How to Become a Forensic Photographer: Career & Salary

If you’re a fan of taking pictures of the events around you without necessarily showcasing your artistic nature, then you might be interested in becoming a forensic photographer, whose duties lie at the intersection of photography and evidence collection.

Photographers in forensics are extremely important for documenting crime scenes, accidents, and other events, gathering essential visual evidence that can be later used for investigations and legal proceedings. The usual salary of a forensic photographer in USA lies in the $40,000 to $65,000 range per year.

What Does a Forensic Photographer Do?

Ordinarily, forensic photographer requirements involve taking detailed, properly focused photos of crime sites, evidence, and accidents. Your photos can later be used for investigations and in the court of law.

The typical job description covers:

Taking highly precise photos of the crime scenes and individual evidence pieces.
Employing specialized gear to take high-quality forensic photographs.
Making sure the images you take are admissible in court.
Creating relevant records of the photographic process and evidence.

Step-by-Step Guide to Become a Forensic Photographer

how to become a forensic photographer guide

Education: Forensic photographer education requirements ordinarily involve a degree in photography, criminal justice, or other similar field Some job offerings can widen the search parameters to also include degrees in a relevant science or law enforcement field with photography training being an auxiliary condition.

Certification: Certification is often recommended and can even be mandatory to become a forensics photographer. Entities like the International Association for Identification (IAI) provide relevant certification programs.

Experience: Past experience in photography and forensic tasks is crucial. A lot of photographers get their initial experience via internships and entry-level jobs in law enforcement or forensic labs.

1. Pursue Relevant Education

Start by getting a degree in photography, criminal justice, or another relevant field. Some photography schools even provide specialized courses in forensic photography that can help you learn the unique techniques used for this job. Work on your photography skills, and master how to utilize the lighting, composition, and camera settings optimally.

Advice. Discover what degrees and courses are offered in your area. If you plan to become a forensic photographer in the UK, look for photography courses in London. There are plenty of photography schools that will give you an in-depth understanding and teach you a diverse skillset that is applicable to different photography genres, including forensics.

If you’ve been scouting forums, you know that investigative and law enforcement degrees aren’t always necessary if you have a well-developed skillset for crime scene photography.

Even regular free online photography courses can cover the fundamentals while forensic photography classes will teach you specialized skills, including identifying evidence at crime scenes, taking pictures that properly showcase evidence, and photographing footprints and vehicle tracks.

2. Obtain Certification

Even though it’s not always a requirement, if you want to learn how to become a forensic photographer in Australia, Canada, California, or another part of the US, you can approach an organization like the IAI to participate in a certification course for forensic photography. You’ll need to pass certification exams to prove your professionalism and field knowledge.

To become a certified photographer, the International Association for Identification (IAI) requires you to have:

3 years or more of experience as a photographer
40 hours of classroom photography courses from a college, police academy, FBI academy, IAI training course, or another relevant organization
A current position in the forensic science field that features forensic photography on your list of responsibilities

The IAI exam, devised by the IAI Forensic Photography and Digital Image Certification Board, requires you to answer 100 questions within 3 hours. The examination covers such subjects as the history of photography, light and color theory, film & exposure, close-up photography, digital imaging, and so on.

3. Work in Related Fields

You won’t know how long does it take to become a forensic photographer until you get some experience via internships or jobs in law enforcement, crime scene investigation, and forensic labs. Experience is essential in honing the skills required to become a professional in this field.

Crime scene photography workshops and internships are quite uncommon, but if you manage to sign up for one, you’ll gain a unique insight into crime scene investigation.

Recommendation. Consider reaching out to police departments, fire departments, or forensic labs to learn if they have any positions for a person of your skill set and experience level. Certain departments can let you simply volunteer your expertise, while others can offer legitimate internships.

Design a photography portfolio featuring your work in photography and forensic documentation. A proper portfolio is crucial for helping you land relevant jobs.

4. Search for Job Opportunities

Every forensic photographer has to start somewhere, so begin by looking for opportunities in law enforcement agencies, forensic labs, and legal firms. Establish connections in the forensic community and sign up for relevant organizations to increase your chances of getting a great job offer.

Be prepared to showcase your skills and knowledge in forensic photography during job interviews. In addition to core technical skills, you're also likely to be required to show off your:

Basic and advanced photography principles and techniques
Professional procedures for crime scene and evidence recovery
Legal requirements for photo evidence
Law enforcement procedures
Ability to function in chaotic, emotionally distressing conditions
Crime scene safety regulations
Willingness to take direction from officers
Attention to detail
Availability for long or irregular on-call hours
At least a high school diploma or GED

Extra tip. Background knowledge and expertise are important for everyone who wants to become a professional photographer, and the same is true for forensics. Consider exploring and learning from the pictures taken by famous forensic photographers like Arthur Fellig, Catherine McDonald, and Alphonse Bertillon.

Forensic Photographer Salaries

how to become a forensic photographer salary

It’s impossible to give a definite answer to how much do forensic photographers make, but the figures below will help you set proper salary expectations if you’re residing in California:

Photographers: earn about $14.65 per hour
Crime scene technicians: earn about $18.76 per hour
Forensic specialists: earn an average of $43,473 annually

If you want to work in India, South Africa, NZ, then these price lists for photographers should help you out.

Salary comparison. In the UK, the average forensic photographer's pay lies in the range of $50,000 to $70,000 a year, with the specific amount depending on the location and your experience level.

In Australia, the pay ranges from AUD 60,000 to AUD 85,000 a year.

In Canada, the pay usually lies in the CAD 45,000 to CAD 65,000 range a year.

In India, salaries go from INR 3,00,000 to INR 6,00,000 annually.

In South Africa, forensic photographers make between ZAR 200,000 and ZAR 350,000 annually.

In New Zealand, the yearly pay is within the NZD 55,000 to NZD 75,000 range.