What We Do

At Knox & Associates, our experts have taken tens of thousands of forensic photographs for all types of investigations: traffic accidents, industrial accidents, fires, homicides, suicides, domestic violence, robberies, and many more. We can photograph anything related to your case.

This fingerprint was photographed using fluorescent powder and an alternate light source.

 

Impressions in dust such as this footwear impression must be photographed using oblique lighting in order to capture the detail of the impression.

 

This is a photograph of an ear impression that was developed using fluorescent powder and photographed using an alternate light source.

 

This photographs captures the three-dimensional detail in a footwear impression in dirt. Side lighting at an oblique angle is necessary to get this result.

 

Bitemarks on human skin must be photographed using an ABFO #2 scale and proper lighting.

Ultraviolet and Infrared Digital Photography

Ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) photography are important tools in forensic analysis. Cameras that are capable of recording UV and IR light can be used for a variety of purposes such as the enhancement of bloodstain patterns, gunshot residue patterns, and fingerprint evidence on surfaces that normally do not provide much constrast using only visible light. At Knox & Associates, we use the latest in digital UV/IR photography to make sure that we can document the critical evidence you need for your case.

 

The photograph on the left shows a gunshot residue pattern on blue denim material photographed only with visible light. The pattern is not readily apparent due to a lack of contrast with the background. The photograph on the right shows the same pattern photographed using infrared light. The gunshot residue pattern becomes apparent because of a significant increase in contrast.

 

Lighting

A photograph is a recording of light. At Knox & Associates, we can use advanced photographic techniques to record light in ways you never thought possible. Our experts can photograph scenes in near total darkness, and we can take photographs to show the approximate lighting conditions. Our experts can photograph scenes using a variety of lighting including painting with light and other artificial lighting. We can also use existing ambient lighting to render photographs of a scene that make near total darkness look like daylight.

This photograph was taken in near total darkness using ambient light.

 

Light energy is an essential tool for crime scene investigations. Photographing evidence under an alternate light source is challenging and requires special techniques.

Equipment

At Knox & Associates, we use the latest in digital photography equipment. Our work is done using Nikon D90 12.3 megapixel, Nikon D70 6.1 megapixel, and Fuji FinePix S3 Pro IRUV single lens reflex digital cameras with a variety of high-quality lenses. The images we provide will always be high quality, suitable for printing to large sizes for courtroom presentation.

Many forensic reconstructionists use point-and-shoot cameras that do all the thinking. At Knox & Associates, we do the thinking. Our experts are skilled photographers who utilize the camera's manual controls to set exposures, control depth of field, and guarantee the quality of the photograph. While point-and-shoot settings work in many cases, the camera doesn't always know what the right settings are for a given situation. By controling the camera's settings manually, our experts will take photographs that are superior to what you will get from most forensic reconstructionists.

   

These two images show the effect a camera's aperture setting can have on the depth of field of a photograph. Using automatic settings, the camera controls the aperture and hence controls the depth of field. By controlling depth of field, the photographer can focus on a particular item or allow the whole image to be in focus.