Camgirl (Cam-girl, chat model, or cam-whore) is an Internet term for women who are featured on webcams. The word is used for women who earn money by broadcasting, entertaining, and performing on webcams either from homes or studios.
– Wikipedia
Wikipedia, always so eloquent.
I would add my personal definition. A camgirl (webcam model) is a human being with a job title. It’s like asking what a teacher is. A teacher is a person who teaches. A camgirl is a woman who cams.
[wp-svg-icons icon=”forward” wrap=”i”]It should be noted that the definition of “camboy” is the same – just swap out women for men. Throughout the site the term “camgirl” will be used, but keep in mind that camgirl and camboy are for the most part interchangeable.
Broadcasting
Of course, “to cam” is a verb that is most commonly used within the camming industry; perhaps it should be considered camgirl jargon. To cam is to get on cam. This is what a camgirl does. This is the broadcasting part of Wikipedia’s eloquent definition.
A camgirl is either brilliant and making a lot of money while on cam, or she is not-so-bright and masturbates for pennies (or free) only to find videos of herself plastered all over the Internet and then wonder how they got there.
Get it? The videos plastered all over the Internet is a fear a lot of potential camgirls have voiced, but that doesn’t generally happen to smart camgirls.
Read more: 10 Mistakes Camgirls Make that Jeopardize Their Privacy
[wp-svg-icons icon=”forward” wrap=”i”]If you want to be a camgirl, I will help you be a smart one.
Entertaining
And so we get to entertaining. A camgirl entertains, generally by being herself. Some camgirls entertain with games or dancing or teasing or just chatting. The smart camgirl gains paying customers by engaging her guests and making herself likeable and entertaining.
Performing
When the entertaining part of that definition is successful it will lead to the performance. This is where a camgirl makes her money. A good performance leads to a regular customer, which leads to regular income.
We’ll talk more about each of these aspects of what a camgirl is and does throughout O Camgirl.
Homes or Studios
On to the final part of eloquent Wikipedia’s definition. Fact: most camgirls work from home. There are studios that offer camgirls a physical location to cam from – a nice space and equipment – in exchange for a portion of her income. There are also virtual studios, which we’ll talk about in the future.
What “Camgirl” Does NOT Mean
- [wp-svg-icons icon=”close” wrap=”i”] Fashion model lookalike
[wp-svg-icons icon=”close” wrap=”i”] Porn star
[wp-svg-icons icon=”close” wrap=”i”] Prostitute
[wp-svg-icons icon=”close” wrap=”i”] Automatic whore
[wp-svg-icons icon=”close” wrap=”i”] Desperate for attention
[wp-svg-icons icon=”close” wrap=”i”] Out of options
[wp-svg-icons icon=”close” wrap=”i”] Immoral
[wp-svg-icons icon=”close” wrap=”i”] Daddy issues
[wp-svg-icons icon=”close” wrap=”i”] Addiction, etc.
If you would like clarification or more information on what a camgirl is, feel free to post in the comments. Comments are good in the comments as well.
Take it easy.
Im a bbw and kinda scared and shy and was wondering on a site that pays and wont stear me wrong
Hi Abigail,
Your reservations are quite normal! I would definitely recommend checking out Chaturbate as a starting point. It’s great for beginners. If you need any other help please let me know. 🙂
Cat
Hey I was wondering if there’s a site for plus size girls? I am 5’7 215lbs and I’m told I’m attractive. Love make up etc. Would guys be interested? How should I go about this? Thank you 🙂
Hey Loelle,
You can do well in the BBW category on any of the top recommended sites. You’ll find there are plenty of customers looking for big beautiful women like yourself. 🙂
Cat
I would like to know how to get started
This guide will help: http://www.ocamgirl.com/how-to-become-a-webcam-model/
For any one nervous about starting to get naked on cam. I suggest start only doing shows that do not show your face. It is much easier to get naked and masturbate online if you do it that way. Of course it helps if you have a good body do clients will have that to focus on.Just do your first shows like this and then decide if you would like to continue caming or not.
Hi Cat! I just wanted to say that your article was really informative, I was curious about the profession as I’ve always appreciated camgirls for their confidence. I have a pretty good self esteem but I don’t think I have enough to put myself out there like they do, haha. Thank you for the informative article, have a nice day/night/etc.
Hi! Thank you for taking the time to comment. I think you’d be surprised how many of us start out from a place of lower self esteem – camming really builds confidence. Anyway, thank you so much for reading and have a nice day/night/etc yourself!
Cat
Thank you for this website! It is so awesome to find good information. I am a lactating, curvy woman. Is there a cam site that deals with fetishes? I have sold a few videos one on one to clients, but that has been the limit of my experience so far. Thanks in advance. I’d like to be a fetish cam girl! I also have lots of bdsm costuming.
You’re well equipped to carve out a niche on any of the major sites. Fetishes like these are huge everywhere! I recommend checking out Chaturbate (here’s our review) and let me know if I can be of any assistance. Thanks for reading! -Cat
Hii! On what websites do u work? I used livejasmin but i didnt make so much money…
Hey Diana,
One site I’d recommend checking out is Chaturbate. Here’s some more info. Let me know if you need anything else!
Cat
I’m happily married with a family. But sneaking away to an audience that tell me I’m sexy…and does so by providing an income boost sounds amazing. Is the undercover can wife something that can sell an audience?
Absolutely. However I would recommend this be an act only, as you will need your partner’s support on this venture. 🙂
Hello Cat
Thank you for clearing up the misconception on cam girls i actually desire to be a cam girl and have friends who revealed to me that they are cam girls they are legal age themselves and I will come back in a year when I become 18.
Hi,
Im interested in camming, but I’m afraid that I wouldn’t be good at it. I have a fairly attractive body and im quite charismatic, but I have disability. I was born with one finger on each hand, and I just don’t think people would be interested in watching me.
Yes, people would be interested in watching you. However, you may not appeal to a mainstream audience. That being said, you could probably do quite well as a fetish model. I don’t mean related to your disability, either. If you’re conventionally attractive, and offer a niche product, people interested in that fetish (or those fetishes – most fetish models do several) will be more than happy to overlook your hand situation. Just consider the kind of porn you like, and if there’s a particular paraphelia you’re into (BDSM, Roleplay, FemDom, JOI, or whatever); think about how you could use that to your advantage. It goes without saying to make sure whatever you do is cool with the site you’re using, of course.
If that doesn’t appeal to you, then by all means give it a shot on the popular sites. I don’t mean to suggest that you can’t succeed on MFC or Chaturbate, merely that it may be harder to build a following. I’d expect some additional hurdles, especially early on, and be braced for some very rude assholes in chat (this is the internet). In the end, if webcam modelling is what you want to do, then you should absolutely fucking do it.
Hello!
I believe it wouldn’t matter to some 🙂 There are fetichists out there who would like to have you camming and make of your disability something sexy or other kind of roleplay (and trolls as well so you gotta have authority and don’t let them bother your chatroom & spirit).
If you feel like camming, then I think you should do it.
Hi Cat! I’m a thirteen year old girl. I really don’t want to make it seem like I’m bragging, but my breasts are surprisingly big for my age. I’ve been considering being a cam girl when my parents are out. I am fine with flirting, and giving a little nip slip here or there, but I would absolutely hate to have to masturbate or show off my vagina on camera. Do you think I could be a cam girl without doing these things? If so, where should I go? And could I make money at such a young age? Thanks so much!
Hi! Camming is adult work, and you won’t be able to do anything until you are legal age where you live (likely eighteen). Come back in five years! 🙂
Hi thirteen.
Well, until you are 18 you will not be allowed on cam. And that is normal, you should be going out and playing with your friends at this age 🙂 You do need to be older and realise the power of internet and self-image. It is not so easy to accept your new ‘role’ in the society, and it is definitely not that secret once you’re out there and active.
If you were 18 and older, I think you can make money doing shows only topless, but people will always wait on you for more and ask and it will be irritating for you, and I don’t think you can make enough to make a living of it that way 🙂
I hope I was clear, and please dear, enjoy your teen years 😉
Hi, Cat!
I suppose I could be called an aspiring camgirl. I want to use camming to get out of my current field of work and get myself through college to ultimately move on to a new professional career outside of the sex industry. How do you think I can protect myself so that my professional career isn’t jeapordized in the future? I have another question. I feel comfortable chatting, flirting, wearing lingere, displaying my breasts, and even engaging in nonsexual fetish behaviors; but I’m not yet comfortable with the idea of masturbating or having sex on camera. Are there certain sites you can recommend for this? Thank you for being up front, real and honest. I really appreciate your website!
Love,
Aspiring
Hi! If you see yourself working in a very public professional field or with children in the future, you need to seriously weigh the potential risks and benefits of a camming career to get you there. You can protect yourself with these tips, but your privacy is never 100% guaranteed so has to be up to your discretion. Your other question – you never need to perform any acts you’re uncomfortable with on cam! Any of the top sites for beginners will be fine (eg. Flirt4Free, Chaturbate…), as long as you are straight with your audience about what you will and won’t do when they pay you. I’m happy to hear that you’ve found O Camgirl helpful, and all the best to ya 😀 Love, Cat
Aloha cat! Thank you for all your amazing advise. I have not started a cam career yet but it is in the front of my foresight, very soon, and I’d like to be a good one. If you we’re inspired to email me, I’d love to chat. Thanks!
Thanks for your kind comment Newgirl 🙂 You are always welcome to contact me or leave comments and I’ll gladly answer any questions. Take it easy.
Why do you pussyfoot around the most important aspect of being a cam performer: you’re a sex worker? R-rated or XXX-rated, you’re selling sexuality, most likely by performing sexual acts that appeal to your chosen audience?
Hi Robert! Thanks for your comment. I appreciate you bringing it to my attention that camgirls are sex workers. I did mention that they generally masturbate on cam in this article, but you seem not to have read that bit. That’s okay. One of my personal links will direct you to more information on sex work. Cheers.
Hi Cat,
Even as a female, I don’t know what cam girl is all about and yes, I am also guilty of assuming that they are desperate girls. After browsing your website and landed on this page, I have learned a few things about this profession and will keep in mind that it’s a career that can empower (and not exploit) women.
Thanks for sharing the information.
🙂
Hi Cathy,
It’s a common misconception based on a stereotype that stems back to illegal forms of prostitution, where women were (and in some parts of the world, still are) exploited because they had no other options. Girls that try webcam modeling out of desperation don’t generally succeed because their guests can see right through that. I wasn’t out of options when I started camming, but I was sick of working for other people. This seemed like a good fit, and I was right. I love my job 🙂
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this one.
Hi Cathy 🙂
To complete your comment, it doesn’t mean some camgirls aren’t depserate and out of options. But it doesn’t mean either that being an accountant, a waitress, an engineer or ANY OTHER JOB prevent anyone to be desperate, out of options & have daddy issues 😀
Camgirl is a job, if you like it, like any other jobs, than you’re happy 🙂 If you don’t, like any other job, you crawl each morning to get to work and you’re miserable. 🙂 I hope you see what I mean 😉
Absolutely Alice! That’s exactly the point I was trying to make with that. I can see that I was probably a little biased with my comments, so thank you for adding your thoughts. Have a good one! Cat
I do not trust most of the stuff on Wikipedia as they can easily be edited by anyone. So false information and misconceptions can easily be viewed to so many people.
As long as you fight for the rights of your profession, other cam girls will look up to you for inspiration, good luck 🙂
This is true, Glen. I found this definition simple and true enough so decided to work with it for that reason. I won’t be making a habit of turning to Wikipedia for information, but maybe inspiration. Also, thanks for the encouraging comment. All the best 🙂
Hello Cat,
You should be careful to not get US-centric. For instance, worldwide most girls operate from studios, not from home.
As for Wikipedia: the peer review is very very good on the bigger ones, like the English, French, German and Dutch versions of Wikipedia. Trolling is dealt with in minutes if not faster.
I love your forum/blog/website.
My background: all round computer expert and formerly webmaster for escorts.
As such, I have a few tricks up my sleeve to deal with the creepy guys that turn up now and then. 🙂
x ‘Henkie’
Hi Henkie,
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on the subject. Much appreciated. Best, Cat