Choosing A Webcam
If you don’t have one you can purchase one for under $100 dollars from best buy or any place like that. I’ve used the Logitech Quick Cam Pro 5000 for 4 years and it has never let me down. There’s a newer HD version now too. Your microphone will be build in to the webcam and this camera gives great audio. If you have a mac the built in webcam should work really well with good lighting.
It’s time to set the stage.
Essentially, this will be your new home office. Whether you’ll be working on cam full time, part time, or maybe just in your spare time, your setting is key. Members want to view you as an erotic fantasy. Most potential customers won’t find it very arousing if you are sitting in a chair in the corner of your poorly lit kitchen.
Here are some simple tips to help you get your cam area situated in a way that will promote success…
A bed is the best setting area. Customers love it, plus it makes it easy for you to position yourself in different ways comfortably. A couch can work too, especially if you need the back support.
If you have to use the floor for some reason you really need to find a mattress to cover it with. A few blankets or comforters will NOT do. You could easily end up with joint damage from resting your knees and elbows on a hard surface for long periods of time. Trust me, working on cam on the floor will harm your body in the long run. I learned this the hard way.
Go for a mostly solid color background. You shouldn’t need to buy anything new if you don’t want to. Most people have a solid color fitted sheet to put on a bed. Fitted sheets are best because you’ll be moving a lot. A regular sheet will just annoy you since it will keep sliding off of the bed every time you start moving around in a show.
A couple of standard sized pillows can complete your background. They add a little flavor to your setting and give you some nice arch support for all the positions you’ll be in during shows. I like to spice up the room with 2 or 3 contrasting color throw pillows. For example: lately I’m using white bedding–this works well with my dark skin–with two standard sized pillows in striped cases, then I add 2 red throw pillows for a playful feel.
Good lighting is essential. Customers never stay in a poorly lit room.
It makes your camera look grainy and your skin look bad.
You need 2 bright lamps. Again, no need to go shopping. Just get two lamps from around the house. If you have a table lamp with a shade, remove the shade and put the lamp next to your camera source; about a foot or two away. Keep that lamp pretty much even with your camera, meaning at about the same height.
The other lamp should be directly behind your camera. No special light bulbs are needed; 100 watts works fine. If you have a bright over head/ceiling light that’s a bonus. With the ceiling light you can get away with not having the side lamp, but you really must have a bright one right behind your camera no matter what.
To clarify: you should have 2-3 light sources. The most important one being directly behind your camera. Plus a bright overhead light and/or another parallel lamp a couple of feet from your camera.
Experiment a bit and see how you look. It almost never works out to put a light behind you.
Another thing to note about having an efficient set up is the placement of your computer and camera. You need to be able to read what the customers are typing so don’t have the computer too far from you. You’ll want your camera close enough to be adjusted easily during a show.
Practice with it. Find out what positions are comfortable, flattering, and allow for simple adjustments.
Keep your “tools of the trade” nearby, so you’ll have everything you need during a show. Have lube, toys (if you use them), any extra lingerie or sexy outfits you have, and whatever else you choose to use in your shows within reach. Try not to have all of these things on camera though; you don’t want your room to look junky.
A nice final touch is a radio playing some soft music. I like to burn a new mix of sexy tunes each week. It helps keep me in a playful mood. Guys seem to like it too. If you have your music too loud it will make your audio sound distorted to customers. To solve this problem turn your radio speakers away from your cameras mic. (If you use your computer to play music while you are live it may slow down your connection.)
So now that you know how to set up your home studio make sure you get the ball rolling on your model sign up so you can get started asap.
