Security Camera Placement Guide: Where Cameras Actually Need to Go

A camera is only as useful as the angle it covers. Homeowners love mounting cameras high and centered—because it “looks right”—but that usually creates blind spots and useless footage. Cameras need to see faces, not foreheads and hats.

Before installing anything, skim the High-Risk Entry Point Analysis so you know which areas intruders target first.

1. Cover the Approaches, Not Just the Door

The biggest mistake homeowners make: pointing cameras directly at the door. That only captures someone’s face for half a second. What you actually want is the approach path—the walkway, driveway, side path, or yard direction they come from.

Rules for Approach Coverage

• Mount 8–10 feet high, angled downward at 30–45 degrees.
• Capture the entire path leading to the door.
• Ensure faces are visible within 12–15 feet of the camera.
• Avoid backlighting that silhouettes the subject.

2. Front Door: The Mandatory Camera

Every home should have a front-door camera—doorbell or traditional—because this is the most common approach point.

Best Practices

• Use a doorbell cam for eye-level facial capture.
• Add a second overhead camera for package and vehicle visibility.
• Ensure illumination at night (porch lights, motion lights).

3. Back Door: The Most Targeted Entry

Intruders prefer back doors because homeowners rarely monitor them and neighbors can’t see them.

Placement Tips

• Mount 8–10 feet high on the side of the house, not directly above the door.
• Angle to capture the path and the door simultaneously.
• Keep bushes and furniture away from the line of sight.

4. Garage and Driveway Coverage

Your garage is a goldmine: tools, bikes, vehicles, and a door leading straight into the home. Cameras here are non-negotiable.

Best Coverage Zones

• Driveway camera: Mounted at the upper corner of the garage capturing vehicles, faces, and license plates when possible.
• Side-yard camera: Cover the service door and the path leading to it.
• Interior garage camera: Optional, but good for monitoring break-in attempts or theft.

5. Side Yards and Blind Corners

Intruders love side yards because they’re usually the darkest parts of a home. Put a camera there and half the risk disappears.

Rules for Side Coverage

• Mount cameras so they cover the narrow walkway fully.
• Illuminate the area with motion lighting.
• Angle cameras to overlap with front and back systems.

6. Back Windows and Basement Wells

These low-visibility points are where intruders try to work uninterrupted. A single camera can watch multiple basement wells or a line of back windows.

Placement Ideas

• Mount cameras at corners to capture long exterior walls.
• Shoot downward from 10–12 feet to cover wells without glare.
• Ensure rain doesn’t splash or drip over the lens.

7. Avoid These Common Mistakes

Most camera setups fail because of predictable problems:

• Mounting too high (loses detail).
• Mounting too low (easy to tamper with).
• Pointing straight outward instead of downward.
• Putting cameras near bright lights causing glare.
• Not testing night performance before final mounting.

8. Test Before You Commit

Always test the angle using your phone before tightening screws. Walk through the approach yourself and make sure your face is clear.

Cameras are not decoration. They’re tools. Place them with intention and they’ll catch what matters, when it matters.