I received an out-of-the-blue phone call this morning from a member of my family. Her daughter (eldest of 5) is making her debut in the middle of September. Amongst the conversation, she dropped that I had offered at some point in the past to take "THE" portraits of her daughter, and that she would like me to. I am at an absolute loss to remember when I made this offer, and what I must have been thinking, since I'm very well aware that something like this is way beyond my ability. However, being the "yes man" I always am, I said "of course!", without thinking.

Now that I've had a couple of hours to think it over, I'm more and more mortified thinking of what I have gotten myself into. Not only are these portraits that the girl will want to look back on her whole life, but they will need to be taken at night time. Her mother suggested a friends indoor garden / greenhouse.

I think she thinks that because I have a "fancy" camera (said DSLR) and I've spent a fair amount of time in the past taking pictures, that I'm some kind of pro, but I'm most definitely not! I also think that they are very tight for money, since there are 5 kids.

What would you do in this situation? It's unpaid, so completely a love-service. I've been quite close to her (the mother) for much of my life, but drifted away in the last few years. I was completely stupid to say yes in the first place. Would you pull up your socks and try to step up to the challenge? Make an excuse to get out of it? Pay for a professional yourself? Something else?

Signed,
Big ol' dummy