Firstly, I'd advise you to not listen to anyone who posts messages that tell you "My girlfriend/wife also..." Because each woman is different and no matter how long we live with them, they will still surprise us with some undiscovered side of their character. What works with someone else's girlfriend/wife will
not work with yours.
Next, consider the following:
- Did she ask you to do it? If 'yes' then you're screwed. It does not matter whether she did it because her brother asked her, you're still screwed
- Did you express your reservations? If 'yes' then you're screwed. It does not matter whether she said it was 'ok' or that she 'understands', you're still screwed
- Do you hope to settle down with her? If 'yes' then you're screwed. It does not matter whether she knows her family is weird, you're still screwed
On a more serious note, how many brothers/sisters does your girlfriend have? If he's the only one, then it isn't much of an issue, just do it. Weigh the advantages against the disadvantages...
Advantages
- You make her happy
- You make her brother happy
- You make her parents happy
- You score brownie points
- You won't have to sit through a lousy dinner feeling awkward at the main table
- You gain experience (wedding/event shoot and dealing with an asshole)
- You get closer to having a private model for "glamour" photography :bsmilie:
Disadvantages
- You make her brother happy (yes, it is also a disadvantage)
- You don't get to satisfy your sense of fairness (is it all that important)
- You become a potential source of cheap/free event photography and lose your self-respect (this is a non-issue if your profession isn't photography)
However, if she has enough young, unmarried releatives to form a village, then excuse yourself with one of the many excuses posted in this thread.
If your reluctance to shoot however, comes from a fear of mucking up the shoot, then explain it to him (not to your girlfriend) and gauge his reactions. If you do it carefully, you could scare him enough to hire a photographer. On the other hand, if he is a former Fear Factor champion, then just do it for him for the reasons I mentioned above.
_