desert_rose26 Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 So if you chatted with someone on webcam, how different or similar do you think it would be to meet F2F? How was your transition experience moving from webcam to actually meeting in person? Link to comment
elaineska Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 It depends on how good the webcam is. Some are blurry, dark, and refresh every 30 seconds. I payed 45 dollars for mine and it is pretty good quality. It's definitely worth paying a little more for higher quality. My boyfriend and I talked with webcams everyday for 7 months before meeting in person. When I first saw him at the airport, I recognized him immediately. It was still a big shock for me though. Even with webcams, it's hard to tell what people REALLY look like in person. Their voices sound a little different too if you're used to using microphones or phones. We adjusted really quickly to being together face to face, but I was shy and awkward at first. I would say it's both similar and different... Link to comment
Baby Carrot Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Been there done that. In my experience, there´s this tendency of looking always your best and minimizing/hiding the flaws. Generally, you only see a person in a frontal angle, two dimensions, which is far from reality. So yeah... there are surprises... Link to comment
musicguy Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 There are some things on a webcam that you can't see compared to seeing them in person. Link to comment
KIDD Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 I hate using webcams and taking pics off it even for that matter. It seems like I always look better on webcams than in person. Plus, I'm self conscious that the person won't think I was as cute as I was on the webcam. It all depends on the lighting,how good the webcam is and what angle the person is in. I agree that it can hide alot of flaws like bad skin and acne for one. If your good with messing with the lighting and the colors, you can make yourself out to look like a movie star. Link to comment
Aurian Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 While it is better to meet face-to-face, if you're online dating, a webcam seems good. If you're breaking the ice with a chat to see if its worth meeting up later, its cool to have a webcam so you know the person on the other end isn't Tom Green or something Its still better to meet up in real (my ex looked much better in real than he did on his webcam) but webcams are better than just email/chat. However, if you're a bit vain, you gotta dress and fix your hair first unlike a regular email/chat! Link to comment
desert_rose26 Posted January 14, 2007 Author Share Posted January 14, 2007 Its still better to meet up in real (my ex looked much better in real than he did on his webcam) but webcams are better than just email/chat. However, if you're a bit vain, you gotta dress and fix your hair first unlike a regular email/chat! hehe, I wouldn't call that vanity...just good preparation. Link to comment
Aurian Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 True, pjs and bed-head don't make a good first impression Link to comment
Joneysnai Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 So if you chatted with someone on webcam, how different or similar do you think it would be to meet F2F? How was your transition experience moving from webcam to actually meeting in person? thank god i met my boyfriend in person and then when he went home we got on webcam. i can definitely say he looks alot better in real life then on webcam but more or less it really depends on the person. like some of the others have said here, most people probably dress up and make sure they look good before they get on the cam LOL. it doesn't guarantee they will look like that in person. as far as how different or similiar, i'm leaning on how "different" they look heheheheh. Link to comment
galaXyGyrl Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 I was "SHOCKED" he had been hiding his hair the entire time of the friendship in such a way to cover up what he didn't like about himself. His lies before even seeing his hair had ended it for me so that I didn't wish to see him in person EVER. But, that he had successfully hiden that for year(s) also just made me feel ill. Link to comment
Aleadragonhawk Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 Mannerisms on webcams are different from those in person. You can feel very self-conscious while on webcam - the best thing I found for acting natural was closing the small window that let me see what I was showing on my webcam. It became more natural when I wasn't able to watch myself. The difference between in person is very startling. You don't really catch any of the physical mannerisms, and you only get a slight feel for facial expressions. It's better than nothing, though, and I'd always recommend that anyone in a cyber relationship utilize voice chat and webcams. It's a good way to verify who you're talking to, if nothing else. Link to comment
desert_rose26 Posted January 21, 2007 Author Share Posted January 21, 2007 Mannerisms on webcams are different from those in person. You can feel very self-conscious while on webcam - the best thing I found for acting natural was closing the small window that let me see what I was showing on my webcam. It became more natural when I wasn't able to watch myself. The difference between in person is very startling. You don't really catch any of the physical mannerisms, and you only get a slight feel for facial expressions. It's better than nothing, though, and I'd always recommend that anyone in a cyber relationship utilize voice chat and webcams. It's a good way to verify who you're talking to, if nothing else. yeah, that's what I'm trying to do now, is chat on webcam when there is a chance...and I do feel weird and awkward sometimes when there are pauses in the chat. But like someone mentioned on here, it's ok if it's a 'comfortable silence'. I was "SHOCKED" he had been hiding his hair the entire time of the friendship in such a way to cover up what he didn't like about himself. His lies before even seeing his hair had ended it for me so that I didn't wish to see him in person EVER. But, that he had successfully hiden that for year(s) also just made me feel ill. Sorry to hear that, but why would anyone hide their hair? I'm guessing you found out about him lying before ever meeting which is good. Link to comment
Batya33 Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 So if you chatted with someone on webcam, how different or similar do you think it would be to meet F2F? How was your transition experience moving from webcam to actually meeting in person? Since you cannot tell body language, how he interacts in real life spaces, how he interacts with others (waiters, strangers, etc), his scent, and all of the other things that are so easy to hide in front of a camera as opposed to real life I am certain it is like apples/oranges particularly if the purpose in meeting is to see if you could be romantically compatible at some point. I would have serious questions about anyone who wasn't willing to meet me for a 45 minute cup of coffee (or even 30 minutes) unless we chatted on web cam first. Either he was so fearful about meeting in person or he was trying to look for excuses not to meet and to prolong the fantasy world of typing and talking. Wouldn't work for me. Link to comment
Aleadragonhawk Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 Hmm, Batya, I don't know if I'd feel the same about someone not being willing to meet unless you chatted on webcam first - guys can get into bad situations as easily as girls can, and it's always smart to verify as best you can that the person you're going to be meeting up with is real. Things like pictures of photo id (ie, drivers license) can help out too. I guess I'm just saying that guys have a right to be conscious about their safety too! Link to comment
Batya33 Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 Safety for me means meeting in daylight in a public place. I was willing to share a photo, my phone number and my last name if we made a specific date to meet. I would not be willing to show a photo ID because I would be concerned about any of the numbers on it being misused by the person who I have never met. If someone is not willing to meet me in person for coffee at a public place during the day (I live in a big city) then we likely would not be compatible in a relationship. One guy was not willing to meet me because I said, hypothetically, that I would not be willing to get in a car with someone after a first meet through on line dating (no need to, where I live) - I would prefer to take a cab (I don't drive) - he thought that was paranoid. I guess we all have our boundaries. I would think it was paranoid for a person to refuse to meet in a public place during the day for coffee in a safe/nice neighborhood in a large city. Link to comment
desert_rose26 Posted January 23, 2007 Author Share Posted January 23, 2007 We would have met f2f long time ago if we were able to. But since we're planning to meet 4-5 months from now, I guess the webcam is helping us learn more about each other as much as a webcam can - until we finally meet f2f. And trust me, if he's not coming to meet me by that time, which is highly unlikely, I will immediately pack up my webcam and leave. Technology is amazing. On the webcam, it makes that 'blackness' go away because you can actually see the person live. I think the idea of going 'live' on webcam makes you feel like you are spending 'real' time with that person on the other end. Of course, nothing can replace reality (of meeting in person). Sometimes it almost 'feels' as though the person is so close. Of course I'm referring to the computer monitors that is between us. I guess I am thankful for the webcam technology. Without it, I don't even think I would take a chance on cyber relationships. Chatting on webcam is like going 'third base'. For example, first base is email, second base is instant messenger, and third would be video. *lol* I play a trick and always tell him to "look at me". Of course, if you think about it, he can't because eye contact is impossible! Link to comment
galaXyGyrl Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 How long have you guys been online dating or known each other? Oh my goodness I Just realised your name desert rose, my beau gave me a desert rose one of the first presents lol. It looked like a petrified poo lol oh dear it was so funny I burst out laughing. Of coarse there was a heart & peacock rock too but that was just soo funny. Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now