What practices help ensure photographs collected during an investigation are admissible?

• A. Edit photos to enhance clarity.
• B. Document time and place, avoid alteration, preserve originals, and maintain proper chain of custody.
• C. Change the date/time metadata to fit the story.
• D. Store photos only on a single device without backups.

Answer: (B)

The key idea is to keep photos trustworthy by showing exactly when and where they were taken, handling them in a way that prevents tampering, and keeping a clear record of who’s handled them. When you document the time and place, preserve the original image without changes, and maintain a proper chain of custody, you create a verifiable trail from capture to presentation. This makes it much easier to demonstrate authenticity and integrity in court, which is what admissibility hinges on.

Editing photos to improve clarity can unintentionally alter or misrepresent what was captured, and changing the date or metadata is a form of manipulation that undermines trust in the evidence. Relying on a single device without backups risks losing the photo entirely and weakens the chain of custody. Keeping originals, recording the exact context, and documenting how the evidence is handled protects against these issues and supports admissibility.