camgirlhandbook.com

One of the challenges I have come across being a cam girl is owning a mac.  I know alot of mac lovers out there love thier macs but when it comes down to it if your going to be a cam girl and you want to use a mac you will spend alot of time and money trying to figure out how to make a PC created platform work on your mac or just bite the bullet and buy a PC just for your webcam work purposes only. It is a tax write off whatever you buy for your webcam modeling business so remember keep all those receipts.  I myself I am a PC user so getting started webcamming with a PC I haven’t had any issues with it at all.

If your originanlly a mac user and you want to consider webcamming a job. I would suggest looking around for a PC you don’t need anything high tech you can get a PC for about $300.00 and up depending on what you want the PC to be used for, but you do not need to kill the bank buying all the bells and whisles if your PC is just used for working as a webcam model.  If you want to keep your mac and use it for webcamming, then you wil have to figure out what will and will not work for your site. A good place to start would be to go to www.testmycam.com to see if you can use the settings most webcam sites use this flash broadcaster for webcamming, some websites are upgrading to the Adobe Flash Media Encorder (version 3) which is not mac compatible.

If your mac has a built-in webcam don’t think oh you can use it for webcam shows. It won’t fly for many reasons one of them being that the quality of built-in webcams are very poor and you have extreme limited mobility with one. You wil have to find a webcam that is external let alone mac compatible. I know that Logitech made a webcam they have been promoting to be mac compatible that would be a good place to start trying to see if it will work with your mac, but don’t come crying to me if it does not work I warn you from the start that mac and webcamming is a hard thing to do.

I have come across very small success with webcam model using a mac and a webcam that is compatabile with it. One of them being Bella Belini she found sucess using the Ipevo webcam, she has a youtube video clip out there review the Ipevo webcam and her challenges she has come with using a mac and webcamming. There is a few videos out there saying what webcams are mac compatible but what I have learned with them is that each mac operating system is different so just because in the video the webcam works on that mac it might work on yours.

The other option is to get a video camera for your mac which can be done. It takes a little bit more techinal work to get your video camera connect to your mac but it will pay off in the long run. A tool you can use to turn your video camera into a webcam using a mac would be using the Roxio VHS to dvd because it comes with the connector RCA cables to plug in your video camera into your computer in just a few minutes if for some reason the video quality isn’t showing properly which sometimes happens using these external turns using the webcam splitter software can help.

What is your professional name or you can be anonymous?
My name is Miss Pandora
What is your real age or virtual age?
I am 42 years old
What country, state or province you live in?
I live in the U.S.
How did you hear about webcam modeling?
Have been aware of it since the late 90s. My ex-husband runs an adult job site, and I used to help him with the site. Webcam companies were his biggest advertisers.
What made you get started being a webcam model? Be specific as possible to the personal goals in your life at the time.
I lost my job in September 2009. Around that time a photographer helped me set up a modeling protfolio on various websites. Then I was recruited to do webcamming from my portfolio on one of those sites. I am still model part-time.
What website(s) do you perform on?
Flirt4Free
What category do you fit in as a cam girl (Ebony, Mature, BBW, Asian, TS)?
MILF, “girl next door”
How long have you been a cam girl?
3 months
Do you have your own personal website, if so what is your website url (website address).
No, but I’m working on it.
What kind of camera do you use?
Rocketfish
Do you use a laptop or desktop computer; are you a mac user or a pc user?
I use a laptop, I am was a PC user for many years then I recently switched to using a Mac (I love my mac ! ) The website I broadcast on their software is only for windows, so I had to install a program on my mac to user the cam site.  
What web browser do you use? (Safari, Internet Explorer, FireFox)
Firefox
What do you enjoy most about your work? 
The flexibility that I can choose my own hours and work from home.
What do you like least about your work? 
The technical glitches!
How much longer do you think you’ll be a webcam performer?
I could see myself doing this for a long time, even if I get a full-time job. It’s just too easy and too fun!
What advice would you give someone who is considering being a webcam model?
Consider that recordings of your shows may exist forever. If you are okay with that, and not shy about your body, then do it! It’s a lot of fun.

Lighting is your most important investment in becoming a cam girl. Without proper lighting you can really interfere with how much money you could make from your chatters. Another thing to consider putting in some money into would be a good computer system and also a webcam or video camera, but your most important of all would be a good lighting set up.  I am pretty annoyed with cam girls who email me asking how they can make more money and they are working in the dark or have a poor light set up. How do you expect to make money when your chatters can not see you? Setting up your light is not as hard as some people think, you do not need to hire anybody to set up your lighting for you this is something very simple you can do by yourself.

Even if you have a cheap poor quality webcam or a lower quality webcam of the popular webcam brands you  can set up your lighting so that you look flawless each time you click broadcast now.  Ideally you want enough light so that your the main focal point of your video stream.  Don’t assume you can use your daylight and think it’s enough for broadcasting. Natural light moves constantly and it will change the quality of your video stream, and it will end up being poor and in result have your chatters complaining there is something wrong with your camera when it’s actually your lighting, and if your chatters are complaining about what is going with your camera or lights they won’t be focused on buying time with you in private chat.  You also want to make sure your light is evenly distributed so that way you do not have a light burst of light sitting in one place.

You want to have a minimum of 400 watts of light, if you can go higher then that is better. I use 500 watts of lights from professional studio lights it didn’t cost me that much for them I spent around $200 for the cheaper professional light set up. There is basically 3 lighting options out there you can use depending on your budget. You can use regular spot light bulbs that are 100 watts each, and place four lights around you. You can find these lights at any local lighting store. Try getting halogen bulbs because they are camera friendly.

You could also find lamps out there that have movable lamp heads so that way you can have lights at different angels but still keep them in balance.  Remember you want them to see you not complain there is something wrong with your camera.

It’s harder to find florescent bulbs that produce enough light, and if you do end up getting fluorescent bulbs make sure they are all the same white light and the highest wattage  they produce. which is more expensive then halogen lights.  This option is probably the cost effective, but for it to effective for making money you need to make sure you have the highest wattage available that is compatible with the lamps and also make sure you have the right amount of lamps around you.

Worker lights they come in 250 watts and 500 watts, but you will need about 2 or 3 of them to have an effective light set up. They are pretty much sold all over the place, but if you really can’t find one a home reno place will have them. They already come with a halogen bulb be extremely careful when handling them if you touch them without wearing gloves or a cloth you can risk having the bulb explode when you turn it on. They come in different sizes the stand ones are probably best to use for your broadcasting.

Professional lights are your best investment for video chatting. You can pretty much get them in photography stores and online photography store websites. They come in a verity of price ranges so you can buy professional lighting equipment on a nice modest budget.  I find this the most effective to use then regular lighting because of how smooth quality appear on the camera.  If you spend some time making sure you have the best lighting set up you can afford you will notice how much you can make in a few hours of broadcasting live.

I have also added a links to lighting tip websites of how to set up your lighting system so that way you have the best lighting. Setting up your lights properly is basically a simple system that pretty much everyone who broadcast live video follows for a higher quality of video stream. The there point lighting system is the most common method to use for setting up lights for filming video or broadcasting video.  Once you get this technique you can set up lighting for virtually anything you can find a perfect diagram for the three point lighting system here.

Another thing I have learned about using professional lighting, you might be surprised on how many of them you need. I have 2 professional lights, They cost me about $160 each at a camera store in my city. Sometimes I am able to only use 1 lamp. if the lamp head is positioned correctly.  I could use 2 lights but I have learned since I have a small room, and light coloured walls I can just use 1 lamp and keep the other as a spare.

Warning:  These lights get very hot so make sure to adequately use caution when using lights indoors and close to anything that could be flammable. If lights get very hot, please use your better judgment and shut them off.

If you’re using a webcam such as Logitech, Microsoft, Creative etc. You want to make sure you have installed the drivers properly to your computer. If you’re using a mac you will have to figure out how to install your web cam to your mac.  Then once your cam is connect, either the webcam software will pop-up and it will show your cam connected. If you’re using a mac and your not able to use a webcam or video device on your mac to test your camera is connect you can go to the website www.testmycam.com.

The website www.testmycam.com is all good to make sure your computer and web cam is ready to use for broadcasting on your web cam site and to test out lighting and your microphone or you can log into your model log-in page for your web cam site and test it in there before you go live in your adult video chat room.  Another method of testing if your web cam is connected to your computer is by opening an instant messenger platform Skype, MSN, Yahoo whatever you have on your computer. You would go into the web cam settings or audio/video settings you do not need to chat with anyone to test your web cam unless you want to.

You always want to make sure you have a good video card installed in your computer. You should have determine this when your purchase your computer. If you do not have one you can get them installed easily.  Now if you’re using a video camera and you want to turn it into a video web cam there is a lot more options involved. If your not really interested in learning some technical stuff then getting a webcam is your best bet for now.

Connecting with a RCA cables is probably the simplest way to turn your video camera into a video webcam. Every video camera comes with RCA cables, because they are used to connect to so many things your VCR, Television, and even your computer. If your camera does not come with RCA cables then you want to look around to see if you can buy one that is compatible to your video camera.  The manufacture website usually has them, or look on eBay for it.  If you’re wondering what the RCA cables are they are the cables that are red, yellow and white. Picture on the left .

Connecting with a  S-Video cable is another easy way to connect your video camera to your computer. If your computer comes with an S-video port and your camera has an S-video cable you can connect your camera. I personally haven’t tried this myself I usually go with connecting with RCA cables. Your camera might not come with the S-video cable but they usually have them for sale on the manufacture website.  Picture on the right

There is many ways to connect using the RCA cables one of them being directly into the back of your desktop computer usually if they have the video capture card built in, or you can buy one and install it yourself. Osprey makes capture cards which are easy to find anywhere you might find others around. You plug in your RCA yellow cable into the capture card and it will recognize your video camera is plugged in. Another method if your not able to get a capture card installed or if your using a laptop you can buy an external one they are called usb video capture devices; Dazzle, Roxio and Diamond Multimedia make one. The video capture cards that go into your computer are also called tv-turners, but since they have made so many external video capture cards it might be easier to get an external one then an internal one.

Connecting with a fire wire cable is also pretty easy to connect with. You want to check out if your camera can connects with a fire wire cable some video camera do not have a fire wire option. Once you find that out you can use a fire wire cable to connect to your computer. Easily just make your computer supports it to connect using a fire wire.

Connecting with USB cable some video cameras come with a USB cable for the Sony HC-62 video camera the usb cable is the same cable that connects to blackberries So you might be in luck to try if it works for your blackberry and your video camera.  Apparently it’s an universal cable so you could save a bundle if you have one for more than one device. You can also connect your video camera to your computer using the usb cable as well if your usb cable is too short to reach your computer. You can also get USB extension cables usually these days usb cables are version 2.0 also keep in mind some video camera do not turn into a video webcam using the usb cable. I found out that the Sony Hc62 does not

I actually had a hard time writing this article, because I am thinking of the idea of opening a studio account with some of the larger website out there. Since it’s the only method I could gain a referral fee from introducing new models to this business. I first started as a studio model then I went on my own working for Streamray Inc. once I got my own place, computer, internet connect and video camera. I basically replicated what was in a studio and put it in my own home.

A typical studio is a physical location you go to on a set working shift. You usually find them by answer help wanted ads in papers and online on websites like adultstaffing.com or sexyjobs.com you would meet with the members probably see other models working and they would give you a tour of the place, but those studios are rare to find in North America.

Now a studio is someone who does not have a location for you to work and does everything by phone and online email or instant messenger. You sign the contracts email or snail mail them in and your working for a studio which means the studio is responsible for paying you from the pie of the site which breaks down into paying affiliates, paying the site. Some websites pay studios the same % split an individual model would get.  So if a webcam is paying models and studios 35% just image what you would get if you signed up under a studio representative account.

I did get approved with the webcam site webcams.com to have a studio account I do not have a location for girls to come in use the facilities and work their shifts, my involvement of being a studio would be remote meaning I would help girls set up their studios if they lived in my area and I would giving them advice of how to make money and be successful and I would gaining a small fee for it.  Since creating this website I am not actually making money from it right now its a free information resource.

I am aware that there are some girls out there who are not able to work from home being a cam model for various reasons but it is very rare to find a studio that will have computers, camera and internet connection available for you to use without having them take a huge piece of the profits.

A camgirl is a women who owns a webcam and choosing to broadcast on the internet. She could be broadcasting live streaming video, photos or a combination of both. Every since the webcam has been invented you will see women using it to manipulate and create their own fame. There is a phrase in the documentary movie “Camgirls” that a with an internet connection and webcam your no longer famous for 15 minutes your now famous to 15 people.

I believe now in the last 10 years or so there is about over 1000s girls online who are considered camgirls and I am one of them. In 2003 I was introduced to a webcam never really knew anything about it never had one in the home and never seen a webcam site on the net .I have seen porn sure but nothing live and in real time expect for using msn messenger back then msn was just chat with no cam feature as it is today.

They say the very first web camgirl site out there was the Jennicam. Jenni made her site back in 1996 ! until about 2003.  Her webcam archives are all over the net so which is something to consider when you become a camgirl your image is pretty much immortal. It is reported that Jenni cam went off to work in a web design firm and as far as we know she has no plans of bringing back jennicam, but her image lives forever as long as someone has a photo from her cams. I never got to experience viewing the Jennicam by time I got full experienced with being a webcam model the site was taken down.

From the documentary camgirls are feminist/professor Theressa M. Senft decided to start a webcam site to see how being a camgirl could make such an impact. Her segment in the documentary is very insightful. Thressa has also wrote a book called Camgirls: Celebrity and a community in the age of social networks. Something I will have to purchase and definitely write a review about.

There are hundreds of webcams out there on the market and there is pretty much a new webcam out there every few months. I try and make sure I personally test out webcams out there on the market to save cam girls time before purchasing a webcam.

You do not need to spend a lot of money on a webcam if your buying the right webcam, spending about $25 to $200 on a webcam can be a good investment since. You do make that money within a month of being online as a webcam model, some cam girls are even able to make that money back within a few hours of work.

So your in the store about to buy a webcam, and your pretty much overwhelmed with all the boxes in front of you that have a webcam in them. You pretty much want to get a webcam where has simple words to understand on the box.

I recently posted some videos on youtube for camgirlhandbook.com to emphasis being a cam girl. Currently I am putting together product reviews for webcams since picking a webcam or video camera is one of the most important investments a cam girl could make.

Buying a webcam isn’t an easy task since your not sure what your getting until you bring it home and plug it in. Remember to keep your receipts some stores have a return policies on webcams or you might be able to sell it to someone who just need s a webcam for basic webcam needs. I created a video clip comparing the logitech quickcam pro9000 to the Microsoft lifecam cinema HD.

Logitech quickcam pro9000

• Easy to unpack from the package. (Everything in the package can be recycled if your a green person)
• The webcam is nice to look at. Can be a good thing if your camming for about 3 to 6 hours a day.
• Easy to install. Logitech has designed easy to install software that is very easy to follow if you lose the CD your able to download the webcam drivers quickly from the website. Logitech website is also easy to follow as well for logitech product support.

I found the logitech quickcam pro9000 one of the sexiest looking webcams logitech has. “Can I say sexy for a webcam hehehe”  I found that the logitech pro9000 actually shows a true colour when your using it which is nice you look like your on a HDTV.  Plus when your broadcasting live the chatters will enjoy that, since this is a business that the main equipment is the webcam.

More on logitech webcams

Microsoft Lifecam Cinema HD

• Microsoft lifecam cinema is mainly compatible with windows, the minute I plugged in the cam it connected to the windows update website and downloaded the drivers you might not need the CD if you have a windows XP or higher.  Which is a definite sign it most likely will not work with Mac.
• The cam was able to connect quickly to the software but I found that is runs a lot of power it also started to give me an error message to change settings to have a lower picture view.  When I was testing it out on www.testmycam.com
• The Microsoft cam only allows you to use the Microsoft microphone which I found to be a very poor quality the volume didn’t come in using it’s microphone. Plus I wasn’t able to use the Microsoft cam in Windows Movie Maker.

I didn’t get to really use the Microsoft lifecam cinema as I hoped because it did get on my nerves very quickly. If there is a cam girl out there using this webcam for shows and would like to add to this review I would like to hear from you.

Question : So I quit my job last week, the boss was really nasty and I was really starting to hate my job. I’m wondering is it possible to be a webcam girl full-time or even just part-time since I no longer have a full-time job anymore. Can I really make a good living off this? I started doing this out of curiosity and just getting in some extra spending money like about $500 a month. I am just wondering if it’s possible to make mad $$ at this full-time.
Lilcuite4you imlive host

Question: I work online as webcam girl part-time maybe a couple nights a week for an extra $100 to $300 dollars just to put in my savings account. I work as an waitress at nights. Do you think if I stop working as a waitress and make webcam my full-time job and if I really promote myself could I make a living and if you don’t mind me asking what is an average paycheck like for 2 weeks
-AppleCandy22 imlive host

Answer:
Well from when I first got started being a webcam girl. I was working in a studio, where I had to pick my shifts of when I would be available to work in 24 hour period. The studio considered being a full-time model would be working more then 5 days a week 3 hours each shift. but in the normal job world they would consider being full-time worker would be working 40 hours a week from 7 to 3, 8 to 4 or 9 to 5 maybe 5 days week. but what they are really concerned about is commitment and sticking with a routine and being reliable of being there for the client or customer or compaign. So of course this can be a full-time or part-time job if you are able to comit to a regular schedule and stick with it for a period of time I would say about 3 to 6 months that way you will be able to get a good idea of what your paychecks would be and possibily compare them with your existing job.