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Thread: Ex-Lurker Full of Questions

  1. #1
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    Default Ex-Lurker Full of Questions

    Hello there! First time poster. I've been interested in being a cam girl for as long as I knew about cam girl sites. I don't have the deamenor or backbone for stripping, everyone would walk over me in a second. But, even though camshows are entirely virtual and I basically run everything myself, I've always been intimidated by it. Even so, I'm taking the plunge soon, and I've ordered my camera. I just want a couple opinions and some insight.

    Current "business" plan:

    Start non-nude to work on my confidence on camera. I'll probably also do lots of staged shows off-camera just to get used to the whole thing.

    While I'm doing non-nude, I'll also be selling my used stockings and underwear on a private site. Maybe photo sets as well? Once a pair of stockings or underwear is sold, I can buy a brand new piece. My regulars will always see me in something new and interesting, and I won't break the bank buying lots of clothes. Also planning on getting my outfits from all the Hong Kong sellers on ebay who flood "Fashion" with things for 1 cent.

    Once I'm comfortable with the camera and used to my customers, then I'll possibly move to nude. Or I won't, if I'm making enough income to please me.

    But, there are some things I need some opinions/clarification/validation on.

    1. I've got some professional lighting/photography experience. Would it be a good idea to use what I know (lighting, staging, etc) to make my stream look more pro? Or would that be a turnoff? I've been watching some cams on livejasmin off and on and so many could be improved 100xs with a little cheap light set up. Frustrating! But, if that's what sells, I can't argue.

    What I was planning was a backdrop behind my bed. Probably party satin and all ruffly. Not sure what color, but either red or black. Then set up my lighting with some harsh shadows to make everything look sensual.

    BUT, will that look too campy/cheap/stupid?

    Trying to emulate this:

    2. I'd really, really like to hide my face. I work as a caregiver and I have lots and lots of middle aged clients who want the best of the best behaved girls looking after their parents. If they found my stream... Well, that would be so awkward I don't even want to think about it.

    I was planning wearing over the top masquerade masks + wigs to keep people I know from recognizing me. But, is this allowed, or is this a no-no? Otherwise, I've got lots of experience with over the top makeup that I only use on the stage or in costume (theater nerd here!) so I can always just go for that.

    For wigs, I was going to get some from or etsy, and . Most of the wigs on ebay are shiny and obviously fake, but sometimes you can find a nice kankalon wig for sale. I don't really want to rely too heavily on wigs though, because of the maintanece and hassle they can be.

    Is a mask + a wig an appropriate way to protect your identity? Is there any way I can sell this as like "oh I'm so mysterious. Maybe I'll take off my mask in private!"

    3. Is it better to go into the niche areas (bondage, ageplay, redhead, hairy, etc) or just stay general? I like corsets a lot, and Master/slave plays. Looking at the fetish area of livejasmin, I really think I can compete with some of these girls. Especially considering I'm planning on using steel boned corsets instead of the pvc and plastic ones I've seen so far /elitism. But, if it's more lucrative to stay general, then I'll just do that.

    4. Do customers prefer consistency or variety? Like costume changes, scene changes, that kind of thing? Or do regulars want the same thing every day?

    5. What physical characteristics make it impossible to camwhore. More particularly, which skin flaws make it impossible? I've got the worst scars on my back. They're ridiculous and ugly. Actually, I kind of have scars everywhere. I'm a tomboy, lol. Too many tumbles off mountain bikes and horses. Is this a deal breaker? Or can I make my way by just paying close attention to my costumes? Highbacked corsets would hide them pretty much. But that's kind of odd.

    Anyway, I'm done rambling... Thoughts?
    Thanks!

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    Default Re: Ex-Lurker Full of Questions

    Quote Originally Posted by KinkAnon View Post
    Hello there! First time poster. I've been interested in being a cam girl for as long as I knew about cam girl sites. I don't have the deamenor or backbone for stripping, everyone would walk over me in a second. But, even though camshows are entirely virtual and I basically run everything myself, I've always been intimidated by it. Even so, I'm taking the plunge soon, and I've ordered my camera. I just want a couple opinions and some insight.

    Current "business" plan:

    Start non-nude to work on my confidence on camera. I'll probably also do lots of staged shows off-camera just to get used to the whole thing.

    While I'm doing non-nude, I'll also be selling my used stockings and underwear on a private site. Maybe photo sets as well? Once a pair of stockings or underwear is sold, I can buy a brand new piece. My regulars will always see me in something new and interesting, and I won't break the bank buying lots of clothes. Also planning on getting my outfits from all the Hong Kong sellers on ebay who flood "Fashion" with things for 1 cent.

    Once I'm comfortable with the camera and used to my customers, then I'll possibly move to nude. Or I won't, if I'm making enough income to please me.

    But, there are some things I need some opinions/clarification/validation on.

    1. I've got some professional lighting/photography experience. Would it be a good idea to use what I know (lighting, staging, etc) to make my stream look more pro? Or would that be a turnoff? I've been watching some cams on livejasmin off and on and so many could be improved 100xs with a little cheap light set up. Frustrating! But, if that's what sells, I can't argue.

    What I was planning was a backdrop behind my bed. Probably party satin and all ruffly. Not sure what color, but either red or black. Then set up my lighting with some harsh shadows to make everything look sensual.

    BUT, will that look too campy/cheap/stupid?

    Trying to emulate this:

    2. I'd really, really like to hide my face. I work as a caregiver and I have lots and lots of middle aged clients who want the best of the best behaved girls looking after their parents. If they found my stream... Well, that would be so awkward I don't even want to think about it.

    I was planning wearing over the top masquerade masks + wigs to keep people I know from recognizing me. But, is this allowed, or is this a no-no? Otherwise, I've got lots of experience with over the top makeup that I only use on the stage or in costume (theater nerd here!) so I can always just go for that.

    For wigs, I was going to get some from or etsy, and . Most of the wigs on ebay are shiny and obviously fake, but sometimes you can find a nice kankalon wig for sale. I don't really want to rely too heavily on wigs though, because of the maintanece and hassle they can be.

    Is a mask + a wig an appropriate way to protect your identity? Is there any way I can sell this as like "oh I'm so mysterious. Maybe I'll take off my mask in private!"

    3. Is it better to go into the niche areas (bondage, ageplay, redhead, hairy, etc) or just stay general? I like corsets a lot, and Master/slave plays. Looking at the fetish area of livejasmin, I really think I can compete with some of these girls. Especially considering I'm planning on using steel boned corsets instead of the pvc and plastic ones I've seen so far /elitism. But, if it's more lucrative to stay general, then I'll just do that.

    4. Do customers prefer consistency or variety? Like costume changes, scene changes, that kind of thing? Or do regulars want the same thing every day?

    5. What physical characteristics make it impossible to camwhore. More particularly, which skin flaws make it impossible? I've got the worst scars on my back. They're ridiculous and ugly. Actually, I kind of have scars everywhere. I'm a tomboy, lol. Too many tumbles off mountain bikes and horses. Is this a deal breaker? Or can I make my way by just paying close attention to my costumes? Highbacked corsets would hide them pretty much. But that's kind of odd.

    Anyway, I'm done rambling... Thoughts?
    Thanks!
    Here are my tips & advice:
    - Don't create a business plan until you've cammed on a site for 1 week because otherwise you won't know what to expect or what will work for you (or what doesn't)
    - Its really hard to sell panties & stockings unless you're a top top girl on your site. Especially sites that take high percentages. If you start some sort of business & have an official "panty club" site, it might work. But its a lot of time & cost investment if you want it to look professional
    - Non-nude is really hard to do only literally a few girls have been successful with it. The only cam site its remotely successful is OnHerCam. There like 3 girls on MFC who are successful as non-nude, but there are thousands and thousands of girls who are full nude and make nothing
    - Lighting is easy. Just make sure you have enough light and its not too yellow. What you need to focus on is having a fast computer, fast internet, and an HD cam
    - Being non-nude and not showing your face is next to impossible. 99.999% of models show their face. Men want a personality and interaction, not a body. They want to see your reactions and really get to know all of you
    - Backdrops don't really matter. Any color is fine. I have my wall and its fine. What you should focus on is not having any clutter or anything in the background for distraction
    - If you are worried about being "found out" then this is not the industry for you. Its not IF you will found out, but rather WHEN. There are several ways to bypass geo restrictions and they don't even work half the time. Plus, cam sites record your private shows and post them all over the internet to get to promotion back to their site. You cannot opt out of this. When you send in your official paperwork (needed in order to activate your account), you agree to letting them do that. They will not tell you when they do it or where they post it.
    - You can wear wigs (I'm not sure about masks, but I think that would scare a lot of guys away unless you were trying to attract men with that fetish), but a lot of girls are recognizable under their "disguise." Unless you have a babyface, an average body, and an average voice, it likely won't help too much.
    - If you wear a corset, just know they majority of the men will want you to take it off and take it off fast. If you don't, they'll leave your room and leave negative feedback or a bad rating. Then again, it really depends if you are doing fetish only or what.
    - Most men just want to see you shove something in your pussy and pretend to like it. Its about acting. That's all they care about when they're horny. However, if you do free chat, your personality is what will matter.
    - Men don't really care about scars or stretchmarks or any of that. A few will, but those probably won't be spenders anyway
    - Most men don't care about costumes or any of that. Unless you're in a specific fetish (like rubber or latex), but even then, those guys will likely make up a small portion of your customers unless you really spend a lot of time marketing yourself to your niche

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Ex-Lurker Full of Questions

    I think you're overthinking it all tbh, most of your questions are pretty subjective and depends on what you put out there & consequently the kind of customers you attract. I did the same thing before I started - all these drawn up plans, thoughts, ideas... I spent more time planning then getting on cam until I realized "oh let me just stfu and get my ass on cam"... I still do this though but you can overthink your way out of $.

    Seriously - a lot of live camming is just crowd control and asserting yourself.

    You can always have "experimental" profiles and see which persona takes or which one you feel the most comfortable in.

    I will say that non-nude appears to be super-competitive... and it seems to be getting worse since more and more people seem interested in doing it. IDK why... but yea. If you're determined to do non nude longterm - you'll definitely need to learn how to assert yourself hardcore.

    If you already have bone corsets etc you probably are a good candidate for fetish or padding your income bys elling content on content sites like... clips4sale or adultwork for ex. You don't need a name to sell underwear there you can just do a clip featuring your pantyhose / underwear and then offer it for sale in the description. people do that regularly. there are a few panty selling sites but I cant vouch for them since I dont sell hose / underwear but I know a few others do. It'll probably be supplementary income though - so Im not sure if you're doing this full time, part time, as a hobby, etc.

    There are a few top performers on SM, AW, and ImLive who dont show their faces (well in their profiles & free, cant know about paid)... but one on SM even says she will never show her face in her profile - she's almost always in the first row whenever I check (which isnt often so ymmv)... she literally shows no part of her face, just chest down. I recently saw a camgirl's profile who sells foot fetish only shows and all of her pics were just of her feet. I can't vouch for their success or longevity but depending on whether you need money asap or not, you can always try it out. Again the difference is whether this is a FT, PT, side hobby, etc.

    Also your bone corsets will go through some wear and tear if you wear them regularly on cam. You'll be taking it on, off, loosening it up when you pause to eat, straining it if you abruptly change positions... those fuckers cost like $200-500 don't they? Not worth it. I remember a girl in FetLife bitching about her corset getting bent out of shape in a few weeks of camming... and she was a corset snob and gave in and bought a crappy Frederick's of Hollywood one. It is up to you though.

    Basically you can't know until you try.

    But it helps to try to find at least *one* performer who is similar to your persona so you know that a viable market exists for what youre interested in doing. Get an idea of what they do and go from there.

    Having a colorful backdrop can make you look hotter though, like soften your skin, make it glow, lol idk you know what I mean. I've always been boring about that and always mean to upgrade.



    Also wanted to add - being campy and cheap has its fans. I mean, people who take themselves TOO seriously will probably get frustrated by camming, you know? So don't worry too much about that kind of thing. But if you are concerned - you can wear cheap things and look expensive of course, but trashy and tacky definitely has a huge market hahaha

    (seriously)





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