Hazel, Basset Hound from Weatherford
I thought each of the Basset hounds I photographed was equally photogenic and adorable, so I’m not playing favorites here one bit, I swear. I loved them all! (And so did the camera!) But Hazel definitely had the most unique appearance with her red ticking and deep red coloring. I didn’t photograph any other Bassets with a similar look. Also, she was one of the youngest of the group since the majority of the other Basset hounds fell into the senior dog category so we were able to take some action shots too!
Hazel’s human mom and sister drove all the way up from Weatherford to Grapevine for Hazel’s calendar photography session this past summer. Hazel’s human sister/ BFF was a big help by talking to Hazel, giving her treats, and coaxing her personality out during her time in front of the camera.
One of my favorite moments during her photo session was when we captured some playful action shots of her at the end of her photo session. It was a hot summer day so I wouldn’t have expected Hazel to have done anything extra special or anything requiring too much energy, so she surprised me when she took off at a playful trot chasing after her sister and the tennis ball and stuffed animal I had brought for her.
I especially loved when she would trot back to me, the sunlight was perfect on her and brought a deeper color to her coat and a brightness to her eyes. I don’t know why but I had the chorus of the song “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina & The Waves in my head over and over again as she played! (And I totally had to listen to it now as I’m writing this, and just as I recalled the song definitely brings me back to the image of Hazel playing during her photo session.)
In order to get these action shots while still keeping Hazel safe, I brought out the long lead from my bag of tricks. This lead is over 30 feet long and part of a strategy to allow Hazel to play, but keeping her safe and contained within the area I’m photographing. With my handy Photoshop skills, the resulting images don’t show the lead at all, making it look more natural and keeping the focus on the dog and not a big black leash.
My other favorite moment was at the end of the session. As many of my clients might recall, I’m always watching out for photo opportunities. When moving locations, changing poses, taking a water break, or during any other downtime I just might take photos of anything that inspires me. This includes the end of the session too. I usually don’t pack up my camera until after the goodbyes are said. You just never know what cute photo opportunity could arise sporadically with pets. Part of being a professional pet photographer is being ready without notice! Good thing I was because that is how I took Hazel’s mom’s favorite photo that day!
At the end of the session while getting ready to pack up and say goodbye I saw Hazel and her sister sharing a cute moment. Hazel was staring up at her sister lovingly as her sister was talking and telling her what a good job she had done. I took several precious photos of this moment and was so glad I did because Hazel’s mom ordered a portrait of that image for a Christmas surprise!
You may have realized the image you see here at the top as the calendar selection actually doesn’t include any of those moments I shared! We actually didn’t plan on those images being contenders for the calendar. We chose the location and backgrounds of the images initially to incorporate the various flowers at the park. The goal was to use the flower backgrounds which would be extra fitting for Hazel’s place as Miss February. I love how the portrait turned out, especially since Hazel’s modeling also gave us look of sweetness and love- how appropriate for February!
Thank you to her mom and dad for purchasing Hazel’s calendar spot (at the request of her sister) during the NTBHR annual Bone Soiree. All the proceeds from the calendar photo session fee and calendar sales went directly to NTBHR to help more amazing Basset Hounds like Hazel find their forever families.
Follow along for the next Basset in the Calendar series, Fred, Mr. March… coming soon!
If you missed it you can also view prior posts in the NTBHR Charity Calendar Series.
Interested in a portrait of your Basset hound or other furry family members?
You’re in the right place! I’m a full-time pet photographer in the Dallas and Fort Worth area and specialize in people and their pets, particularly dogs! I’d love to connect with you to learn about your photography vision and how I can bring that to life. I offer complimentary consultations to “get the ball rolling!”
Interested in adopting or fostering a Basset?
I would definitely encourage you to check out North Texas Basset Hound Rescue! There are so many fabulous ways you can be involved, even if you’re like me and don’t have your own Basset Hound. They have fundraising events, adoption meetups, and so much more. Oh and an adorable Facebook and Instagram you can follow!
