Photographic Portrait 2

Photographic Portrait Part 2

Identification

The role of photography in identification has been pivotal since its inception. Prior to the advent of photographic technology, identifying individuals relied heavily on personal descriptions, which were subjective and easily falsified. With the integration of photography into identification practices, it became possible to create a more reliable and objective record of individuals.

The use of photography in identification is intrinsically linked to the concept of identity itself. While identity encompasses personal, cultural, and social attributes, in administrative and legal contexts, it is strictly about verifiable facts—such as appearance, age, and biometric data. Photography serves as a tool to capture many of these aspects in a form that can be easily documented, transferred, and compared.

In 1871, an Act of the Parliament made it into law that every person arrested in the United Kingdom must be photographed for the central registry of the offenders. Prior to this, criminals could easily provide a false identity and evade investigation.

Photography thus supplanted the method of branding, a practice still in use during the 1860s, where criminals were marked with the letters "B.C." for "bad character" seared into their skin.

It should be noted that some considered photography to be a greater violation than branding. Criminals were wary of it, often attempting to evade recognition by contorting their faces, and sometimes they had to be deceived into posing or even coerced through sentencing.

Nevertheless, photography was soon recognized as a method that was both significantly less invasive and more dependable for identification.

In the late 19th century, when the rational sciences were preeminent, the systematic and empirical approaches to studying the world found a powerful ally in photography. Alphonse Bertillon, a French police officer and biometrics researcher, was instrumental in developing an anthropometric system of identification which included detailed measurements and standardized mug shots.

He invented an array of tools to standardize the identification photos. This includes a 90-degree rotating seat used for a profile view, or 'mug shot,' and a camera at a fixed distance allowed for the proportional measurements of the face to be taken based on the photographic portrait. Gradually, the human face became a reliable marker of identity.

This method provided a means to catalogue individuals, particularly criminals, in a consistent manner. Photography was the cornerstone of this system, as it allowed for an indisputable visual record that was much harder to contest than a written description.

The influence of photography on identification can be seen in various domains. In law enforcement, it revolutionized the way suspects and criminals were recorded and identified. The establishment of photographic databases enabled the tracking of individuals over time and space, significantly aiding in the apprehension and conviction of repeat offenders.

Photography's role has evolved with technology. In the modern era, it continues to be a foundational element of identification—passports, driver's licenses, and other official documents all feature a photograph. Moreover, the digital age has brought about facial recognition technology, where photographs are not just visual records but also datasets that can be analyzed by algorithms to verify identity with increasing precision.