For me, discomfort comes from eye contact in person, but I don't care about photos because I know I can easily look away. I lose my train of thought, and it feels like someone is staring into my soul. Like they might read my mind , if I don't look away.
When I hold shame inside, regardless of the validity and/or relevance of the situation, it feels like the other person has some sort of hold on me.
When I am around someone who stares me in the eyes and continues to even after I look away, it feels like they are attempting to exert control over me, and that's where my body can start to feel disregulated. This also comes from mistrusting the other person, as well as me just not having a general sense of safety for any reason.
This has been lifelong, long before I had any clue I am autistic. I never could figure out the why part, until this year. I am only starting to understand, with slow exploration.
But my gut tells me that it's because it often feels like an attempt to exert control, and my instinct is to resist. I've recently become interest in hypnotism, and I think if I look closer at that, I would come closer to understanding my response.
In recent months, I have found a lot of change in myself on this issue, anf I can engage in EC with more people than I used to. I figure it's due to "brain hacks" (Hidden Brain podcast type stuff) and mushrooms. As well as a fierce determination to choose my responses (not just about this, about everything), rather than exist in a state of uncontrolled reaction to external things (cPTSD related work).
Hope this lens might help, even though it's only adjacent to your question.