtures of chalk and silver nitrate in a bottle.
▪ 1758 John Dolland invented the achromatic lens.
▪ 1777 G.C. Lichtenberg developed electrostatic discharge patterns with dry powder.
▪ 1777 C.W. Scheele discovered that blackening of silver chloride in the violet and blue of the
spectrum is quicker than by other colors.
▪ 1800 Sir John F.W. Herschel discovered infrared radiation. He used a beam splitter to split
out a white light source into individual colors when he placed a thermometer next to the red end
there was no visible color of light.
▪ 1800 T. Wedgwood and H. Davy discovered that contact copying of silhouettes, leaves, etc.,
on leather is sensitized with silver nitrate.
▪ 1801 K. W Ritter discovered the blackening of silver chloride by ultraviolet radiation.
▪ 1815 Sir David Brewster invented the optical system of the future parlor 1820 stereoscope.
▪ 1816 J. Nicephore Niepce discovered that camera photographs on paper are sensitized with
silver chloride.
▪ 1819 Sir John F. W. Herschel discovered thiosulfates and the solution of silver halides by
“hypo”
▪ 1822 J. Nicephore Niepce discovered copying of engravings on
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▪ 1825 glass, zinc, and pewter sensitized with bitumen to further attempts at direct photography.

Advances in Photographic Technology

In 1826, Joseph Niepce successfully made the first known photograph, a reproduction of a 17th
century Dutch engraving showing a man leading a horse. First permanent photograph (using
camera obscura) he polished pewter plate covered with petroleum derivative called bitumen of
Judea (asphalt). use oil lavander as solvent. Considered an 8 hours of light exposure and faded
later.
1839- The birth year of Photography; the year when the science of photography became a public
knowledge; photography was born when Joseph Nicephore Niepce preserved an image on a
pewter plate in a primitive camera, and when William Henry Fox Talbot made a public
demonstration on a photographic process that he invented to the Royal Society of London.
Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre- invented the “ Daguerreotype, the first commercially successful
photographic process. He is the Parisian painter and theater designer, who continued the efforts
of NIEPCE, perfect a photographic process; in 1837, he was successful enough to have his
invention purchased by the French Government and made public.
Daguerreotype process- It is used a silver nitrite light- sensitive emulsion that was developed with
mercury vapor and fixed with strong salt solution to produce a positive photographic image.

Daguerreotype Photography- The image, the result of an eight-hour exposure, was the world's
first photograph. Little more than ten years later, his associate Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre
devised a way to permanently reproduce an image, and his picture—a daguerreotype— needed
just twenty minutes' exposure to one hour. A practical process of photography was born.
William Henry Fox Talbot - the English scientist who, in 1839, pointed out the basis of Modern
Photography. He also invented the calotype, a silver chloride- coated light sensitive paper that
was fixed with strong salt solution. The calotype (from the Greek kalos, meaning “beautiful”) was
later patented by Talbot in 1841. in 1844, he improved the calotype paper negative process using
a gallic acid and silver nitrate solution with hypo fixer.
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Sir Isaac Newton- the English philosopher, mathematician and physicist who discovered and
proved that the strongest light is white light, defended his theory by allowing a white light to pass
through a prism thus refracting and diffracting the light into its component partsthe ROYGBIV
John F. W. Herschel - He 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 hypo sulfite of soda (hypo or sodium thiosulfate),
which he had discover in 1939.
NADAR or Gaspard - Felix Tournachon in real life - he took the first AREAL PHOTOGRAPHS of
Paris from a free balloon in 1858.
Sir William Abney- He discovered the use of HYDROQUINONE as a developing agent in 1880,
England. Hydroquinone is a clean- working and non- staining compound typically found in most
photographic developers. It oxidizes easily both in solution and as crystals. Its most common use
is, along with metol, to change the silver halides to elemental silver.
Edwin H. Sutherland - in 1947, USA, he introduces the POLAROID’S as one step photography with
a self- processing black and white film that yeilds a positive print by the diffusion transfer reversal
method.

Other Advances in the History of Photography:

1858 French photographer and balloonist Gaspar Felix Tournachon took the first known aerial
photograph of the French village of PetitBecetre.
1861 Maxwell and Sutton were able to successfully make color separation negatives, which, when
projected through the corresponding red, green, or violet filter to which they were
photographed through, resulted in a color image of the object photographed.
1961 First recorded use of RGB color separation negatives to reproduce a color image by Ralph Evans
who use the fluorescent properties of the red dye in the object photographed.
1873 Dr. Hermann Wilhelm Vogel discovered dye- sensitizing technology that extended the
color sensitivity of black- and- white films into red region of the visible light spectrum,
resulting in the development of photographic film emulsion and the modern blackand-
white.
Beginnings of Forensic Imaging
The roots of police photography could perhaps be traced to 1851 when French
photographer, Louis Dodero, originated the idea of using photographs to establish identity or
rights.
France started to circulated first photographic “wanted” posters. These events are also
considered the historical beginnings of identification photography, or the creation of inexpensive
and quick portrait pictures of people for a passports, security passes, licences, permits or similar
applications.
In 1859, the United States Supreme Court ruled on the admissibility of photographs used
as evidence. Specifically, photographs of a document were properly admitted in place of the
original document, for the purpose of proving that a land grant title document was a forgery.
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In 1860, identification photography was used in England and the USA as photographic
records of those who were arrested and imprisoned. Prompted by the assassination of President
Abraham Lincoln, the USA made its first “wanted” posters of John Wilkes Booth and his
accomplices (Sanders, 2010).
Crime scene photography sates back to 1867 when advertisements of crime scene
cameras began to appear. These cameras promised to replace the crime scene sketches of the
time.
During the 1870s photographic evidence continued to become admissible in USA Courts.
Photographs were affirmed as an established means of reproducing a correct likeness of a person
in 1874.
Alphonse M. Bertillon invented many techniques that contributed to the field of
criminology, one of which is the invention of the mug shot. Bertillon developed a system of
identification that involved the recording of eleven anthropometric measurements,
supplemented with a physical description of the body, particularly the features of the face and
the head. Bertillon’s signaletic system was officially accepted by the Paris police in 1883 and
became widely adopted across Europe, Canada, and the United States. However, the system
was not entirely successfully as a dominant mode of criminal identification, and was eventually
replaced by fingerprinting (Finn, 2009).

Forensic Imaging in the Twentieth Century

The turn of the twentieth century saw many important developments in photographic
technology and forensic photography, as summarized below (Sanders, 2010)
1904 The Lumiere brothers patented the autochrome color photography plates that were put into
production in 1907.

1907 In Colorado, USA, intoxicated persons were being photographed by the police departments; in
Massachusetts, the use of photographic speed recorders to detect speeders were approved.

1910 Kodak dominated the amateur market with some photographic techniques still used today.

1915 In Chicago, the International Association for Identification was formed. It has evolved into the
oldest and largest forensic science organization in the world.

1916 In Ohio, USA, a motion picture was ruled as inadmissible imaging evidence because it did not
show the details clearly enough to be useful. This court ruling highlights that photographs should
be relevant, material, a fair and accurate representation, and not overly prejudicial to be
admissible as evidence in court.

1928 In Ohio, USA, an appellant court ruled that photographs of X- rays were not admissible in place of
the X- rays because the photographs did not show some significant details that were visible in the
original X- rays.

1934 In New Hampshire, USA, the ultraviolet photograph of footprints in blood were upheld as admissible
in court. Several other states defined what is considered as a fair and accurate photographic
representation of photographs to be admitted as evidence in court.

1938 In the USA, the microfilm of a document was admitted in place of the document, and the
admissibility of a color photograph was upheld.

1941 Kodak introduced the Kodacolor color negative film.

1942 Kodak introduced the Ektachrome color slide film.

1947 Kodak introduced the Ektacolor color negative film.

1947 Edwin Land invented the Polaroid Land Camera.

1948 The Polaroid black- and- white print film was invented.
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1942 The United States FBI Laboratory splits its photographic operates unit into a processing unit and a
special photographic unit that has evolved into the current forensic audio, video, and image
analysis unit.

1957 The videotape recorder was introduced.

1965 The Super 8mm movie equipment was introduced. It became a hit with consumers until it was
replaced with video camcorders.

1965 Fully automatic electronic flash units became available for still photography.

Philippine Historical Background of Photography

The beginnings of photography in the Philippines date back to the 1840’s with two
preserved daguerreotypes, one of Intramuros, Manila showing a flag and a portrait of the
photographer himself named W.W. Wood. Although known as the oldest preserved photographs
of the Philippines, their exact date remains unclear. The first written record of the employ of
photography in the Philippines, however, was mentioned in an 1843 book written by a Spaniard
traveler, diplomat and poet, Sinibaldo de Mas. It is believed that de Mas used a daguerreotype
camera in 1841. The use of photography became more common in Manila and the rest of the
Philippines from the year 1860 onwards. Although is believed that the first photography studios
were opened in the Philippines in the 1850’s, the first known actively operational photo studio
was that of the British photographer Albert Honnis. Recognized as a resident photographer in
the Philippines since 1865 through the 1870’s, Honnis was a popular producer of commercial
“visiting cards” and “aesthetic” picture portraits. Honnis’ assignment as commissioned
photographer of the Russell & Sturgis Company, a prominent sugar- cane corporation of the
time, enabled him to compile panoramic photographs of Spanish Manila and the Pasig River
(Vistas de Manila, or Views of Manila). Other pioneers of the photography business in the
Philippines- apart from Sinibaldo de Mas and W.W.Wood- were a Dutch photographer named
Francisco van Camp, Manuel Maidin, Pedro Picon, a German photographer named Enrique
Schuren, C. Bonifas, E. M. Barretto, Francisco Pertierra, Manuel Arias Rodriguez, L.
Gonzales, and an American photographer named Dean Conant Worcester.
One of the first photographers of Filipino nationality was Felix Laureano. His pictorial
compositions, such as En el bano (in the bathroom) and Cuadrilleros (Laborers), focused on
human forms, cockfights and bullfights in the Philippines. He also the first photographer to
publish a book of photographs about the Philippines (Recuerdos de Filipinos or Memories of the
Philippines) in Barcelona in 1895. Laureano was also regard as “the first Filipino artist to
consciously use photography as a medium of art.
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Lesson 2: Significance of Photography
B. USES OF PHOTOGRAPHY
1. Personal Identification
= Personal Identification is considered to be the first application of photography is police
work. Alphonse Bertillion was the first police who utilized photography in police work as a
supplementary identification in his Anthropometry system.

Figure 2: Mug shot of Will and William West

On May 1, 1903, an African-American man named Will West entered the
United States Penitentiary at Leavenworth. Like any other new prisoner, West was subjected to
the standard admission procedure: prison clerks took photographs, a physical description, and
eleven anthropometric measurements.
Using West’s measurements and description, identification clerks matched him to the record of
William West, who had a previous conviction for murder. Not surprisingly, in the clerks’ view,
West denied that he was this man.
The discovery of Will West’s past conviction must have seemed routine to the Leavenworth
clerks: once again, the world-famous Bertillon system of identification had prevented a criminal
from escaping his past. Once again, science had exposed a criminal’s lies and evasions.
2. For Communication
Photograph is considered to be one of the most universal methods of communication
considering that no other language can be known universally than photograph.

3. For Record Purposes

Considered to be the utmost used of photography in police work.

4. For Preservation
Crime scene and other physical evidence requires photograph for preservation purposes.
Crime scene cannot be retain as is for a long period of time but through photograph the initial
condition of the scene of the crime can be preserved properly.

Figure 3: Crime Scene Preservation

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5. For Discovering and Proving
= Photography can extend human vision in discovering and proving things such as:
a. The use of Magnification
Photomicrography = Taking a magnified photograph of small object through attaching a
camera to the ocular of a compound microscope so as to show a minute details of the physical
evidence.
Photomacrogaphy = Taking a magnified (enlarged) photograph of small object by
attaching an extended tube lens (macro lens) to the camera.
Microphotography = is the process of reducing into a small strips of film a scenario. It is
first used in filmmaking.
Macrophotography = used synonymously with photomacrogaphy.
Telephotography = Is the process of taking photograph of a far object with the aid of a
long focus and Telephoto lens.

b. Used of Artificial Light such as X-ray, Ultra-violet and Infrared rays to show something
which may not be visible with the aid of human eye alone.
6. For Court Exhibits
Almost all evidence presented in court before formally be accepted requires that they
satisfy the basic requirements for admissibility which is relevancy and competency. A question
of relevancy is usually proved by proving the origin of the evidence and its relation to the case and
this is usually supplemented by photograph of the evidence giving reference as to where it came
from.
Evidence presented in court once accepted became known as Exhibit. Either Exhibit 1,2,3
etc. for the defense or Exhibit A, B, C etc for the prosecution.

7. Crime Prevention
With the used of video camera (hidden camera) and other advanced photographic
equipment crimes are being detected more easily and even to the extent of preventing them from
initially occurring.

8. Police Training
Modern facilities are now being used as instructional material not only in police training
as well as in other agencies.

9. Reproducing and Copying

= With the use of photography any number of reproduction of the evidence can be made
those giving unlimited opportunity for its examination and even allow other experts or person to
examine the specimen without compromising the original.

The PNP Forensic Photography Division

The Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory has its own Forensic Photography
Division whose Personnel perform the following functions/ capabilities:
1. Photograph suspects and crime victims for personal identification;
2. Photograph evidence submitted to the laboratory before examination;
3. Conduct crime scene photography;
4. Conduct crime scene photography;
5. Conduct crime scene sketching;
6. Conduct comparative examination and analysis of questioned photographs against known
photographs;
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7. Conduct lectures to different police/ military training institutions, government agencies and
public/ private schools upon request;
8. Sketch facial features of suspects based on actual description by the witness or victims for
identification; and
9. Attend court duties.

The PNP’s crime scene photographers follow the following standard operating procedures:
1. A crime scene photographer must be on duty at the Forensic Photography Division on call
whenever photographic assistance is needed.
2. The crime scene photographer must be knowledgeable of the crime committed/ reported to
enable him to determine the equipment and materials to bring along to the crime scene. These
equipment and materials may include digital and film- based cameras with wide angle and
normal lens, tripod, falsh unit, flood light, measuring tools, data board, pencil and rolls of film
(colored and monochrome).
3. The crime scene photographer should record in the photography division’s record book all the
details of the incident/ crime responded before and after Scene of the Crime Operation (SOCO)
and Field Laboratory Work (FLW) responses, including the ype of camera and film used. Right
after the operation, he must immediately process the exposed film and print the negative for filling
and presentation in court.
4. The responding crime scene photographer should check and ensure the serviceability of his
equipment and strictly observed the steps and procedures applicable for every scene, including
measurements and identification.

TYPES OF SUBJECT BRIGHTNESS

1. Dark Subject: only reflects about 9% of the light striking it and absorbs the remainder.
ex: Vehicles and weapons, people in dark toned clothing and others
2. Average Subject: is one that reflects approximately 18% of the light striking it and
absorbs the remainder.
ex: people in medium colored clothing, most buildings, street scenes and interior views
3. Bright Subjects: reflects twice as much light as an average subject.
ex: fined- skinned and light haired person, people in light clothing and light colored subjects
4. Brilliant Subject: reflects about four times as much light as an average subject and
absorbs very little light.
ex: people in light colored clothing on a white and sandy beach, a white sailboat against a blue
sky and white buildings of a desert village

LESSON 3: LIGHT
LIGHT: ITS NATURE, CHARACTERISTICS, SOURCES AND CLASSIFICATION
Light is defined as an electromagnetic energy with the speed of 186,00 miles per second.
Its wave travel is said to be characterized in certain extent based on velocity, wavelength and
frequency of the number of vibration of the wave per second.
Light wavelength is the distance measured between two (2) successive crest or through
of wave and it is expressed in either Millimicron (nanometer) or Angstrom. Millimicron is the units
of light wavelength which is equivalent to one-millionth part of a millimeter which the Angstrom
is relatively smaller for it has an equivalent measurement of ten (10) millionth part of a millimeter.
Once light hits a certain medium, its action can be characterized as either: Reflected,
Transmitted or Absorbed (RAT). Reflected once the light hits a mirror and it bounce back.
Transmitted when the light hits a transparent glass which would allow the light to pass through
Forensic Photography
its medium and Absorbed when the light hits a dark colored object and prevents it from either
bouncing or passing through.
Isaac Newton in 1666 proved that the light which men see as white light is actually a
mixture of all colors of the spectrum. This is produced when we allow light to hit a glass prism
(Sharp Edge of the Glass). A rainbow array will then be shown with colors red, orange, yellow,
green, blue and violet colors (from top to bottom). The visible light is also said of have a
wavelength of between 400-700 millimicron or nanometer.
Direction of light-You move your flash or you either choose the time of the day to best
illuminate your subject.
• FRONT LIGHTING- strikes the surface of the subject straight on
• SIDE LIGHTING- the light source skims across the surface of the subject facing the lens which
emphasizes the texture, color and shape
• BACKLIGHTING- light coming behind a subject- especially in very bright subjects

Front Lighting Side Lighting

Back Lighting
1. Types of Light
Lights can largely be classified into visible and invisible light.
a. Visible Light - Is the type of light that produces different sensation when reach the human eye.
It is the type of light, which is capable of exciting the retina of the human eye.
b. Invisible Light - lights in which their wavelength are either too short or too long to excite the
retina of the human eye i.e. X-ray, Ultratviolet and Infra-red lights.

2. Photographic Rays
a. X-ray
Light with the wavelength between .01 to 30 millimicrons. It is produced by passing an
electric current through a special type of vacuum tube. It was incidentally discovered by Conrad
Welhelm Roentgen. This type of light works in the principle of shadow photography.
b. Ultra-violet ray (Before the violet)
Radiation having a wavelength of 30 to 400 nanometers designed to photograph
fingerprints in multi colored background, documents that are altered, decipherment of erase
writing and developing invisible writing. It is commercially known as “black Light”.
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c. Visible Light
It refers to the type of radiation having a wavelength of 400 to 700 millimicrons designed
for ordinary photographing purposes.

d. Infra-red (Beyond the Red)

Considered as the photographic rays with the longest wavelength ranging from 700 to
1000 millimicrons. It is designed to take photograph of over-written documents, obliterated
writing, and charred documents or for black out photography. It is sometimes referred to as
heat rays).

Light Source
A. Natural Light - are those light which come to existence without the intervention of man e.i.
Sunlight, moonlight and starlight.
Daylight may still be classified as: open space bright sunlight, under shade bright sunlight,
hazy sunlight, cloudy sunlight and cloudy dull sunlight.
These conditions and their colors affect the appearance of the object being photograph.
Factors such as atmospheric vapor, atmospheric dust and quality of the reflected light coming
and not coming from the source should likewise be considered.
B. Artificial Light - otherwise known as man-made light e.g. fluorescent bulb, incandescent bulb
and photoflood lamp.

COLOR OF LIGHT: NATURAL LIGHT

• WARM LIGHT- Is great for photographing landscapes and scenic. Best used when shooting at
sunset or sunrise

• COOL LIGHT- blue tones on color films such as sunrise, one a very overcast days or in the shade
of building.

THREE TYPES OF NATURAL LIGHT: SUNLIGHT as a chief source of natural light

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Bright Sunlight Hazy Sunlight Dull Sunlight

THEORIES OF LIGHT
1. The WAVE Theory (Huygens)
It is the theory that was transcribed from the motion of the water that if we observe a piece
of log floating in the ocean and with the force of the air would naturally will make the log move up
and down.
2. Corpuscular theory (Newton)
this later opposed the wave theory stating that light has its effect by the motion of very
small particles such as electrons.
3. Modified Wave theory (Maxwell and hertz) Based on electromagnetics.
All these theories are still considered to be of little lacking that law enforcement need not
to be very focus on this but rather go along with the accepted conclusion that light is a form of
energy, which is electromagnetic in form.
Electronic Flash = produces light by an instantaneous electrical in charges between two
electrodes in a gas filled glass bulbs. The electrical energy for the discharge is kept in capacitor
or condenser. It usually ranges from 1/300 second and 1/5000 second, and because of this,
subject in fast motion can be arrested or stopped in the photographs. Light is Classified
According to Wavelength and Frequency

What is Wavelength?
The distance between a point of one crest to an identical point on the next crest in a given
instant of time expressed in milli- microns (mu) which is equivalent in one millionth of millimeter.
It was discovered that wavelengths are different for each color and their wavelengths are very
small.
What is Frequency?
it is the number of complete waves that would pass a given point in a second of time. The
longer the wavelength, the fewer the number of waves that will pass a point in a time. The longer
the wavelength the less frequency; the shorter the wavelength the greater the frequency.
What is Electromagnetic Spectrum?
The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of frequencies (the spectrum) of
electromagnetic radiation and their respective wavelengths and photon energies. The
electromagnetic spectrum covers electromagnetic waves with frequencies ranging from below
one hertz to above 10 25 hertz, corresponding to wavelengths from thousands of kilometers
down to a fraction of the size of an atomic nucleus.
What is Spectrum?
It refers to the whole range of electromagnetic radiation in which most of radiant energy
are. In their basic nature there are no differences between light waves and other kinds of
electromagnetic waves. The extent of the electromagnetic spectrum are from cosmic ray,
gamma rays, ultra violet ray, light rays, infrared rays, hertzian waves, radio waves, to the longest
long electrical oscillations.
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Figure 4: Electromagnetic Spectrum

What is Visible Spectrum?

It is a very small part of the electromagnetic spectrum. It ranges from a wavelength of 400
mu to 700 mu. If that shortest wavelength (400mu) appears alone, we see the color violet/ blue
light; 500mu, green/blue; 500mu, yellow; and red at 700mu.
What is White Light?
It is composed of all visible light wavelengths in the visible spectrum. Sunlight is white
light and is an ideal or equal lending of all the wavelengths of the visible spectrum. If any of those
wavelengths are missing, even in part, we have another color instead of white light.
Wavelengths from 200 to 1,200 mu may be recorded on photographic films; however. The
range of useful sensitivity of most photographic materials lies between 380 mu to 450 mu for
ordinary non color sensitive materials, between 380 and 600 mu for orthochromatic materials,
and between 380 and 700 mu for panchromatic materials.
Behavior of Light
Another topic about light is its behavior. Light behaves according to a medium. In
photography, light’s behavior is manipulated to allow only exact amount of light to enter the
sensor. Figures below are images showing behavior of light.

Figure 5: Behavior of Light

1. Reflection- refers to light rays that are neither transmitted nor absorbed, but are thrown back from
surface of the media they encounter. If the surface is rough and irregular, the incident light (rays
that strikes and surface of an object, and the point of incidence is the point of contact) is reflected
in more than one direction, which is termed as diffused. If the surface is smooth and polished, the
form of reflected light is termed as specular.
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Two kinds of reflection:
A. Specular reflection- if the surface is so smooth and polished that the reflected rays are not
scattered.
B. Diffuse reflection - when reflected light is scattered by rough surface (or in a different angle).

2. Transmission- in addition to being reflected and absorbed, light rays maybe transmitted
or allowed to pass through some media encounter. When objects can be clearly seen through a
medium, it is said to be transparent, windsheild of a motor is a familiar example.
Two Kinds of Transmission:
Transparent- if the object permits light to pass through it as a clear pane of glass or lens
Translucent- if an object scatters the light that passes through it.

3. Refraction- is the change of direction, which occurs when a ray of light passes from one
transparent substance into another of different density.
4. Absorption - when light falls upon an object and is neither transmitted nor, reflected, it is
absorbed.

Kinds of object as to how they behave to light.

1. Transparent object- allows sufficient visible light to pass through them that the object on the
other side may be clearly seen.
2. Translucent object- allows light pass, however diffuse it sufficiently that objects on the other
side may not be clearly distinguished. In some cases the objects on the other side may be
recognizable but sharp detail and outline are obscured.
3. Opaque objects- so greatly diffuse the light that recognizing the object on the other side is very
difficult if not impossible.
Colors
The wavelength of light is related to its color; red light, for example, has longer wavelength than
blue light. The light from the sun, which we call white light, is actually made up of different colors,
which combine to make white white light. These colors are violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow,
orange and red.
The color of the object is determined by the wavelength that is transmitted or reflected. A
woman’s dress appears red when it absorbs the blue and green primary rays of white light and
reflects and red rays. Objects can also visually separate from one another- and photograph them-
- by this selective reflection and absorption.
Natural colors- such as white, black and the various shades of ray, actually absorb
almost equal proportions of the primary colors of light. Varying reflective power account for their
differences.

Primary and Secondary Colors

The three primary colors in light are red, green, and blue. Mixing red, green and blue light
can make white light. Yellow can be made by mixing green and red light.
The process of making colors by mixing primary colors of light is called addition, because
one color is added to another.
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Colors of Light Found in the Visible Spectrum
1. Primary Colors- also called Additive Primary Colors
A. Red longest wavelength
B. Blue the shortest
C. Green
2. Complementary Colors- also called Subractive Primary Colors
A. Cyan
B. Magenta
C. Yellow
3. Neutral Colors
A. Gray
B. White
C. Black

Figure 6: Combination of Light

Figure 7: Color Wheel of Light