Camera shyness is the desire to avoid being photographed or filmed. It is common for individuals who are camera-shy to fear

public speaking Public speaking, also called oratory or oration, has traditionally meant the act of speaking face to face to a live audience. Today it includes any form of speaking (formally and informally) to an audience, including pre-recorded speech delive ...

, performing in front of an audience, and having one's picture taken by any type of

camera A camera is an optical instrument that can capture an image. Most cameras can capture 2D images, with some more advanced models being able to capture 3D images. At a basic level, most cameras consist of sealed boxes (the camera body), with a ...

or by

video camera A video camera is an optical instrument that captures videos (as opposed to a movie camera, which records images on film). Video cameras were initially developed for the television industry but have since become widely used for a variety of othe ...

. It can be a consequence of

shyness Shyness (also called diffidence) is the feeling of apprehension, lack of comfort, or awkwardness especially when a person is around other people. This commonly occurs in new situations or with unfamiliar people; a shy person may simply opt ...

itself, which can be related to low

self-esteem Self-esteem is confidence in one's own worth or abilities. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs about oneself (for example, "I am loved", "I am worthy") as well as emotional states, such as triumph, despair, pride, and shame. Smith and Mackie (2007) d ...

, anxiety and fear. Shyness can be a result of

social anxiety Social anxiety is the anxiety and fear specifically linked to being in social settings (i.e., interacting with others). Some categories of disorders associated with social anxiety include anxiety disorders, mood disorders, autism spectrum diso ...

, public self-consciousness, low assertiveness, and introversion. An individual who experiences camera shyness is often in fear of the unexpected or the unknown in social situations, causing them to avoid the camera. In a social situation that is anxiety-inducing, people tend to have behavioral responses that prevent the situation from getting worse. According to Crozier, anxiety can be separated into three elements: cognitions, physiological responses and behavior. An individual walking away or hiding their face is a behavioral response from camera shyness. A physiological response to camera shyness can be shaking or an increase in heart rate. A cognitive response can be how a person remembers a terrible experience with cameras, which results in fear of being photographed or filmed.

References

{{reflist Shyness

See also

References