On Crime Scene Photographers

Early detectives used to sketch the scene of a crime. Photography introduced a way to produce images that were more true-to-life and credible than drawings. And while an honest and technically sound photograph can record the ori­ginal state of a crime scene, it's simple enough to manipulate a photograph or record an image that's drastically different from reality. 

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Vintage LAPD Crime Scene Photos

Morton, Blackman, and Thomas, along with Tim B. Wride, associate curator of photography at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and co-curator of the Fototeka show, were given unprecedented access to this immense archive of photographs. Along the way, they found themselves in the position to preserve an important piece of Los Angeles history. When it was discovered that some of the boxes contained decomposing cellulose nitrate negatives, a serious fire hazard, the Fire Department recommended that all the negatives be destroyed. The team lobbied for the archive to be only selectively destroyed and their efforts paid off; some boxes of images were determined to be unsalvageable and destroyed, while the remaining images were sent to a cold storage facility where they reside today.

(053) Lenny Bruce, Overdose Scene
Date: 08-03-66
Photographer: Unknown
Print Size: 11x14

Vintage LAPD Crime Scene Photos

In 2001, a convergence of interests brought Merrick Morton, a photographer and LAPD reserve officer, together with the adjutant to Chief of Police Bernard C. Parks, Lieutenant John Thomas, who has researched and written articles on LAPD history. Morton had been searching for LAPD photographs for an exhibition he was planning at Fototeka, the gallery he owns with his wife, Robin Blackman. After searching the Los Angeles Police Historical Society's collection and not finding what he was looking for, he approached Lt. Thomas to help him gain access to the records department, where, he was convinced he would find the sought-after images. Thomas brought Morton's request to Parks, who was happy to oblige.

(003) Detective looking at blown-out safe tumbler
Date: 12-4-50
Photographer: Unknown