Author - Holly

If you’re a cam model, then you really need to understand the ins and outs of creating content. Shooting is essential for this type of model and knowing how to shoot high-quality amateur content will help boost your earnings. This advice should help you build up your content quicker and with more quality.

Advice On Shooting Amateur Content

Even though you may be shooting all of your own content, or have a friend/significant other helping you out, it’s important to make your content look professional. With 4K and 3D videos out now, you definitely should at least be shooting your content in 1080p HD. Heck, some people are shooting in UHD aka ultra-high-definition even.

Resolution Matters

You are selling yourself, after all, so you want to make sure your fans can actually see you in good resolution. Have you ever been streaming a video online or watching Netflix when the quality drops?

Everything gets dark, grainy, and blurry. The sound quality may even drop. No one likes that. And the same thing goes for watching porn.

Real Feel Must Remain

Amateur porn is huge right now. The vast majority of guys out there like the “real feel” you get with amateur porn as opposed to produced porn. It comes across as more believable and doesn’t feel forced.

With amateur porn, the person watching it can often put themselves into the situation, and that’s a big part of the appeal. But just because it has the word amateur in it, doesn’t mean it has to be shitty quality.

Poor Quality Is A Turnoff

Even if a guy really likes your style and the kind of content you make, he’s likely to move on to another model who shoots similar content if your quality is bad.

Upgrading your equipment may seem expensive, but it will definitely pay off. You’ll not only notice an increase in premade content sales, but also in custom sales.

Camera Equipment Matters

If you upgrade your webcam to HD, you’ll see an increase in the number of guys in your cam shows. As I said, they want to really be able to see you… all of you… clearly! So upgrading to better equipment really is a must nowadays.

One of the first things you should consider upgrading is your lighting. You can get a good, professional lighting set on Amazon for around $50.

Even if you can’t afford to upgrade your other equipment right away, just getting better lighting will really make a difference in the overall appearance of your videos, pictures, and webcam shows.

Make sure you check out my lighting guide for placement tips and tricks to really get the most out of your lighting equipment.

Upgrade Your Webcam Too

If you aren’t already using a webcam that can capture full 1080p HD video, I’d definitely recommend upgrading. On some cam sites, your ranking is determined partly by the quality of your stream.

So using an HD webcam can really boost your placement on the site. HD webcams not only make your video stream look better, but they increase the sound quality as well.

You’ll be able to do more in your shows because your fans will still be able to clearly hear you even if you step back away from the camera or move around a lot.

Close Ups

I get requests for close-ups during my cam shows on a daily basis. If your webcam doesn’t capture HD video, your close-up shots are gonna look blurry and grainy.

In fact, your overall cam stream will look grainy, dark, and sometimes off-color. With most models camming in HD, it’s especially noticeable to customers who frequent cam sites.

They’ll immediately notice that your quality is lower than other models, and may not even give you a chance. If you’re looking for a webcam that shoots in full 1080p HD, I list a couple of options here.

But basically, the two most popular webcams are currently the Logitech C920, which will run you about $70, and the Logitech Conference Cam BCC950. This cam goes for about $180. The main difference between the two is that the BCC950 comes with a remote so you can remotely control the movement of your camera and use the remote to zoom in and out.

Recording Stuff

The next most important upgrade is your camcorder. If you shoot custom content or videos to sell on your website or on clip sites, you’ll definitely want to get a camcorder that shoots in HD.

A decent camcorder will run you between $180-$300. The Sony HDRCX240/B Video Camera is a decent option if you’re looking to stay on the cheaper side of the spectrum. It captures video in 1920×1080 resolution and is lightweight and easy to use.

Although a good option, I’ve noticed an issue with this camera. Even with professional lighting, the video can be a bit dark. If you’re able to shoot outdoors or in natural lighting, it looks much better. But pretty much anything shot indoors won’t be as clear or bright as it should be.

With that said, it’s still a really good option, and even though things aren’t as clear as they could be, it still gets decent shots: both far away and close-ups.

Another Option

A better, but more expensive option, is the Canon VIXIA HF R700 Camcorder. This camcorder will run you about $300 on Amazon. It also shoots in 1920×1080 resolution, is lightweight and easy to use. But the video clarity and brightness is much better than the Sony cam. If you shoot a lot of videos and can afford it, I’d definitely recommend this cam.

Camera Upgrades

The final thing that I would recommend upgrading is your camera. I’m mentioning it last because it isn’t as important for some models. Many focus on camming and don’t really have the need for a professional camera. And a lot of models will just use their phones.

But if you have a website where you post photo sets too often, or if you get a lot of custom picture requests, I’d recommend getting a DSLR camera. I’ll warn you ahead of time, these aren’t cheap.

It’s recommended that you buy several different lenses, which are also quite pricey, so that you can capture good quality close-up shots, shots from further away, motion shots, etc. I personally use the Canon EOS 60D with 18-135mm lens. This camera is great!

I love everything about it… except for maybe the price. With the lens, it’s gonna run you about $1,080 on Amazon. I mainly focus on full-body shots, and this lens is perfect for that.

But if you do a lot of close-ups, you’ll need to invest in a lens that’s specifically for that. This camera can even record video. It’s not as good as an actual camcorder, mainly because it doesn’t have an auto-focus.

So if you move positions or get closer/further away from the camera, the whole video may turn out blurry.

Tell Them What Tools You Use

When talking to potential customers about shooting custom content for them, one of the first questions they’ll ask is what equipment I use and if I shoot in HD/high-resolution.

When I tell them what I use, many say how relieved they are to hear that and tell me about previous bad experiences they had with other models not shooting with good quality equipment.

So upgrading to HD is definitely important and will most definitely increase your sales. You’ll also be able to charge more for your content because the quality will be better.

Conclusion

That’s everything you need to know about upgrading your tools for creating content that consumers will love. I know it sounds expensive, but truth be told, you need to invest in yourself, and your equipment if you want to truly be successful today as a webcam model.

If you’re not promoting yourself as a cam girl, then you’re leaving money on the table. Today I’ll cover the basics when it comes to using tube sites for promoting yourself. The best part is that this is absolutely free to do and a solid brand-building opportunity for anyone who wants to grow their personal brand as a model. No sense in waiting, let’s just dive right into this…

Tube Site Promotion – The Facts

Despite what you might think, tube sites can be a great promotional tool for cam models. The big tube sites get thousands upon thousands of hits to them every single day… that means exposure for you! If you look at free porn tubes as free publicity, and not as negative sites for guys to watch free/stolen porn, you’ll quickly see the positive side to it.

There is, of course, a right way and a wrong way to go about getting exposure using tube sites. If you find your content on a site without your permission, you can have it taken down, especially if whoever uploaded it didn’t watermark it for you. What you should be doing is creating accounts yourself on all of the big tube sites so that you can be in complete control of what content you add.

List of Porn Tubes To Get Started

Most of the major tube sites have some kind of content partner program or amateur payment program. Pornhub, RedTube, xHamster, Modelhub, XVideos, and YouPorn are good places to start.

Basically, all you have to do is create an account (it’s a good idea to make your username be your stage name), and upload whatever content you feel comfortable with (some models will do a few full videos, some might cut out the orgasm part of the video, it’s up to you), and wait for the payments and traffic to start rolling in!

You get paid based on the number of views your content gets since the tube sites will put ads on whatever you upload. Also, be sure to watermark anything you post with your website address or camming profile link.

This will help generate you traffic, increase your fan base, and prevent your content from being stolen off of the tube site and put who-knows-where on the internet.

YouTube

Some models use YouTube to promote themselves. It works for some and not for others because of YouTube’s strict policies. If you get reported by even one person, they may remove your content or your entire account.

If you do decide to use YouTube, don’t post any nudity, and don’t watermark any NSFW links. It’s best to make your username your stage name and let people find you that way.

Personally, I don’t use YouTube. I’ve found it to be a waste of time, especially since there are adult tube sites already out there. But feel free to give it a try if you want!

You’ll definitely want to put together some promo banners and profile pictures to use on the tube sites.

When you sign-up on the tube sites and go to edit your profile, they’ll usually let you know what size to make the banners. Just crop down a few of your pictures to that size, add your link, and upload them.

Choose wisely which clips you want to upload to the tube sites. I think it’s best to post clips that are within your specific niche and really showcase what your content is all about.

Proper lighting is one of the most important factors when setting up your cam space. The correct lighting will not only eliminate annoying and unflattering shadows but will also greatly improve the overall appearance of your cam stream. If your room is too dark, your video may appear grainy or just not as sharp. If the lighting is too bright in your room, it could change your skin color and make you look washed out.

Lighting Tips For Webcam Models

Amazon offers many options for inexpensive, but professional lighting equipment. For best results, you’ll want three separate lighting sources. The first light you’ll want to set up in front of you, behind your webcam, pointed at you.

You may have to adjust the height to reduce glare, but generally setting it up about the same height as yourself will be perfect.

The next two lights should be on either side of you, but still in front of you. Again, adjusting them to be about the same height as yourself should work well. Some tinkering may be needed to get it just right.

Shadows, Glare, & Lamp Styles

Play around with it until you are illuminated without any shadows, shiny spots, or glare. Don’t make the mistake of setting up a light behind you. Not only will it show up on cam, but it may actually darken your stream.

If you’re still unsure of how to set up your lights, check out our visual guide below…

If you can’t afford professional lighting right off the bat, don’t worry. Regular lights work well too. Now, if you have floor lamps that are around the same height as you, definitely use those.

If you have shorter lamps, put them on tables on either side of you if possible. You can also play around with different bulb shades to see what looks best. Some bulbs will give off a blueish, natural glow, while others will have a yellowish tint to them.

Hanging Lights

Hanging up colorful light strands can be a fun way to add character to your room. Icicle lights dangling from the ceiling behind you is a nice touch.

Or attaching Christmas lights around the frame of your bed or couch looks cool too. You can even get light strands with your favorite characters on them: Hello Kitty, Star Wars characters, etc.

Visual Guide To Setting Up Your Webcam Room Lights

This first image shows an overview of how you will want to set your lights up in your cam room. One light directly in front of you, behind your webcam, and two lights on either side of you, pointed at you, placed in front of you.

Your main light will be set up behind your webcam, directly in front of you. You’ll want to position it at about the same height for best results.

Your second light should be placed on the left-hand side of you, but still in front of you. Make sure it’s pointed at you and at the same height as you.

Your final light should be on the right-hand side of you, but still in front of you. Again, make sure it’s pointed at you and at the same height as you.

This last picture is a POV shot of what your setup should look like. Notice the three light sources, all pointed at you: one in front, one to the left of you, and one to your right.

Conclusion

This should be plenty of information on how to set up a cam room with damn near perfect lighting. If you still have questions, please do not hesitate to ask me.

I’m here posting these blog updates and tutorials to help you and other cam girls just like me. There’s a reason why I’m sharing my thoughts, and it’s not just for the heck of it. It’s to help you and others out!

Looking to set things up so that you can successfully cam? Well, then you need your cam space on point! This article shares the most important tips for setting up your webcam space for success.

Setting Your Cam Space Up Correctly

Setting up your camming space properly is incredibly important. You’re gonna want to choose an area that is private, visually appealing, can accommodate everything you plan on doing, and is comfortable for you.

When fans enter your cam room, the first thing they see is you, but the second thing is the overall appearance of your space. They want to see good lighting, no clutter, and decorations/props that fit your niche.

If you’re into bondage and/or domination, maybe try adding some whips, handcuffs, or a strap-on somewhere in your room. If your thing is playing up being a cute, young teen, make your room bright, colorful, and girly. This helps the customer know what you’re all about without even having to ask. It also helps make the experience more genuine and real for them.

The Cam Wheel

Depending on the site you cam on, having a poster, neon dry erase board, or chalkboard in the background is a great idea. It encourages engagement and sometimes competitiveness! You could have a list of your top tippers for the month.

That will encourage your fans to compete for the number one spot on that list. A sign could also be used for informative purposes: such as listing videos you have for sale, contests that you’re currently holding, or a tip menu. Be creative with it!

Be Comfy

Figuring out the surface you want to work on is also important. You want to make sure you’re comfortable, that way you can put on your best possible show every time.

Some models are most comfortable on a bed, futon, or couch. Some prefer an office chair. Some models even cam from the floor! Figure out what best fits your needs. Or maybe even switch it up from time to time depending on the kind of show you’re doing.

Lights…

As we talked about in a previous article, webcam lighting is crucial. Getting the correct lighting equipment and positioning it correctly will make all the difference in the appearance of your cam stream.

You’ll be able to eliminate shadows and get rid of any graininess. After all, your customers are there to see you. Make sure they’re actually able to! Click Here For a Visual Guide to Webcam Lighting

Holidays Rule

Take advantage of the holidays! When there’s a holiday coming up, switch things up and decorate your cam space for that particular holiday. Not only is it fun, but it gives your fans something new to talk to you about. You’re bound to get flooded with compliments!

You can also use the holidays to run special holiday-themed contests and giveaways. If it’s Valentine’s Day, write their username on a heart if they tip a certain amount.

Or hang up a customized ornament for them around Christmas time. Again, be creative here and do something that your fans can engage in. Now your space is all set up and you’re ready to go!