Interest in Forensic Photography

Hi! I'm interested in becoming a forensic photographer and I was wondering if anyone has any info on how to become a forensic photographer. Do I have to become an officer?

Maybe?

I'd contact local authorities. I am aware that Bundeskriminalamt Wiesbaden is offering apprenticeships once in a while.

I can imagine that making you a fully paid police officer is not in a state's cheapskateishst interest...

Why not ask at the local Coroner's office ? At the moment, I think the Police have more than enough to do, and you could enquire as to what the job actually entails before you take any further steps.

I have no direct answer. It sounds kind of fun so I hope that you do eventually get there!

 

However... if you provide something unique that the police force does not or cannot do, you have a good chance at being a freelancer.

 

Just for instance, you could offer high resolution, stereo imagery. Or you could go further and use a laser scanner, which some police departments won't have the budget for:

 

Scanners

There is also 3D photo scanning. It's not always possible, but the good news is that the software is open source and free (that means no subscriptions...). The skills are optional extras, though. ;-) This is a rough method, but you would not want to be this imprecise:

 

(34:49)

 

You should also acquaint yourself with front-telecentric lenses. They are usually deployed in manufacturing but they may have a use in forensics.

 

Finally, find out what legal obligations you have, and what procedures are legal or illegal in any given jurisdiction. Some courts will accept, JPEGS, for example, while some will demand RAW files.

 

You may find yourself innovating and constructing rigs and equipment that never existed before. It depends just how obsessed you're prepared to be.

 

As you can tell, I know little about forensic photography, as I'm just throwing ideas around. I think the term is 'spitballing'. However, I think it's safe to say that you should definitely not show up with a soccer mom DSLR and expect to get paid work. Any NPC can do that. Offer solutions that you can't buy at a camera store.

 

-

 

As a footnote, all the software you'd probably need will cost you nothing. I include 3D graphics, 2D graphics, video editing and colouring, computational imaging software, astronomy software, etc. Commercial RAW converters will come packaged with selected cameras, so you're good there, too. It's the hardware that's going to cost you big, but in the beginning you could probably rent it. Once again, good luck. :-)

thankyou!!!