Scarlet, Basset Hound from Fort Worth
Oh Scarlet! Scarlet was one of the younger Basset Hounds I photographed for the North Texas Basset Hound Rescue 2018 calendar. She came into the rescue as a young dog, under a year old. Though she had a rough start, Scarlet lucked out being adopted into a family with a wonderful dog mom and dog sister, Lucy! Her mom has had Basset Hounds for many years. I enjoyed my visits, seeing photos, and learning about the beloved dogs in their family over the years.
Scarlet’s mom decided to add a family photo session so I was able to photograph all three of them. Because this was a regular custom photo session, we catered the location specifically to Scarlet’s needs. She’s a little on the nervous side and doesn’t really feel comfortable with new people or locations.
We knew for Scarlet’s sake the best place would be at their home in the backyard. I lucked out because their backyard is spectacular and full of many great areas. Occasionally, I do photograph in my client’s backyards and always say I can make the most out of any location. But there wasn’t anything not to love about Scarlet and Lucy’s backyard. Scarlet’s mom is an artist and very creative so her personalized touches and yard art really added character and charm to our backgrounds. I couldn’t help but gush over the flowers in bloom too. It was perfect!
When I arrived that day for the photo session, I spent a great deal of time just sitting on the kitchen floor. Yep, you heard me right. No, it wasn’t a scene for the photo session, instead, this was the way I introduced myself to Scarlet, hoping she would warm up to me. I spent time sitting and talking with her mom, petting on her Basset sister Lucy, and basically ignoring Scarlet. She would run from room to room, barking at times, and often curiously peak her head around the corner into the kitchen. It took some time but eventually, we all felt it was a good time to go outside to the backyard to begin.
The goal was always that Scarlet would be the calendar girl for April. But if that didn’t work out we knew Lucy would give us calendar worthy images too. Initially Scarlet was still quite skeptical of me, my camera, and just why I was sitting on the ground in her backyard. But with treats and toys, I was able to photograph her and keep her comfortable by staying a distance from her. I was able to get some adorable photos of her in action with Lucy and loving the attention of her mom.
Some of their mom’s favorite photos included, Lucy patrolling the neighboring fenceline, Scarlet and Lucy laying perfectly together in the grass facing each other, and the family photo where Lucy stole the show with a big howl. There were just too many great moments!
We also ended up with some great photos of Scarlet and her toys. She loves to carry stuffed toys around the backyard and even buries them. She’ll come back and dig them up when she’s ready to play again! Scarlet’s mom told me a funny story that once the landscapers uncovered a buried squirrel stuffed toy. They were startled and thought it was the body of a real squirrel! That Scarlet she’s something else!
In a crazy turn of events, there ended up being a pop-up shower occurring nearby over Fort Worth. But fortunately for all of us and my camera, it didn’t rain on us. Instead, we saw the storm clouds in the distance and heard thunder, which actually worried Lucy who wanted to go inside and wrap up all this picture taking business! She let herself back in the house through the doggy door several times.
All in all, everything went quite well and there were enough photos of both Basset Hounds to make it hard on Scarlet’s mom to choose! She ended up with some new additions of metal portraits for the walls and an album which perfectly told the story of Lucy and Scarlet’s lives.
I was able to visit with Scarlet and Lucy again last fall at the Basset Hound Shuffle and Games event. Scarlet did such a great job navigating the crowds and activity. I was so impressed! She even let me sit down and pet her! I felt like we were finally friends and hope I get to photograph her again!!
Check it out below– Lucy and Scarlet’s mom took this photo of our reunion at the Shuffle. I was so happy to see these two!
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 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!”
Read the Other Basset Hound Stories
Follow along for the next Basset in the Calendar series, Zoe, Miss May… coming soon!
If you missed any other months, you can also view prior posts on the NTBHR Charity Calendar Series page.
Interested in adopting or fostering a Basset?
I would definitely suggest checking out North Texas Basset Hound Rescue! There are so many wonderful 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 along with.
