diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/AmbientOcclusionEffect.cpp b/interface/src/renderer/AmbientOcclusionEffect.cpp
index 83ed2fdbec..ff86615b26 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/AmbientOcclusionEffect.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/AmbientOcclusionEffect.cpp
@@ -45,7 +45,12 @@ void AmbientOcclusionEffect::init() {
     const int SAMPLE_KERNEL_SIZE = 16;
     QVector3D sampleKernel[SAMPLE_KERNEL_SIZE];
     for (int i = 0; i < SAMPLE_KERNEL_SIZE; i++) {
-        glm::vec3 vector = glm::ballRand(1.0f);
+        // square the length in order to increase density towards the center
+        glm::vec3 vector = glm::sphericalRand(1.0f);
+        float scale = randFloat();
+        const float MIN_VECTOR_LENGTH = 0.01f;
+        const float MAX_VECTOR_LENGTH = 1.0f;
+        vector *= glm::mix(MIN_VECTOR_LENGTH, MAX_VECTOR_LENGTH, scale * scale);
         sampleKernel[i] = QVector3D(vector.x, vector.y, vector.z);
     }
     
diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/AmbientOcclusionEffect.h b/interface/src/renderer/AmbientOcclusionEffect.h
index 4891a6eb2c..d41bb65381 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/AmbientOcclusionEffect.h
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/AmbientOcclusionEffect.h
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@
 
 class ProgramObject;
 
-/// A screen space ambient occlusion effect.
+/// A screen space ambient occlusion effect.  See John Chapman's tutorial at
+/// http://john-chapman-graphics.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/ssao-tutorial.html for reference.
 class AmbientOcclusionEffect {
 public: