When a customer enters your room, YOU are the first person they see. And, they see you as framed by your webcam, set against whatever background you’ve chosen, BUT they also see you (literally) by how you’ve lit your room. Ask any top cam model and they will tell you that great lighting is a necessity if you want to attract more customers to spend time in your room. Imagine if you, as a customer, entered a model’s room and that model was poorly lit — the shadows, the darkness, the blur. How would you feel? Would you want to tip that model? Would you want to take that model to private? How does the quality of a model’s lighting effect his or her live show? In this short article, we’ll dive into the basic, but incredibly effective 3-light setup, and hopefully, get you lit up better than you’ve ever been lit up before.
BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE PREVIEW!
Before you go live, really look at what you’re broadcasting. In all honesty, do you think you’re properly lit? Are your best features being accentuated? Are your lights too bright? Too dim? Sometimes, just by simply previewing yourself before you broadcast can solve the problem of poor lighting. It might be that you need one more lamp or to turn on an overhead light and your problem will be solved. Or, it could be that your light is way, way too bright against your skin. Turn it away from you. Tweak your light sources so you look just right.
THREE POINT LIGHTING, GET TO KNOW IT!
Becoming a lighting expert is easier than you might think, but it does require a bit of thought. That said, it’s worth it. Let’s dive in.
Key Light: This light is the key that unlocks your beauty to shine. It’s your strongest light. Position it behind the camera. It faces toward you and it’s best to keep it at a 45 degree angle from you. That is, if you’re sitting facing your camera, you can place your key light in front of you and to the right. Experiment with how far it should be from you, because every light is different. Remember, key light equals BRIGHT.
Fill Light: This light “fills in” the shadows created by the key light. Position it behind your computer and to the left. That is, if you’re sitting facing the camera, you can place your fill light in front of you and to the right. Just like the key light, experiment with how far it should be from you. Every light is different. Don’t make the fill light as bright as the key light. That’s important. If you do this, there’s a good chance it’ll distort how your skin looks on cam.
Back Light: This light is best when kept behind you and out of the frame. This means, that the light should not be visible in your webcam. An overhead light would work fine. Or, a lamp on a high table. The purpose of this light is to light what’s behind you. It makes you appear more 3-D. It makes you come to life. This light should also be the dimmest of the three lights.
Test out these lighting tips in your room. Take some time to make things look and feel right. It could mean the difference between a good night and a GREAT night.
Got it? Great!
LIGHT UP YOUR CAM
Experiment with your lighting setup and you’ll reap the rewards! Truly. Proper lighting can make or break a broadcast. The better you light up your space, the more customers are going to want to step into your room and engage you in conversation. And, the better you’ll appear. Customers will want to see you. Make them want you.
Once you find a great lighting setup that suits your broadcast space, play with it until you know it works well. Once you get to that point, you can work on experimenting with different locations around your broadcast space. Maybe you want to perform in the kitchen or in the shower. Maybe you want to do a show in the living room. Wherever you go, you’ll be able to properly get yourself lit and lit well. As broadcast possibilities expand so will your knowledge of how to light yourself.
Remember, your time on cam is a performance. You are the star and it’s important that you take the time to make your room into the best room on the site. Of course, your performance is key, but great lighting will always be “key” to making you light up like a sky full of shimmering stars.
So, onward, cam models! Keep doing what you’re doing and let’s all work to get better.
Let’s dive right in. Even better, let’s get aphoristic: Be seductive by being the fantasy that your customers want (even if they don’t know they want it), and they’ll be yours. Keep them in your room by giving them a truly “fantastic” experience. While this sounds easy, it might not be as easy as you think. 
It’s a common adage in America to, “Dress for the job you want, not the one you have.” We also say, “Clothes make the (wo)man.” Or, who can forget the lyrics that a classic ZZ Top song, “Every girls’ crazy about a sharp dressed man.” What’s pretty self-evident by examining these three quotations is the idea that people notice our clothes. If we show up to a formal party wearing a jeans and a dirty T-shirt, people will take notice. Similarly, if we go on a date dressed to perfection with a style that fits our personality, people will notice. And it’s this latter, positive swing, that we wish to focus on with these three little words: “Dress for success.” 
When customers see you on cam, they see the “you” that you paint yourself to look like. Maybe you clean and organize your background. Perhaps you’re choosing just the right outfit or accessories to highlight certain parts of your appearance. Whatever intentional steps you take, think about the purpose of this venture. Think about your selling traits and how you can craft your “cam look” so as to keep yourself at the top of your game and be the model that rises to the top of whatever site you’re choosing to call home. 
Remember, literally every physical feature defines your sexual identity. It sounds shallow, but remember, this is the camming industry. Some customers will judge you based on how you present yourself on cam. When you intentionally build your on-screen persona, you are taking control of your cam image. This kind of control will help you understand what works and what doesn’t. In finding out what works, you are able to tighten up that narrative and see what further strategies will help you earn even more. 
In just taking these first steps to understand your beautiful points will work to your advantage. In doing so, you are truly creating your “cam look.” Your cam room is your own and how you choose to express yourself on cam is your own choice. It doesn’t matter that you are not a celebrity. Every step you take to focus in on your strengths will build you into 
Fans want to connect with their favorite models. They want to get to know the other person on the other end of the camera; to learn about their hobbies; to appreciate their quirks and mannerisms. Fans also want to know that you’re a real person. Knowing this, the ability to become friends and a trusted confidant is what separates the good cam models from the GREAT ones! Yes, it takes time, it takes dedication. Always, tt takes perseverance. But above all, it takes the ability to show up every day on cam with a winning personality that says, “YES, I’m worth your time .. YES, I’m worth your attention.”
Of course, privacy is key here. It’s all very well and good having a loyal fan tip you for a few provocative pictures or a more intimate conversation thread – but there have to be boundaries. Not revealing your real cell phone number (and keeping it private) is at the top of the list! Savvy webcam companies like Flirt4Free (among certain select others who have been around for years) know this. They partner with a third party host to provide you with safe, secure cell phone numbers that when used through their site can provide you with personalized text rates, tip breakdowns, variable customer rates, and of course monthly pay outs based on your texting success.
