How can I get out of this?

[Kroptopbelly]

I am dead set against it, I do not want to do it, nothing will persuade me to participate in it.

I have started a new job and had to agree to a promotional picture that was circulated within my work stream, the coms lady stated that she was going to also put it on all social media and in 2 local newspapers.
I only agreed to my work stream, me in a mask sitting at a desk.

My own mother does not have single picture of me as an adult in her house.
I can’t tell you how fucking horrific I find having my picture taken. I refuse point blank in any social settings, I am the person who offers to take the picture to draw no attention to this.
It’s years and years and YEARS since I had any pictures of me taken.
I cannot and do not understand the whole selfie concept, it’s not for me at all.

So now my work has emailed to say that their coms people now want to make a promotional film to try to recruit new staff, they want me to film a section. Thing is, my role is key to new starters.
It’s making me want to just leave, I absolutely do not want to be any part of it.

I know, I’m a fucking weirdo and you won’t get what my issue is, I know all that, but it’s there, I do not want to do it at all under any circumstances.
How do I get out of it?

It was a simple “I will not be part of any filming, but happy to help in any other way, time permitting “.
I’ve heard nothing back.
Happy it’s done and finished as far as I’m concerned.
Simple.

I know it sounds ridiculous but if you are really desperate and they push the issue... could you pretend your part of some witness protection programme and can't have any pictures or films of you taken for safety reasons as certain people might come after you... 🤣 Don't ask me why this was the first thing to pop into my head!

I might have been watching too many crime docs on Netflix....

I’m a Comms person and even though I might be inwardly mildly annoyed, I would readily accept your no. If you’re even slightly uncomfortable or awkward, it will show in the video, so I would always want someone who was really excited and enthusiastic about it.

@TeckanandMultra
People who refuse to have their photo taken are so tedious
Even more so are people who keep on when you say no.
Honestly, NOBODY actually gives a shiny shite how you look in a picture
Except the person that doesn't want their photo taken. You've clearly not heard of body dysmorphia.
It's a form of attention seeking
You'd know all about that 🙄

.

I can totally relate to you OP. It's not attention seeking or tedious if you're not comfortable with a situation.

This is a really long post but I know how you feel and I wanted to share my own experience.

I was like this for probably 25 years or more. I absolutely hated having my picture taken or being on videos to the point where I would have a cold sweat and panic attacks.
I would engineer ways to avoid it such as always taking the pictures or disappearing just in time. I'm a quiet person by nature so I perfected the art of slipping in to the background just off camera.

When I was a teen in the 90's it wasn't too bad, but the dawn of camera phone and social media just made it worse. There barely any of me with my children or partner and I do feel bad about it.

I went to see a hypnotist 2/3 years ago on the recommendation of a friend and to be honest I thought it would be bullshit. But he did a light therapy exercise and it worked. I couldn't believe it and I'm sure some readers will think it's not true but it really did work. Search for EMDR.

It worked literally straight away and the hypnotist asked me to take a selfie. Normally I would have rather chewed my own arm off and beaten him to death with it, but I did it without a second thought.

I'm getting married soon and am happy enough to have my photo taken and not feeling The Dread. I don't love it and I'm never first in front of the camera but it's not overwhelming.

I'm not suggesting you should change how you feel but I know how it feels to have that horrible panicked feeling. If you don't want to do it don't do it, that's your choice.

Sorry for the mega long post!

You could offer to do a voice over but say that you don't want to be filmed?