Lights, Camera & Room Setup
One of the highest searched for and clicked on hashtags across social media is #amateur. Remember that when we are starting out! There is no need to feel pressure to have a perfect or immaculate room. Our clients are looking to connect with real, honest people and prefer to have as authentic an experience as possible.
The minimum setup you should have is an area where you feel comfortable performing, a halfway decent webcam, lighting, and a steady enough internet connection to keep from having a choppy stream.
Lights
Often when asking how you should set up light in your room, you will be presented with the idea of the “Three Point Light Setup.” This is a solid setup, if you do what you can to implement something similar you will find success. Every camera and room is different, you will have to see what works best for your space.
The best, softest and highest quality light you can get is sunlight. Sitting by a window may be just about all the lighting you need for a quality stream. Keep that in mind when creating your setup. Proper back lighting looks stunning in photography as well.
Ring lights do look great as a reflection in your eyes, but they are not the end all. It is not mandatory to have a ring light to have an excellent light setup.
Play around with your lighting setup. Some swear by daylight white (4500K and above) as a more natural light, others prefer warmer (2000-3000K) light. It’s smart to get your hands on an LED panel with adjustable temperature to see what works best for you. A low light facing up is excellent to smooth cellulite, and a warm colored light can do well for a more tan skin appearance and smooth stretch marks.
Once you have a proper light setup, it is recommended to adjust the white balance on your camera to make sure that you are appearing in the warmth you are shooting for.
Camera
Webcams have become integral to camming. They are plug and play, easy to use and simple to configure at a low price point. They are, however, extremely low quality compared to even the lowest end smartphone camera. The best webcams on the market boast a 4k resolution, however most cam sites will accept 1080p resolution as the highest as 4k can cause slowdown on the client side. 1080p is an excellent starting point for camming, I do not recommend using a webcam with a 720p maximum resolution.
You can use a built-in laptop camera, but you will be limited in camera angles. When you type on the keyboard, your whole screen will shake. There is also a higher possibility of damage from fluids to your whole laptop.
Logitech is king when it comes to webcams. They boast extreme compatibility, quality of hardware, consistency and availability. The C920x is a great starter camera. In addition to having a regular webcam monitor clamp, it is also compatible with camera stands via a screw hole. There are many variations of the C920x, the most important feature you are looking for is that it is 1080p.
The next step up from Logitech is the Brio. This is a camera that captures in native 4k. Since most sites will allow you to stream at a maximum of 1080p, the camera will downsample for you providing a crisp clear picture. This is a very light thirsty camera so be sure you have an excellent lighting setup before committing.
There are a few newer players on the market (Razer, Elgato) that have quality products as well. I don’t recommend cheaper brands than Logitech or no-name Amazon specials, as you may end up with an undesirable fish-eye distortion.
Any camera you pick can go on a static stand – but I don’t recommend it. Being able to move your camera is powerful. You can create POV angles, or use it to showcase seductive, teasing angles. If your show is getting stale or chat has slowed down, you can use the trick of moving your camera. A slight movement of the camera will trigger a primal reaction of curiosity – the opportunity to see the rest, or more of your room is extremely intriguing and can help recapture an audience. Here is a tried and true floor stand with a ball mount, and an adapter to convert the ball mount into one webcams can use.
Floor stand
Camera adapter
Here’s a secret – If you have a smartphone, you already have a better camera than just about any webcam. There are several programs that will allow you to utilize your smartphone camera as an input (EpocCam and Droidcamx are popular solutions). Connecting via USB is always best vs. any wireless solution, but you do have the option of a fully wireless show by using a smartphone as your camera. This does open some very creative doors and ideas! While these provide great quality you do need to watch out for overheating, also you will not be able to use your phone at all during your stream so you may want to do this with either an older phone or have another available. See Using your phone as a webcam
Room Setup
Remember – Amateur is not only fine, it is preferable to most. The best cam room is one you are comfortable in. I would strongly recommend taking some time to get ideas for your cam room by watching streams of models with a similar look to you. Do you want to have some items in your background to showcase your hobbies or gaming accessories? Are you aiming for a luxury, romantic feel with lush fur blankets and ornate furniture? Do you have a witchy, occult aesthetic that would benefit from tapestries? Fairy lights are extremely popular as well, and provide a little backlight.
Studios often will provide cam models with rooms to work in. These are very basic and look like hotel rooms, usually a shot facing a bed with two nightstands, a lamp on each one and a piece of art hanging over the headboard. While they’re functional and provide everything the model may need, they don’t exactly look amateur nor do they have a lot of personality. Your background is an opportunity to show off a bit about yourself!
I have cammed with a chair setup, a couch, a bed, and even sitting on the floor. I’ve found success in all setups, personally I will often move during my show to create some diversification and keep it interesting. The most comfortable and least bruise-inducing for myself has been on a bed, although it requires the most lighting as you have corners created by the bed frame. Give them all a try, and do what feels right for you!
There are top models that have their whole setup on the floor in a tiny corner with a sheet behind them and a few potted plants. I have seen front page models walking around their kitchen or sitting on their couch as well. Models with strong followings that have the luxury of being able to perform in different rooms such as the kitchen (cooking public shows are popular!) or back patio can do very well with a change of scenery. Your fans will be thrilled to see you in a different environment!
You don’t need to overthink your room setup. Simple is fine, just as much as cluttered can be charming and showcase a great personality. Avoid a messy, sloppy room. And remember to have great lighting!