Cam-whoring is a very common exercise for the bored camera owner.  In some instances, there are those who have bought cell phones in order to play around with this exercise.

I don’t subscribe to the term.  I would rather use the more formal “self-portrait” to describe this activity.  Taking picture of oneself is an honorable tradition, and it would do well to come up with a self-portrait which reflects your personality.

Here are some tips for a game and unique self-portrait:

• Use the self-timer and a tripod.  This is a basic requirement.  You can do without the tripod, as long as you can set the camera somewhere stable.
• Unique means one of a kind.  It doesn’t necessarily mean that you were original in how you shoot the self-portrait.  You don’t need to limit yourself by borrowing from Ann Leibowitz or Avedon or Helmut Newton.  You can recreate shots from paintings by Van Gogh, Rembrandt or Norman Rockwell.  (Though one Norman Rockwell self-portrait would be difficult to replicate:  it’s a triple self-portrait of himself working at the easel, painting a self-portrait, and with a mirror where he’s looking at himself.)
• Create an image.  Project yourself into the picture.  Smile with your eyes, or better yet, allow your eyes to communicate with the camera.  Send a message through your facial expression.
• Dress up the image.  That is, play dress up for the photo shoot.  Get some old clothes and do a retro shoot.  Or bring out the neckties and coats, and do a corporate shoot.  Or go with a holiday theme: like Halloween, or Memorial Day or Fourth of July.
• Or create a story.  The best pictures relate a story.  The image may be static but it conveys something or an event to whoever is viewing the picture.
• Compose the picture as if you were taking the shot.  Ask yourself, how did you compose your best pictures, and then recreate it with yourself as the subject.

These and more ideas result in pictures which are a lot more fun to look at than just the regular cam-whoring pictures from cell phones.