The Atlantic Selects
The Man Who Photographs Crime Scenes
May 20, 2015
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831 videos
Video by
David Beazley
Nick Marsh has been a forensic photographer for over 20 years, using his photography to enhance clues at crime scenes to present in court. Forensic photographers play a crucial role in recording evidence that cannot be seen by the human eye—from fingerprints, to blood, to writing that has been painted over. "Every scene is completely different, you've got to keep an open mind," Marsh says in the film. "For us, it's a thought process as much as a physical, hands-on process."
Technology has severely impacted the number of photographers employed by police forces, however, and the future of Marsh's profession is in jeopardy. Now, police officers regularly have cameras they can use at the scene. "Everybody's got a phone, an iPad, a compact camera...it doesn't make you a photographer, it just makes you someone who owns a camera," Marsh says.
To see more of the filmmaker David Beazley's work, visit his website.
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Author: Nadine Ajaka
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