Use of alternative light source illumination in bite mark photography

Recent investigation regarding the optical properties of human skin has lead to studies measuring autofluorescence, absorption, and reflectance of monochromatic light during exposure both in vitro and in vivo environments. The Stokes Shift deviation in absorbed and reflected light energy that occurs when skin is illuminated by 450 nanometer visible blue light can produce an augmentation in the appearance of pattern injuries when viewed through colored blocking filters. This paper demonstrates a comparison between photographic appearances of several bitemarks inflicted on living and deceased persons to determine the corroborability and usefulness of fluorescent versus full spectrum visibility of bitemark pattern injuries.