Systems, apparatuses and methods may provide for detecting a snapshot request to conduct a long range depth capture, wherein the snapshot request is associated with a short range depth capture. Additionally, an infrared (IR) projector may be activated at a first power level for a first duration in response to the snapshot request, wherein the first power level is greater than a second power level corresponding to the short range depth capture and the first duration is less than a second duration corresponding to the short range depth capture.