The Dying Art of Courtroom Illustration (opens in new tab)

I would say that a picture isn't an exact replica either. The photographer chooses what to photograph at what time and with specific framing and with a particular set of features on the camera. A photographer makes choices just like an illustrator does. So a photographer is still warping a version of events through their mind as well.

One photograph of a person crying or upset could be used to represent then entirety of a trial. Imagine if that one moment is published in a newspaper. The person would be immediately assumed guilty in the court of public opinion.

Because no one poses for a courtroom sketch. Just by force of habit, the photographer would be a distraction and jurors would be looking at the camera, smiling, fixing their hair/teeth, and not focusing on the information being presented.

The article states that cameras were allowed in the US until the Lindbergh trial, which was the 'trial of the century' of that year. It was a zoo in the courtroom, so the Bar barred cameras. But now, with digital cameras that can operate quietly without a flash in ordinary indoor light, that objection would seem obsolete.

Because one feels imaginary, while the other one feels real. If you see a drawing of an event, it doesn't have nearly the same impact as a picture of it.

I've been learning how to sketch recently (not for courtrooms, just for fun), but something I noticed in the process might be relevant.

When you're sketching, you have to make choices about what's important and what to leave out. That means you have to study the scene pretty closely and pick what to represent. If courtroom sketching works like that, then I could see how having a skilled observer picking out important things to represent could be beneficial. If a particular moment is especially memorable, the sketch might capture and emphasize the drama in a way that a photo wouldn't. A sketch is kind of like the executive summary of a scene, removing noise and focusing in on what seemed important at the time.

many courtrooms do not allow photography

I'll add Guy Fieri to the list.

http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5273e8bc69bedd1614a...