# Fear of having picture taken



## Matt K (Oct 10, 2013)

I'm afraid of having my picture taken. I can sometimes take a picture of myself but that's really it, I'm scared to death that someone will take a picture of me and it will look terrible. Whenever a camera gets pulled out, I panic and run away. Does anyone else have this issue?


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## barrano247 (Oct 10, 2013)

I hate taking pictures too, i honestly dont know how to smile. Everytime i take a picture im barely smiling and clearly im not into it, even when i think im doing perfectly. Thats a good way to put your emotional state in perspective, isnt it?


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## Pompeii (Aug 25, 2013)

I am exactly the same. I avoid all photographs. The only photograph taken of me in years was a group family photograph at my grandfather's funeral; I tried to put my foot down but eventually acquiesced once I realised my refusal was causing an unnecessary fuss. If I think someone else's photograph may incidentally capture me, I will cover my face.

I wonder if posting a picture on SAS is good exposure therapy?


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## housebunny (Oct 22, 2010)

I hate it, too.


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## HanSolo (Jul 5, 2013)

get a safe or something

I used to hate it too. I remember once in highschool, a video camera was recording and playing on a TV in class. I saw myself up walking around for whatever it was, and I was horrified at how fat and ugly I looked to myself.

I'm not so fat and ugly anymore to myself...but the damage that caused the above reaction is still there to a large degree


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## tehuti88 (Jun 19, 2005)

I'm not _afraid_ of being photographed, I just hate it with a passion. uke I don't photograph well...I just never look good. Ever. And for some reason I look even worse when somebody else takes the picture, I don't know, maybe it's a psychological thing.

Last time I met with extended family one kept trying to shoot photos of me surreptitiously and every time I caught her doing it I'd put a hand over my face to thwart her. She insisted she'd gotten one without me looking anyway. ;_; I couldn't help that, I guess, but I said I didn't want to see it, never wanted to see it, and they'd better not put it online or something.

I had "glamor shots" (*gag*) made up for my senior picture and OMG they were so horrible...I stole them from my mother and hid them so she couldn't give them out to relatives. She was furious, but...GOD they were horrible! :cry

Also on that family visit mentioned above, we went to a dinner show where on the way in they take a staged photo of everyone as a souvenir, and I refused to be involved; the photographer was in disbelief over it and didn't seem to understand, just kind of gawping at me stupidly, even asking, "Are you with this group?" I had to stress that *I DID NOT WANT TO BE IN A PHOTO*. :bah


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## rubyruby (Jun 17, 2009)

I can't stand it. If they take a long time to take the picture I twitch.

I don't think I'm worried about looking bad i think I worry that the person taking the picture will notice i am nervous. That nervousness is just below the surface.


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## guitarmatt (Aug 13, 2009)

I hate cameras or anything with cameras pointed in my direction.


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## TerminalBlue (Feb 7, 2013)

Yes, I hate taking photos. I hate the idea of people seeing me permanently in a way I didn't want to look or feel. I get really nervous when I'm taking a photo so it always turns out pretty bad. That plus its permanent. I also really hate putting a fake smile on.


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## TeenyBeany (Sep 3, 2008)

no fear of it here! just dont really like it unless i'm wearing makeup


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## vivibe (Sep 25, 2013)

Yeah I will avoid photos no matter what. As far as I know I haven't been caught in any pictures for quite a few years now. Some bad photos have really destroyed my self esteem in the past, lol. For some reason I look so horrible in pictures. Like I will stand in front of my mirror and look at my reflection, then take a picture of myself without moving or changing my expression, and the picture will look so much different than what I saw reflected in the mirror. I just don't understand.


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## danohman (Jun 27, 2013)

I'm like this too, to some extent. I tend to look terrible in pictures (not that I look a whole lot better in the flesh). I used to fear catching glimpses of myself in reflective surfaces. The thing is, it's a terrible way to live. Don't succumb to that fear! When pictures are being taken, don't shy away. The more of them you're in, the easier it gets. Also practice by taking pictures of yourself so you get used to seeing yourself in photos. 

I've found that people have odd reactions when they know you are camera shy. Things like forcing you to take pictures with them, or trying to take candid ones without your permission. When you act as though you don't give a ****, they leave you alone!


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## SunFlower2011 (Nov 30, 2011)

Man up...its okay.
Dont be fearful...


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## EternalTime (Oct 10, 2013)

I hate pictures as well, I usually try to avoid them if at all possible, the only ones I will take when needed are my school, and this year, senior pictures, though I still get nervous doing those or looking at the results.


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## wrongnumber (May 24, 2009)

Yeah same. No solution. I hate how every electronic device seems to have a camera now, and people are obsessed with taking photos or recording things. And everything ends up online, being shared. It's a total nightmare. Controlling who shares photos is like trying to control a contagious disease outbreak.



Pompeii said:


> I wonder if posting a picture on SAS is good exposure therapy?


It might be. But I've noticed people quote others they find attractive or popular a dillion times and mostly ignore anyone else. Some users have got upset by this, but it could be avoided by only posting pictures in your profile first.


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## prettyful (Mar 14, 2013)

i dont like taking pictures of myself unless they're on my camera. that way i get to control what happens with the bad ones.


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## tehuti88 (Jun 19, 2005)

vivibe said:


> For some reason I look so horrible in pictures. *Like I will stand in front of my mirror and look at my reflection, then take a picture of myself without moving or changing my expression, and the picture will look so much different than what I saw reflected in the mirror.* I just don't understand.


The same here! I don't understand it. It makes no sense. :|

Mirror: Kinda okay. :blank

Photo of what I look like in mirror: :eek :afr uke


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## JamesM2 (Aug 29, 2012)

I hate having my photo taken and will avoid it whenever possible. I also can completely relate to the photo vs mirror thing - I can look OK in the mirror and then take a photo in the same place and with the same expression on my face and not recognise the person in the picture :no

I have to renew my passport next week which means having to get a new photo taken - I'm kinda dreading that. The only good thing is that at least you aren't allowed to smile in those photos, so I'm just trying to comfort myself with the fact that as far as photos go, this one won't be _quite_ as difficult an experience. Nothing worse than photos where I am expected to smile, and the person taking the photo takes one and says something like "oh, that didn't turn out so good, you weren't smiling properly - let's try that again" as I stand there, my urge to die increasing with every second that passes waiting for the ordeal to be over :|


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## guitarmatt (Aug 13, 2009)

vivibe said:


> Like I will stand in front of my mirror and look at my reflection, then take a picture of myself without moving or changing my expression, and the picture will look so much different than what I saw reflected in the mirror. I just don't understand.


Wow, same thing happens to me too. I can never get a good picture of myself for some reason, sometimes I think its because I'm holding my face in a weird expression or something, and other times I wonder if its just all in my head.


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## Browneyedgirl77 (Oct 21, 2013)

*You're not alone !*

Agh! I really hate having my photograph taken. It really really upsets me. So much so that there are maybe 6 pictures of me as an adult in existence and I'm 36 !! I would not get married because of the photograph thing... I once won a competition to interview a celebrity for a magazine but gave the prize to somebody else because the magazine wanted my face on the cover !! I hate it when I'm on a night out and somebody asks the group to pose for pictures. It makes me want to hide. I am often told how attractive I am but I don't really like the way I look and if I see a bad picture, it literally sends me into depression for days. What annoys me is that the whole world seems to obsessed with photos these days, and I'm just not happy with posing for them every two minutes ! Facebook is a particular source of panic for me because I really don't want my mugshots all over the internet. I wish that some people would just accept that some of us just don't want to have our picture taken !!!!!!!!


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## LithiumBloodGlitter (Oct 12, 2013)

Yep, I feel the same way and the worst part is I can't tell them to delete it because they'll (or I think they'll think) I'm insecure or anything like that and that makes me really uncomfortable


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## kamq (Mar 19, 2012)

I hate having my picture taken. I look okay in front of a mirror, but awful on camera for some reason.


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## birdlady (Jan 22, 2013)

I hate having my pictures taken also. on holidays or during family parties when i see camera's i run or turn in another direction.Recently i was at my cousin's birthday party and my aunt took photo's of everyone on her phone without anyone seeing to make things worse she posted them to her facebook.


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## MandaP (Nov 3, 2014)

*Wanna Take My Picture?? UVE BEEN WARNED*

Im really affected my the same fear. I could die!


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## RobP65 (Jun 7, 2015)

It was my google search of the words "fear of photographs" which led me to this forum. There is so much pain and distress documented in this topic by forum members that I can relate to.


Lately, certain events in my life have brought this topic into even sharper relief for me:


Principally, I found myself searching for another job. As some of the jobs I have applied for have necessitated what is known as a 'WWCC' (Working With Children Check) here in Australia it was necessary for me to go to the post office and submit to having a passport size photo taken as part of lodging my application.


I was already feeling pretty fragile due to the bullying from my supervisor which had led to me seeking employment elsewhere.
On this particular day, after the post office employee had taken the photo she came back to the counter saying that she would show me how the photos had turned out. I told her I didn't want to see them. When I said this she thought I was kidding. I had to insist that I meant it. And of course with a new job may well come the dreaded employee i.d card, and it's not as if you can refuse to get one.


A few nights ago I went out for dinner with some friends. Without warning the person next to me got out his smart phone and started taking photos of me, then virtually insisted that I pose for a photo with another person. My immediate reaction was the familiar 'fight or flight' response that so many of us with the same fear experience- or to be more accurate the 'flight response': telling the photo taker that I don't want or like photographs and to please stop.


For me (and perhaps others with the same fear) an accompanying emotion is also anger: I feel aggrieved that someone feels that it is ok to do something so personal- to just start photographing me without my consent. I also feel plain angry that life should deal me this particular deck of cards. I didn't ask for this. And I feel angry that others don't understand and that they make me out to be 'precious' or some kind of prima donna for not wanting to be photographed, as if it is about vanity (which I am sure forum members contributing to this topic know that it is not).


Several posters have alluded to the peculiar experience of seeing themselves in the mirror, and then a photograph of them appears to show someone that looks completely different to the person in the mirror. You can add me to that list. Is there a name for this phenomenon?


Browneyedgirl77 shared that she would not get married because of the photo thing. I have precisely the same feelings, and it makes me desperately sad. Nor would I ever go on a dating website, because there is the expectation (and in some cases the requirement) that website users post a photograph. 


It is unlikely also that I will ever travel overseas because of the passport photo thing, as well as the inevitable insistence by my family and friends overseas that if I visit them I will pose for photos. Browneyedgirl77 said that seeing a (bad) photo of herself can send her into depression for days. In my case, it can stretch into weeks.


One poster in this thread wrote the words "man up" and "don't be fearful". No need for me to mention which poster that was as I mean no disrespect whatsoever, in addition to which the poster no doubt meant well. But if it was as simple as "manning up" and not being fearful, a lot of us would have conquered this fear by now. It's a devastating affliction which robs those who suffer from it of so many of the enjoyable parts of life.


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## Babyblueboo96 (Jul 7, 2015)

I'm not as scared of the camera but im scared to use my front camera cause i look so terrible. So i guess I can relate in a way :/


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## Michaelk123 (Jul 3, 2015)

P-pplease don't take my picture I look so ugly.

They take it anyway. People are cruel
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## The Sleeping Dragon (Sep 29, 2011)

I hate almost any picture I see of myself. I used to block my face with my hand. But I quit doing it. In this day and age with smartphones there is no escaping having your picture taken. But I hate them all. (The pictures not the people who take them. )


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## nsc975 (Nov 23, 2015)

I literally am so afraid of a photo being taken of me unless i take it. Since the age of 6 my parents don't have a decent family photo. Every time someone videos me or takes a picture of me i will end up crying and having a mental breakdown, i hate myself so much and my voice, if i get recorded and it gets posted on snapchat or just to like one friend it will stay with me for weeks and traumatize me. the fact that it's permenant makes me pick out every one of my flaws and i just lose even more self confidence-which now is basically non-existent, i can sometimes fake this confidence but inside i'm so broken and so afraid.


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## The Sleeping Dragon (Sep 29, 2011)

tehuti88 said:


> I'm not _afraid_ of being photographed, I just hate it with a passion. uke I don't photograph well...I just never look good. Ever. And for some reason I look even worse when somebody else takes the picture, I don't know, maybe it's a psychological thing.


Thanks for typing that out for me. :grin2: Exactly how it is with me.


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## EmotionlessThug (Oct 4, 2011)

I hate taking pictures, it doesn't look right. Your brain is telling you something is wrong there, and there's not enough people whose's aware of the conceptual structure of that device.

Some where on my blog, I wrote about this world is a simulation, and camera shouldn't exist. 

The Governments lied.

As my sig about NASA and their forbidden knowledge about this world and their technology.


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