FACE AND EAR COMPARISONS SERVICE

by Joelle Steele

I have been comparing and analyzing faces and ears to authenticate identities of faces in photographs since 1973, professionally since 1983, and I am a court-certified expert in this process. Please check out my articles, advice column, and books.

I analyze and compare upwards of 50 faces per year. I do not use any kind of face recognition software, as that technology can not be used to accurately analyze the details in faces that look alike. I offer three options for analyses and comparisons of facial features and ears, plus an option for a Declaration.

INSTRUCTIONS

Accuracy is critical to making a good comparison, so please follow these instructions below very carefully.

1) If your comparison and analysis specifically involves the ears, please make sure all your photos show the same ear. Ears are never exactly the same on any given head.
2) Scan your questioned photo and up to three exemplars (known photos of the person) in color (even if originals are black and white).
3) Scan your photos at high resolution (300-600 dpi minimum, or 1200 dpi if it's a face in a small photo).
4) Save your photos as individual .JPG files.
5) Name and number your files so I can identify them (e.g., questionedphoto.jpg, and up to three exemplars, e.g., exemplar-1.jpg, exemplar-2.jpg, exemplar-3.jpg).
6) Do NOT alter or enhance your photos in any way.
7) Do NOT send me composites, overlays, PDFs, zipped files, or links to photos on Web sites.
8) Do NOT send me originals or prints by US Mail.
9) E-mail your photos as attachments to me at: joellesteele@joellesteele.com.

I will look at your photos to see if they are clear enough to be analyzed and to make sure I have not analyzed your image previously (yes, that does happen). I will then respond to your E-mail and say whether or not I can analyze them. After I confirm to you that I can compare and analyze the faces, select the appropriate Option below and make your payment to joellesteele@joellesteele.com at PayPal. Turnaround time depends on how busy I am, but 1-3 working days is about average.

Option #1: Comparison Analysis Without Explanation – $75
A yes/no response in an E-mail as to whether or not it is the same person, with no explanation as to why that determination was made. If I can immediately spot whether it is the same person or not, NO CHARGE. If I have to measure, you have to pay.

Option #2: Comparison Analysis with Brief Explanation – $100
A yes/no response in an E-mail as to whether or not it is the same person, plus a very brief explanation as to why that determination was made.

Option #3: Comparison and Expert Declaration – $600
When I write a Declaration, I do NOT advocate for a specific litigant, and this is clearly stated in my Declaration. I am only seeking to determine whether or not a face in a questioned photograph is authentic. I generally provide my signed Declaration on pleading paper. If the Declaration is being prepared on an attorney's pleading paper, please be aware that I will not sign a Declaration that has been edited, or to which anything is added or omitted. The same instructions (above) apply to any analysis I do. Turnaround time for analysis is about 1-3 days, and about 3-5 days for a Declaration. After I confirm to you that I can do the face comparison and analysis, please make a payment of $100 to cover the analysis. If you want me to proceed to writing the Declaration after the faces are compared and analyzed, please make an additional payment of $500. Please make payments to joellesteele@joellesteele.com at PayPal, or send a check payable to Joelle Steele, PO Box 8492, Lacey, Washington 98509-8492.