Autopsy and Injury Forensic Photography

Instructors:
Heidi Nichols, CFPH, Kelland Sundahl,
& Leonard Wolf, CFPH
Course length: 24 hours

This is a 3-day Autopsy and Injury Forensic Photography course which will be of interest to medical examiners, coroners, and those forensic photographers who are tasked with the photographic documentation of autopsies and injuries on victims’ bodies. Emphasis is placed on specialized photographic and lighting techniques that produce meaningful images that are admissible in court.

This forensic course begins with a brief review of basic photography and goes on to cover techniques that can be used to effectively document patterned injuries and bruising. Infrared and ultraviolet photography techniques will be discussed and demonstrated. Lighting techniques covered include a lecture on light theory that features a discussion of luminescence and its documentation with cameras.

Lighting techniques covered in this course include the use of the Alternate Light Source to locate and photograph evidence at the crime scene or on the body of the victim. Also covered is the documentation of latent bloodstains and gunshot residue on the clothing of the victim through the use of reflective infrared photography.

All material covered in lectures will be reinforced with hands-on practical exercises.

Topics Covered:

Basic Photography Review (2 hours)
Basic Injury Photography (2 hours)
- Use of Scales and Markers
- Lighting
- Camera Orientation
- Injury Documentation Exercise
Autopsy Photography (2 hours)
- Overall, Intermediate, and Close-up Views
- Lighting Concerns
- Use of Scales and Markers
- Autopsy Photography Exercise
Gross Specimen Photography (2 hours)
- Composition
- Lighting with Cross-Polarization
Light Theory (1 hour)
Alternate Light Source Photography (7 hours)
- Enhancing Contrast for Bruise Documentation
- Enhancing Contrast for Body Fluid Documentation
- Enhancing Contrast for Trace Evidence Documentation
  - Hairs and Fibers
  - Gunshot Residue
  - Narcotics
  - Accelerants
Full Spectrum Photography (8 hours)
- Equipment and Techniques for Reflective Ultraviolet and Infrared Photography
- Lighting for Reflective Ultraviolet and Infrared Photography
- Applications for Full-Spectrum Photography

This course has been approved for 24 hours of certification/re-certification training credit by each of the following 4 IAI Certification Boards: the Crime Scene Certification Board, the Forensic Photography Certification Board, the Forensic Art Certification Board, and the Forensic Video Certification Board.

Heidi Nichols, CFPH

Holding a Bachelor of Arts Degree (BA) in Biomedical and Forensic Photography with minors in Biology and Diving Education from Barry University in Miami, Florida in 1999, Heidi Nichols has since been employed with the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department as a Forensic Photographer .

She is also certified as a Forensic Photographer through the International Association for Identification (IAI).

Kelland Sundahl

Kelland is an internationally certified forensic photographer who has photographed and documented more than four thousand medicolegal autopsies and death scenes.

She entered the field in 2017 after receiving specialized training at the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Service. She is currently the only International Association of Identification certified Forensic Photographer in Canada.

Kelland started working at the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner in 2018 as a Forensic Evidence Specialist.

Leonard Wolf, CFPH

As a certified Forensic Photographer who supervises the Forensic Imaging Bureau for the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department, Leonard Wolf has been with the Medical Examiner Department since 1996.

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