IR lights are very useful for night time surveillance, but only if they are positioned correctly. Here are some top tips for how to position your IR lights to get the best results!

Don’t – forget that any matter with a high water content such as vegetation absorbs IR radiation and makes it difficult for the light to reach the desired target. Try not to point your IR light through areas of heavy vegetation.

Do – consider which IRs are best for your situation. Typical IR lights (Around 730nm wavelength) emit a red glow which is fine in normal situation however for covert use you may wish for no red glow at all. In this case choose IR lights with a wavelength of 940nm which will be totally black and ideal for discrete night time surveillance.

Don’t – mount your lighting pointing directly at the camera or facing the side of your subject. Mount the lighting near your camera to avoid any shadows.

Do –  think of IR light more of a torch light and not as a flood light. This means for a greater spread of light the length the beam travels will decrease, so decide which would be best for your situation.

Did You Know? Honey bees can see UV light and snakes can see IR light. Humans can’t see either.