Photogrammetry has been defined by the American Society for Photogrammetry and remote sensing "as the art , science, and technology of obtaining reliable information about physical objects and the environment through processes of recording, measuring, and interpreting photographic images and patterns of recorded radiant electromagnetic energy and other phenomena,". In forensic and mapping sciences, as well as archaeology, photogrammetric techniques are used to make inferences about the 3-dimensional world from numerous types of photographs (aerial, digital, satellite, police investigation).

In police shootings,for example, the types of information that can be obtained include the precise locations and spatial relationships among the subject, officers, witnesses, buildings, vehicles, trees and vegetation, and lighting. Cases that initially appear cut-and-dried often reveal a rich 3-dimensional context that affect both the visibility and perceptions of those involved.