Career upgrade: Learn practical AI skills for better jobs and higher pay.
Level up
All Practice Exams

100+ Free IAI CFPH Practice Questions

Pass your IAI Certified Forensic Photographer (CFPH) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

✓ No registration✓ No credit card✓ No hidden fees✓ Start practicing immediately
Not published Pass Rate
100+ Questions
100% Free
1 / 100
Question 1
Score: 0/0

Which BEST describes the photographer's responsibility when a previously archived RAW file's hash no longer matches the value recorded at acquisition?

A
B
C
D
to track
2026 Statistics

Key Facts: IAI CFPH Exam

100

Written Exam Questions

IAI Forensic Photography Certification Board

75%

Pass Score

IAI Forensic Photography Certification Board

$300/$400

Member/Non-Member Fee

IAI Application Fees page

3 yrs

Minimum Experience

IAI Photo Requirements

40 hrs

Formal Training Required

IAI Photo Requirements

5 years

Certification Validity

IAI Certification Program Operations Manual

2 parts

Practical Exam Phases

IAI Photo Process page

The IAI CFPH is a five-step certification: (1) application, (2) background and employment verification, (3) 100-question proctored written exam at 75% pass, (4) Practical Part A — crime scene, latent print, footwear, and night-scene photographs within 30 days, and (5) Practical Part B — evidence, vehicle, injury, 1:1, and 3-of-8 specialty photographs within 30 additional days. Application fees are $300 (IAI member) or $400 (non-member). Eligibility requires roughly 3 years of professional forensic photography experience, 40 hours of formal training, a portfolio, and adherence to the IAI Code of Ethics. Certification is valid 5 years.

Sample IAI CFPH Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your IAI CFPH exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which three camera settings make up the photographic exposure triangle?
A.Aperture, shutter speed, and ISO
B.White balance, focal length, and ISO
C.Aperture, focal length, and shutter speed
D.Metering mode, ISO, and white balance
Explanation: The exposure triangle consists of aperture (lens opening, f-number), shutter speed (exposure duration), and ISO (sensor sensitivity). Changing any one requires compensating with another to keep exposure constant. White balance, focal length, and metering mode influence the image but are not exposure variables.
2Stopping the lens down from f/4 to f/8 reduces the light reaching the sensor by how many stops?
A.1 stop
B.2 stops
C.3 stops
D.4 stops
Explanation: Each full f-stop halves or doubles the light. The standard sequence f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8 places f/4 and f/8 two stops apart, so moving from f/4 to f/8 reduces exposure by 2 stops.
3An exposure is metered at 1/125 s at f/8, ISO 200. Keeping the same exposure value, which setting is equivalent at f/11?
A.1/250 s at ISO 200
B.1/60 s at ISO 200
C.1/125 s at ISO 400
D.1/30 s at ISO 100
Explanation: Going from f/8 to f/11 loses one stop of light, so the shutter must be slowed by one stop — from 1/125 s to 1/60 s — to keep the same exposure value at ISO 200.
4Which aperture is generally considered the diffraction-limited 'sweet spot' for sharpness on most full-frame DSLR/mirrorless lenses?
A.f/2.8
B.f/8
C.f/22
D.f/32
Explanation: Most lenses reach peak sharpness around f/8 — two to three stops from wide open. Wider apertures show optical aberrations and shallow depth of field; smaller apertures (f/16-f/32) suffer diffraction softening on full-frame sensors.
5Which factor will INCREASE depth of field, all else equal?
A.Switching from f/8 to f/2.8
B.Switching from a 100 mm to a 200 mm lens
C.Stopping down from f/4 to f/16
D.Moving the camera closer to the subject
Explanation: Depth of field increases with smaller apertures, shorter focal lengths, and greater subject distance. Stopping down from f/4 to f/16 narrows the aperture and visibly extends the zone of acceptable sharpness front-to-back.
6A macro lens marked '1:1' is capable of which maximum reproduction ratio?
A.Life-size — the subject projects onto the sensor at its true size
B.Twice life-size — the projected image is 2x the subject
C.Half life-size — the projected image is half the subject
D.One-tenth life-size — the projected image is 10% of the subject
Explanation: A 1:1 macro lens projects the subject onto the sensor at exactly life size. This is the reference standard for forensic evidence photographs that need to be measured directly from the image with an ABFO No.2 or American Bar Association scale included in frame.
7Which scale, designed by the American Board of Forensic Odontology, is the recognized reference scale for 1:1 evidence photography and bite-mark documentation?
A.ABFO No.2 L-shaped photomacrographic scale
B.Kodak Q-13 gray card
C.X-Rite ColorChecker Passport
D.Munsell Soil Color Chart
Explanation: The ABFO No.2 is an L-shaped scale incorporating three reference circles and millimeter graduations. The circles let analysts correct for oblique camera-axis distortion, and the L-shape provides both horizontal and vertical scaling on the same plane as the evidence.
8The three circles on the ABFO No.2 scale are specifically designed to help analysts compensate for which photographic problem?
A.Chromatic aberration
B.Distortion from an oblique camera axis (non-perpendicular shooting plane)
C.Lens vignetting
D.JPEG compression artifacts
Explanation: The three circles must appear circular when the camera back is parallel to the evidence plane. If any circle is elliptical, the photographer (or a later analyst) can detect and correct for an oblique camera axis using gridding or perspective-correction software.
9Per SWGIT/SWGDE imaging guidelines, which file format is preferred as the original capture format for forensic evidence photography?
A.RAW (camera native, unprocessed sensor data)
B.JPEG at maximum quality
C.Compressed AVIF
D.8-bit BMP
Explanation: RAW preserves the unprocessed sensor data with full bit depth (typically 12-14 bits per channel), all metadata, and no lossy compression. SWGIT/SWGDE consider RAW the most defensible original because it preserves maximum information and supports later non-destructive processing.
10Which lighting technique uses a beam splitter set at 45 degrees to the optical axis so the flash illuminates the evidence along the lens axis, eliminating shadows for shiny surfaces?
A.Oblique lighting
B.Axial (coaxial) lighting
C.Ring-flash lighting
D.Painting with light
Explanation: Axial lighting projects the flash through a beam splitter mounted at 45 degrees so light travels down the lens axis to the evidence. This produces shadowless illumination on highly reflective surfaces such as cartridge cases or jewelry. Oblique, ring-flash, and painting-with-light are different techniques.

About the IAI CFPH Exam

The IAI Certified Forensic Photographer (CFPH) credential is awarded by the International Association for Identification's Forensic Photography Certification Board to working forensic photographers who pass background review, a proctored 100-question written exam at 75%, and two practical exam phases. The certification is valid for 5 years and is one of the most recognized forensic imaging credentials in North America.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

3 hours (written exam)

Passing Score

75%

Exam Fee

$300 IAI member / $400 non-member application fee (IAI Forensic Photography Certification Board)

IAI CFPH Exam Content Outline

~20%

Photographic Principles & Exposure

Exposure triangle, reciprocity, depth of field, hyperfocal distance, and metering decisions for forensic conditions.

~15%

Cameras, Lenses & Digital Sensors

DSLR vs mirrorless workflow, macro 1:1, Bayer pattern, full-frame vs APS-C, dynamic range, ISO noise, dust mapping.

~20%

Lighting & Alternate Light Sources

Off-camera flash, oblique 5-15 degree lighting, axial via beam splitter, ALS bands 350-700 nm, UV reflectance 365 nm, IR luminescence.

~15%

Scene & Evidence Photography

Overall/mid-range/close-up coverage; 1:1 evidence imaging with ABFO No.2 L-scale or ABA scale; bite-mark protocols.

~10%

Color Management & File Formats

RAW, TIFF, JPEG, lossy/lossless trade-offs, sRGB/AdobeRGB/ProPhoto gamuts, custom white balance, X-Rite ColorChecker.

~10%

Workflow, SOP & Authentication

SWGIT and OSAC Imaging guidance, chain of custody, hash values, write-blockers, RAW preservation, naming conventions.

~10%

Specialty & Reconstruction Imaging

Shooting reconstruction, photogrammetry, RTI, structured light, 3D laser scanning, and court admissibility under FRE 901.

How to Pass the IAI CFPH Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 75%
  • Exam length: 100 questions
  • Time limit: 3 hours (written exam)
  • Exam fee: $300 IAI member / $400 non-member application fee

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

IAI CFPH Study Tips from Top Performers

1Read the IAI Forensic Photography Certification Board's recommended texts cover to cover; the reading list is reviewed every three years.
2Drill the exposure triangle (aperture, shutter speed, ISO) until you can predict reciprocity changes in your head — most missed written questions are exposure math.
3Practice 1:1 macro evidence photography on a copy stand with an ABFO No.2 L-scale aligned on the same plane as the evidence, lit by axial or oblique flash.
4Memorize ALS band behavior: UV reflectance around 365 nm, blue/green excitation 415-555 nm with orange/red barrier filters, and IR luminescence above 700 nm.
5Build a SWGIT/OSAC-aligned standard operating procedure: RAW preservation, write-blockers, hash values, file naming, and a documented chain of custody.
6Run timed 100-question mocks at 75% threshold to mirror the proctored exam; review every miss against the IAI reading list and SWGIT references.
7Stage portfolio images for Part A and Part B early; submit ABFO-scaled 1:1 evidence and overall/mid-range/close-up coverage with proper notes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the IAI Certified Forensic Photographer (CFPH) credential?

The CFPH is the International Association for Identification's certification for working forensic photographers. It is granted by the Forensic Photography Certification Board after a background review, a 100-question written exam, and two practical exam phases.

How many questions are on the CFPH written exam and what score do I need?

The written exam has 100 multiple-choice questions and requires a 75% score to pass. Candidates have three hours to complete it under a board-approved proctor.

How much does the CFPH cost?

The IAI application fee is $300 for IAI members and $400 for non-members. The same schedule applies to initial certification, recertification, and retesting; regional IAI memberships do not qualify for the member rate.

What experience do I need to apply for the CFPH?

Applicants generally need a minimum of three years of professional forensic photography experience, 40 hours of formal forensic photography training, a portfolio of forensic photographs, and adherence to the IAI Code of Ethics.

What is in Part A of the practical exam?

Part A is a take-home practical with up to 30 days to submit. Candidates photograph a crime scene, a latent fingerprint, a footwear impression, and a night scene that demonstrate proper exposure, lighting, scaling, and overall/mid-range/close-up coverage.

What is in Part B of the practical exam?

Part B follows Part A with up to 30 additional days. Candidates photograph evidence, a vehicle scene, an injury, three 1:1 sized objects, and three of eight additional photography specialties.

How long is CFPH certification valid and how do I recertify?

Certification is valid for 5 years. Recertification requires a renewed application, continuing-education credits, and the same $300/$400 IAI application fee structure.

Do I have to be an IAI member to take the CFPH?

No, IAI membership is not required to apply, but non-members pay a higher application fee ($400 vs $300) and do not receive other IAI member benefits.

What standards and references should I study?

Study the IAI Forensic Photography Certification Board's current recommended reading list, plus SWGIT/SWGDE imaging best practices, OSAC Imaging documents, and the ABFO No.2 photomacrographic scale guidance for 1:1 evidence work.