CCSA EXAM 2025 UPDATED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
The word photography is derived from what language? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Greek
What does photography mean? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Painting/writing with light
What two goals will composition usually satisfy? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Composition that
shows the primary subjective most effectively
2. It will be the viewpoint that excludes as many irrelevant items and areas surrounding the primary
subject as possible
The word "composition" suggests: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅The intentional choosing of the image'e
elements, not the result of happenstance
Before pressing the shutter button what 4 issues must you consider? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1.
Which composition that best captures this primary subject
2. Determine proper exposure
3. Depending on the primary subject, an optimal focusing technique should be selected
4. Determine the lighting of the subject
What can the Cardinal Rules also be considered as? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Key crime scene
photography concepts
What are the Cardinal Rules of crime scene photography? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Fill the Frame
2. Maximize depth of field
3. Keep the film plane parallel
Cardinal Rule #1: Fill the Frame; Get Closer to the primary subject - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Put
as many sensor's as possible over the subject
2. Get closer to eliminate unwanted/unneeded areas/objects
3. Use the appropriate horizontal or vertical camera viewpoint
,4. Make sure you aren't so close that parts of the subject are cut off
Eliminate the Irrelevant: In the Background - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Take responsibility for what
appears in the background
2. If you don't like what you see in the background, change your viewpoint to have a "cleaner"
background
3. You may consider providing your own backdrop
4. Tilt the camera down more
Eliminate the Irrelevant: The Foreground - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Take responsibility for what
appears in the foreground
2. If you don't like what you see in the foreground, change your viewpoint to have a "cleaner"
foreground
3. Raise the camera up a bit
4. Get closer to crop out distracting or unwanted elements
Eliminate the Irrelevant: Areas to the left or right - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Take responsibility for
what appears to the left and right
2. Use the same considerations as with the background and foreground
3. If you want it included, include it, if not then exclude it
4. Fill the frame with the subject
Eliminate the Irrelevant: Shadows from Sunlight - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Avoid having your
shadow in the photo
2. If it is impossible to get your shadow out of the field of view then try to position your self to cover the
area completely with your shadow
3. Try to have the scene completely shadow free or completely covered with shadow
Eliminate the Irrelevant: Shadows from Electronic Flash - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Hold yourself
responsible for this shadow
2. Consider altering the position of the flash
,3. Remove the flash from the hot shoe and use a remote flash cord
4. If a hard shadow forms use a bounce card or reflector to add light
Eliminate the Irrelevant: Lens Flare - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Lens flare may ruin an otherwise
excellent photo
2. Objects that are important often tend to be backlit and underexposed
The Cardinal Rule of "Fill the Frame" can be expressed another way: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Full
Field of View Responsibility
Elements that compromise the Full Field of View Responsibility: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Get
closer to primary subject
2. Eliminate the irrelevant
Cardinal Rule #2: Maximize Depth of Field - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Use reciprocal exposure
2. Hyperfocal focus when infinity is in the background
3. Zone focus when infinity is not in the background
4. Prefocus the camera
What is depth of field? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Is the variable range from foreground to
background of what appears to be in focus
What f-stop and shutter speed combination will result in the longest depth of field? - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅✅F/22 and 1/60
What is Cardinal Rule #3? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Keep the Film Plane Parallel
Why are building facades and walls best photographed with the film plane parallel to those surfaces? -
CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Diagonal views have part of the wall closer and the other part farther away
, Exceptions to keeping the film plane parallel to the surface: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. If you are
facing a window or mirror you will see yourself or your flash
2. If using an electronic flash it can cause a hot spot on the surface
3. If walls or buildings are too close together to stand far enough away to maintain a perspective view
For midrange photographs think of an: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Isosceles Triangle
The isosceles triangle will consist of what 3 points: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. You
2. A fixed feature
3. The item of evidence
Close up photographs - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅If the film is not parallel to the subject the close-up
cannot be used for comparison purposes
One of the differences between overalls, midranges, and close ups is: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅The
presence of a scale in the close-up photographs
A scale in a photograph will allow the photograph to be: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Enlarged to life-
size
What are the 2 aspects of the scale? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Facilitates enlargement of the
evidence and must be on the same plane as the evidence
2. The camera needs to be parallel to the evidence and the scale
Because crime scene images are frequently critical to a case, they are frequently: - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅✅Challenged
At every new crime scene the photographers first image should be of a: - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅✅Photo Identifier
The word photography is derived from what language? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Greek
What does photography mean? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Painting/writing with light
What two goals will composition usually satisfy? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Composition that
shows the primary subjective most effectively
2. It will be the viewpoint that excludes as many irrelevant items and areas surrounding the primary
subject as possible
The word "composition" suggests: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅The intentional choosing of the image'e
elements, not the result of happenstance
Before pressing the shutter button what 4 issues must you consider? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1.
Which composition that best captures this primary subject
2. Determine proper exposure
3. Depending on the primary subject, an optimal focusing technique should be selected
4. Determine the lighting of the subject
What can the Cardinal Rules also be considered as? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Key crime scene
photography concepts
What are the Cardinal Rules of crime scene photography? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Fill the Frame
2. Maximize depth of field
3. Keep the film plane parallel
Cardinal Rule #1: Fill the Frame; Get Closer to the primary subject - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Put
as many sensor's as possible over the subject
2. Get closer to eliminate unwanted/unneeded areas/objects
3. Use the appropriate horizontal or vertical camera viewpoint
,4. Make sure you aren't so close that parts of the subject are cut off
Eliminate the Irrelevant: In the Background - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Take responsibility for what
appears in the background
2. If you don't like what you see in the background, change your viewpoint to have a "cleaner"
background
3. You may consider providing your own backdrop
4. Tilt the camera down more
Eliminate the Irrelevant: The Foreground - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Take responsibility for what
appears in the foreground
2. If you don't like what you see in the foreground, change your viewpoint to have a "cleaner"
foreground
3. Raise the camera up a bit
4. Get closer to crop out distracting or unwanted elements
Eliminate the Irrelevant: Areas to the left or right - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Take responsibility for
what appears to the left and right
2. Use the same considerations as with the background and foreground
3. If you want it included, include it, if not then exclude it
4. Fill the frame with the subject
Eliminate the Irrelevant: Shadows from Sunlight - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Avoid having your
shadow in the photo
2. If it is impossible to get your shadow out of the field of view then try to position your self to cover the
area completely with your shadow
3. Try to have the scene completely shadow free or completely covered with shadow
Eliminate the Irrelevant: Shadows from Electronic Flash - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Hold yourself
responsible for this shadow
2. Consider altering the position of the flash
,3. Remove the flash from the hot shoe and use a remote flash cord
4. If a hard shadow forms use a bounce card or reflector to add light
Eliminate the Irrelevant: Lens Flare - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Lens flare may ruin an otherwise
excellent photo
2. Objects that are important often tend to be backlit and underexposed
The Cardinal Rule of "Fill the Frame" can be expressed another way: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Full
Field of View Responsibility
Elements that compromise the Full Field of View Responsibility: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Get
closer to primary subject
2. Eliminate the irrelevant
Cardinal Rule #2: Maximize Depth of Field - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Use reciprocal exposure
2. Hyperfocal focus when infinity is in the background
3. Zone focus when infinity is not in the background
4. Prefocus the camera
What is depth of field? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Is the variable range from foreground to
background of what appears to be in focus
What f-stop and shutter speed combination will result in the longest depth of field? - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅✅F/22 and 1/60
What is Cardinal Rule #3? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Keep the Film Plane Parallel
Why are building facades and walls best photographed with the film plane parallel to those surfaces? -
CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Diagonal views have part of the wall closer and the other part farther away
, Exceptions to keeping the film plane parallel to the surface: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. If you are
facing a window or mirror you will see yourself or your flash
2. If using an electronic flash it can cause a hot spot on the surface
3. If walls or buildings are too close together to stand far enough away to maintain a perspective view
For midrange photographs think of an: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Isosceles Triangle
The isosceles triangle will consist of what 3 points: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. You
2. A fixed feature
3. The item of evidence
Close up photographs - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅If the film is not parallel to the subject the close-up
cannot be used for comparison purposes
One of the differences between overalls, midranges, and close ups is: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅The
presence of a scale in the close-up photographs
A scale in a photograph will allow the photograph to be: - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Enlarged to life-
size
What are the 2 aspects of the scale? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1. Facilitates enlargement of the
evidence and must be on the same plane as the evidence
2. The camera needs to be parallel to the evidence and the scale
Because crime scene images are frequently critical to a case, they are frequently: - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅✅Challenged
At every new crime scene the photographers first image should be of a: - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅✅Photo Identifier
