Mr. GOLDSMITH. I see that you have taken a ruler
and placed it by Oswald's body and also by his rifle; is that correct?
Mr. WHITE. Yes.
Mr. GOLDSMITH. Mr. White, do you believe that an object
photographed can be measured simply by placing a ruler against the image
in the photograph?
Mr. WHITE. No.
Mr. GOLDSMITH. When you measured the object in this photograph,
what did you do beyond using the ruler?
Mr. WHITE. This is strictly a two-dimensional measurement.
Obviously I did not take into consideration any perspective which might
exist or any other considerations. It is just a mere measurement of the
body from the weightbearing foot to the top of the head in each case and
of the rifle from the muzzle to the butt.
Mr. GOLDSMITH. Without giving any account to other factors?
Mr. WHITE. That is true. I am not a physicist or any sort
of a scientist who could determine anything relating to the perspective.
We don't know how close the rifle is to his body. We don't know how close
the camera is to the subject, so it would be virtually impossible for just
a plain citizen like me to interpret the perspective of this photograph.
Mr. GOLDSMITH. Have you had any training in analytical
photogrammetry?
Mr. WHITE. No.
Mr. GOLDSMITH. Have you had any formal training in forensic
photography?
Mr. WHITE. No.
[...]
Mr. GOLDSMITH. Mr. White, you have made reference to several
points in these photographs that suggest that Oswald's head is disproportionately----
I withdraw the question.
That the body of Oswald is not consistent in the various
photographs in light of the head size; is that correct?
Mr. WHITE. Yes.
Mr. GOLDSMITH. To what extent, if any, did you compute
photogrammetrically the effect of an object's tilt on its apparent length
in the photograph?
Mr. WHITE. As I said, I am not a scientist. I don't indulge
in that sort of thing.
[...]
Mr. GOLDSMITH. Mr. White, I just have one question.
Mr. WHITE. All right.
Mr. GOLDSMITH. When you did this study, did you compute
photogrammetrically the effect of tilt on the way that the length of an
object appears in a photograph?
Mr. WHITE. I conducted a study by photographing a yardstick
from three different-
Mr. GOLDSMITH. Mr. White, answer my question. Did you
compute photogrammetrically----
Mr. WHITE. What is "photogrammetrically"? Describe to
me what "photogrammetrically" is.
Mr. GOLDSMITH. I just have one more question Mr. White.
Do you know what photogrammetry is?
Mr. WHITE. No.
Mr. GOLDSMITH. I have no further questions. Thank you.
Key
Concept: Photogrammetry. Defined as the science of making reliable
measurements by the use of (usually) aerial photographs in surveying and
map making. No one can make any meaningful statements about the relative
dimensions of objects in photographs without knowing the basics of photogrammetry.
When Jack White gave extensive testimony to the House Select Committee
about supposed "discrepancies" in the backyard photos, and various photos
of Oswald's rifle, he was grilled about his expertise by HSCA counsel Mickey
Goldsmith. The following is from volume II of the House Select Committee.