Schedule

Photography is diverse—that’s why Imaging USA brings together co-located conferences like SEPCON and the newer EPIC School! Focused on helping evidence photographers gain the latest skills they need for a successful, professional career, EPIC School offers education from the basics of evidence photography to in-depth, hands-on workshops.

The Evidence Photographer Certification
Scott T. De Broux, CEP
Thursday, January 7 - Tuesday, January 12, 2010
EPIC’s Evidence Photographer Certification sets guidelines and standards—needed in this ever-changing industry—and provides this information through instruction. This in-depth, intensive education takes you through the steps necessary to become a better evidence photographer and pass the certification exam. From lecture to hands-on practice, Scott will help you improve your career skills and gain the knowledge to earn the certification that will become a part of your reputation.

EPIC’s education and certification provides and refines the essential qualities needed in a professional evidence photographer, especially those involved with crime scenes. Learn more about Evidence Photographer Certification here: http://www.evidencephotographers.com/certification/index.html .

Pre-Convention Class – $125
Comprehensive Forensic Photography Training
Ron Taniwaki
Sponsored by Nikon
Saturday, January 9, 2009
8:00am – 5:00pm
Join Ron for this well-rounded workshop on forensic photography, from reviewing (and practicing) the fundamentals to learning advanced techniques that dramatically improve the quality of your images. Start by discussing and working with the basics of exposure and camera-handling techniques specifically for forensic images: control layout, apertures, focal length, focus lock, and much more. As you move on to more advanced topics, you’ll learn what makes a professional a professional: skill and knowledge about issues like chain of custody, standard operating procedures, digital workflow, white balance, formatting, output choices, and more!

You’ll also learn about the following:

• Shutter speeds
• Depth of focus & auto focusing
• Exposure equivalents & compensation
• ISO & high ISO noise reduction
• Histograms
• Highlights display
• Shutter & aperture priority
• Lenses & lens speed
• Angle of view & perspective
• Electronic rangefinder
• Storage media & archiving
• File types (JPEG, RAW, etc.)
• Image transfer
• Image comment 

EPIC School
Digital Photography of Latent Fingerprints: Do’s & Don’ts
King Brown, CEP & Dawn Watkins, CEP
Sunday, January 10, 2010
8:00am – 11:00am
Come grab a hands-on view of the best way to digitally photograph latent fingerprint evidence. Not only will you learn the basic principles of digital photography with evidence items (which requires evaluation), you’ll also learn the principles of latent fingerprint photographic recovery—a vital skill for evidence photographers. Get ready to discover the best digital format (RAW vs. JPEG) and other techniques you’ll learn by doing.

Crime Scene Photography: From the Crime Scene to the Court Room
Ted Robinson, CEP
Sunday, January 10, 2010
2:00pm – 6:00pm
With most law enforcement agencies having switched from using film cameras at crime scenes to digital cameras, it is important to be familiar with the new 'best practices' for digital cameras.  This presentation will explain how using digital cameras now require modifications to our previous methods for taking normal crime scene photographs. Also, the digital camera can no longer be regarded as a stand-alone piece of equipment; it is necessary to understand how the digital camera is linked to your available printer.  How to ‘optimize’ this marriage of digital camera and printer will be explained.  This is because the final use of our work will be creating images for court.  We will also cover the issues necessary to get our images accepted in court, whether they have been ‘processed’ or not.

Practical Image Capture & Crime Scene Lighting
Samuel Gardner, M.Photog.Cr., CPP
Sponsored by Canon
Monday, January 11, 2010
8:00am – 4:00pm
Gather numerous practical and affordable methods to offset the typically problematic on-scene lighting you find during crime scene photography. For over 25 years, Sam has been sharing his knowledge with photographers of all levels and law enforcement agencies. Come learn—in a hands-on way—how he can help you “fix” lighting problems in a variety of situations, as well as the following:

• Recognize typical lighting problems, such as high-contrast scenes.
• Learn the importance and value of using a tripod to eliminate focus and exposure problems.
• Utilize your camera to measure/test situations and design solutions.
• Create and maintain a “location kit” for crime scene photography.
• Use multiple flashes to provide illumination to complicated or special situations.

Bring your crime scene lighting questions—there will be a Q&A portion at the end.

David Knoerlein, CEP
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
8:00am – 4:00pm
Forensic Image Management & Processing
Many classes teach law enforcement how to take digital images, but very few discuss what happens to those images after they are captured and how you can better manage them. Join David to learn the basic skills necessary to properly manage, process, present, and archive digital images of evidential value (from the digital darkroom to the courtroom).

This course will explain every aspect of image management and processing with emphasis on the following topics:

• Understanding image management databases
• Chain of custody issues with digital images
• Creating standard operating procedures for managing digital images
• Image enhancement procedures and techniques
• Preparing images for courtroom presentations (Students will also gain hands-on practice by presenting processed images in a moot court.)
• Archiving images for long-term storage and retrieval

Student Requirements for Forensic Image Management & Processing

This mini workshop is a scaled down version of David’s five-day extensive image management and processing course for the Institute of Police Technology and Management in Jacksonville, Florida, and contractually to many law enforcement agencies across the country. In order for students to obtain the most out of this course it is imperative that you come prepared and meet the following basic requirements.

Each student must bring to class the following items:

• A laptop computer with a mouse (wired or wireless), and administrative permission to add software. If it is not already loaded on your computer, a trial version of Adobe Photoshop CS4 and Microsoft PowerPoint software will be provided.
• Power cable for laptop
• Notebook and writing materials
• Proper attire for (realistic) moot courtroom testimony

Each student should have a basic knowledge of the following topics:

• Evidence photography at crime scenes and in crime labs
• Computer operational skills (comfortable navigating Microsoft Windows software)

Students will be given a thumb drive containing all of the course materials and exercises.