Crime Scene Photographers Reveal The Worst Things They’ve Ever Had To Shoot
Though they're often made to look incredibly entertaining on television shows and in movies, crime scenes are absolutely horrible in real life. In fact, most people who have to involve themselves with the gore only do so out of necessity - not morbid curiosity. While onlookers and gawkers tend to flock to public accidents and incidents, when they actually see the scene, they're terrified. Some are even repulsed to be so close to another's end, as it's a constant reminder of their own mortality.
CS photographers not only witness this type of morbidity, but they also have to immortalize it as well. For them, it can be incredibly difficult to ever forget the brutality of their shoots. Reddit asked a few of these photographers to share the raw renditions of their trade. To read them is to be truly haunted.
A Jealous Mistress Completely Cleaved One Family Apart
From Redditor /u/mesohungie:
The worst was a woman who was chased through her house by her husband's jealous mistress who was armed with a cleaver.
There was a series of pics showing deep gashes in the back and side of her head. The last picture was by far the most terrifying. It was a close up of her face with a chunk missing from the right corner of her forehead and her eyes are wide open, staring vacantly into the camera. For a week or so I saw that face when I closed my eyes when I tried to go to sleep.
One Victim Was Intent On His Own Demise
From Redditor /u/coprolite_hobbyist:
A few examples come to mind; the first is due to the amount of skill involved. An individual decided to [end his life] by firing both a .308 and a .30-06 rifle into his head at the same time. The photo of the [...] scene showed not much more than a truncated neck with a good deal of tissue on the surrounding walls.
Elevator Surfing Wasn't As Fun As It Sounded
From Redditor /u/coprolite_hobbyist:
Another I recall because the sheer stupidity involved. A college student engaged in what is called "elevator surfing" in his high rise dorm building. His head became caught in the mechanism of the elevator while he was riding on top of the car and was twisted around a few times [...] you could clearly see that his face was very discolored from [lack of oxygen]. The accompanying report indicated that he probably retained consciousness for several minutes after the incident.
There Was A Trail Of Blood And Feces
From Redditor /u/spacenerdchris:
I get a call on the alert phone. It's the base police. They ask me to report to building XXX whatever [...] I walk downstairs and find the on-scene commander. He tells me to follow him.
As we near the entrance to the dayroom (lounge area) I see a blood trail and start snapping shots. We keep walking... I am now inside. We open the door and there's feces and blood... EVERYWHERE. On the phone, on the pool table, on the TV...
All of a sudden I hear a cop say "found the probe." [N]ot words I want to hear when I see blood and poo. I turn around to see this cop holding a billiard cue with the tiny end covered in blood and poop dripping down the handle.
We never found the bleeder.
The Photo Negatives Were Almost As Bad As The Developed Work
From Redditor /u/vondelpark420:
[I] used to develop [...] scene photos for the local police departments nearby. A few photos have stayed etched in my mind, mostly car accidents, but the worst one was of a suicide. I could tell that it was going to be fairly bloody by the amount of green on the negative, but I wasn't really prepared for what I saw. This person must have put the gun in their mouth and blew the back of their head off...
He Had To Photograph A Friend
From Redditor /u/spacenerdchris:
I once had to take photos of a friend who had [passed]. She was wearing a football jersey and underwear, sitting there down on the floor with her face on the toilet - alcohol poisoning. I had to kneel down next to her to [...] take a photo of her face before they moved her. Standard practice is to take a wide, medium, and close up shot of every single picture.
I kneel next to her, breathing erratically. I pull the camera up to shoot and I see her face through the viewfinder. She's [gone], but her eyes are wide open. Staring at me. I still remember that... four years later I remember the look on her face...
The thing is, I didn't know it was her until I was in her face. Then it was like time stopped and I was frozen there, staring at this [...] girl who now had an identity.