An imaging apparatus, comprising: a housing comprising a recessed portion defined on a front face of the imaging apparatus; an image sensor positioned within the recessed portion and configured to capture a first image of a scene; and an optical window positioned in front of the image sensor within the recessed portion, wherein the optical window is configured to transmit incident light to the image sensor; a light source positioned on the front face above the recessed portion and across a perimeter of the optical window such that an illumination cone of the light source overlaps a portion of a near field of view cone of the imaging apparatus, wherein the light source is configured as a piped structure, wherein the portion of the near field of view cone extends from a surface of the optical window to a threshold distance from the optical window, wherein the light source is configured to produce a first illumination along a first direction substantially parallel to the front face of the imaging apparatus and extending towards the scene, wherein positioning of the optical window within the recessed portion of the housing and positioning of the light source above the recessed portion is configured to prevent the first illumination from entering the optical window; an aimer illumination source configured to project an aiming pattern; and one or more processors configured to: project the aiming pattern in the scene, process the first image of the scene to detect a subject in the first image; determine that the subject in the first image is aligned with the aiming pattern; and control the light source to produce a second illumination along a second direction in response to determining that the subject is aligned with the aiming pattern, wherein the second direction is different from the first direction. a housing comprising a recessed portion defined on a front face of the imaging apparatus; an image sensor positioned within the recessed portion and configured to capture a first image of a scene; and an optical window positioned in front of the image sensor within the recessed portion, wherein the optical window is configured to transmit incident light to the image sensor; a light source positioned on the front face above the recessed portion and across a perimeter of the optical window such that an illumination cone of the light source overlaps a portion of a near field of view cone of the imaging apparatus, wherein the light source is configured as a piped structure, wherein the portion of the near field of view cone extends from a surface of the optical window to a threshold distance from the optical window, wherein the light source is configured to produce a first illumination along a first direction substantially parallel to the front face of the imaging apparatus and extending towards the scene, wherein positioning of the optical window within the recessed portion of the housing and positioning of the light source above the recessed portion is configured to prevent the first illumination from entering the optical window; an aimer illumination source configured to project an aiming pattern; and one or more processors configured to: project the aiming pattern in the scene, process the first image of the scene to detect a subject in the first image; determine that the subject in the first image is aligned with the aiming pattern; and control the light source to produce a second illumination along a second direction in response to determining that the subject is aligned with the aiming pattern, wherein the second direction is different from the first direction. project the aiming pattern in the scene, process the first image of the scene to detect a subject in the first image; determine that the subject in the first image is aligned with the aiming pattern; and control the light source to produce a second illumination along a second direction in response to determining that the subject is aligned with the aiming pattern, wherein the second direction is different from the first direction.