Behind the scenes with product photoshoots!

So how do these pictures all come to be?  

Where does something like this come from?

Purpose

The very first thing I do when setting up a product shot is to create a purpose for the shot. The easy top-level purpose is to, of course, show a customer or potential customer what a product looks like. But it's more than that. The photographs have to stand in for all the things a customer cannot do. They cannot smell a product, or touch it, or hold it in their hand and gauge the size.

For the Miruvor Long Hair Tea pictures above, the pictures show what the customer can expect. They see the initial package and label, the tea bag, they can see the herbs that are in it, and they can see the color that the rinse brews up. It makes it easy to imagine wrapping your hands around that big glass cuppa and taking a drink.

This helps build confidence, because you, as a customer, then have a sense of security in knowing what you're getting when you click Add to Cart.

Another example of purpose is in showcasing ingredients.  Here are the ingredients for our Selkie Herbal Detangler:

Distilled water, Marshmallow root, slippery elm & fenugreek seed herbal infusion, Aloe vera gel, Apple cider vinegar, Argan Oil, Borage Oil, Camelina Oil, Vitamin E Oil, and the essential oils of Catnip, Cedarwood, Lavender, Lime, Petitgrain, and Sage

But that doesn't really say the same thing as this:

Here you experience these ingredients in a totally different way. You can picture them coming together, imagine the feel and the  aroma of fresh herbs and crisp water. It reaches out in a way that a bulleted list simply cannot.

Setup & Design

 Once the purpose is achieved, setup begins. That Selkie ingredient picture? Took two and a half hours to compose. Filling all those little vials, the droppers, gathering and arranging the herbs, finding good vessels for the water and the fenugreek are all tiny areas of detail that have to come together.  Then it builds into a composition, where visual motion, framing, angle and a bunch of other photographic and artistic principles come together.

So if you take about 5 steps back from this:

The Forest Glade Dark Hair Rinse picture above looks like this:

I'm using a lightbox and color-balanced lighting.  

The Camera

My pictures are all shot with a Cannon G11:

On average, I shoot 15-20 pictures per end photo.  When I reshot the hair rinses and teas, there were over 150 images shot for three products and all their variations.

Photo Editing

Then I load all those pictures onto my computer. I use Photoshop as my image editing program.

Images selected (often from 4 or 5 very similar ones), cropped, color-balanced, and touched up. The goal is to present the product in its most true form, never visually alter it beyond what a customer should expect to see in person (see every fast food burger ad ever).

Now that isn't to say I don't take ANY artistic liberties.

Our honey bees are pretty tame, but they're not QUITE that docile (or cooperative).

Editing images is a very, very time-consuming process. At the end I add the NightBlooming watermark and save the images out.  Then the final images are updated in the store: 

Shooting my products is one of those aspects that lets me flex my photography and visual design skills, and it's a ton of work, but it's actually also a very fun, very creative process.

Salve Survery & Contest Results!

Hair Salve Survey Results

 And the results are in!  I had some help from the statistician at my day job to crunch the numbers, and it took a little doing- hence the delay in results.  The good news is that the winners didn't have to wait, everyone that won salve was contacted a week or two ago and their goodies are on the way.   But here are your results!  This will enable me to make much better customer recommendations for the "which salve should I order" question. ^_^

The results on this one surprised me, although it lines up with my sales so I'm not sure why.  I think I felt that Ostara's was more popular than Freya's.

This just forces me to conclude that hair salve is like the Amortentia potion from Harry Potter, everyone smells something different, but everyone like what they smell.

These results were also very interesting.  Personally, two ounces of salve lasts me over a year, so I fall in the black part of the graph.

The number of people that use salve as a styling aid was unexpected, but also very neat to see.

When I ran the results of this question against the first one (which hair salve works best for you), there were some weak preferences.  Curlies and zig-zaggies tended to prefer Panaceas, wavies Freya's and straight haired people the Ostara's.  But the trends were very, very weak and the results were still very varied across all hair types. 

The main trends here when we ran this against salve preference was that people with fine hair seemed to like Freya's or Ostara's best, and those with thick hair preferred Panacea's.  Generally, though, there were responses for all salve types to all hair thicknesses, with the most variance seen in medium hair strands. 

The most interesting thing about this one was that when I did a cross-compare with those who used henna and which salve they liked, there wasn't much difference from the first question.  Freya's came out ahead by a hair for hennaheads, but I feel that's in the margin of "I use which one I think smells best."  I also found it funny that almost 40% of respondents were henna users.  That's really, really high compared to "normal" people.

I've wanted to do a few limited edition salves for awhile now, and by this I think it's safe to say you'll see one or two in the future :)

So what do we take away from all this?  

• I'll still be recommending the Sample Trinity Pack when people ask which one to try.  The way everything shook out there wasn't a huge majority for any hair type crossing over with any one salve type.  I honestly expected to find that henna users preferred X salve, while curly haired people preferred Y, and those with straight, fine hair preferred Z.  But the results were still all over.  
• Generally, most people get the best results from using salve on damp hair
• Generally, a 1/2 ounce sample of salve will last ~1 month with average use.  Those that had higher rates of salve consumption tended to also be the ones that used it as a deep treatment as well as a leave-in. 
• You'll probably see some limited edition salves in the future.  But unlike Freya's, they won't stay.  Freya's was supposed to be limited edition, but the uproar was so great that I kept it.  The limited edition salves will be re-scents of the current three, so there won't actually be a functional change to the formula. :)

 Thank you to everyone who participated!  These results were amazing!

10,000 Sale Contest Results

 There were two entries for the Art Category, and none for the others.  They were both so wonderful, however, I decided that each of them will get the $20 NightBlooming Certificate as a prize :)  I left the artists anonymous, but they can claim their work if they'd like!  I'll be contacting both our winners directly with their prizes ^_^

 

Freya

Freya, of the Vanir,

Lady of Beltane.

Called upon,

By the womenfolk.

Goddess of fertility,

Goddess of abundance.

Loved and adored,

By rulers and heroes.

Leader of the Valkyrie,

Leader of warriors.

Shapeshifter and sorceress,

Traveller to all nine worlds.

Lady of divination,

Lady of magic.

Adored and cherished,

By all lovers.

Mistress of pleasure,

Mistress of passion.

Freya, the most beautiful,

Freya, the most benign.

                       - Sinead Anja Hering

Hair Salve Survey! Discounts Code & Free Salve Raffle!

I get a LOT of questions about which salve someone should purchase.  Generally I recommend picking up the Trinity Sample Pack simply because it's hard to guess.  I have a lot of anecdotal evidence gathered over the years as to which salve works best with which hair type, but nothing remotely scientific.  It's usually best if people try a smidge of each and see which they like best.

But I'd like to make better reccomendations.  Who knows, maybe well find out that hennaed hair likes one salve over another, or that curlies do best with one salve over another. 

Win me!

Prizes

Your time is worth something, and I appreciate you taking the time to help me out.  Everyone that participates by following the steps below will get a 15% off discount code, and also be entered in a raffle to win a 2 oz Salve of your choice + free shipping (yes, even across the pond)!  The more people that enter, the more winners I'll draw, so your odds of winning don't go down by encouraging others to participate.  And everyone wins with more data!

While the survey itself will be open for 6 months, I'll be closing the raffle and announcing winners on May 19th.

How to Take the Survey

It's really easy, two steps:

1. Take the survey.  It's totally anonymous.  I'm not tracking you like some creepy creeper.

2. When you're done with the survey, let me know by either sending me an email or an Etsy covo.  Tell me:

• Which salve you'd like if you win
• Any open feedback you have about hair salve.  My survey doesn't allow for this, but I'd love to hear your thoughts.

If you want to be entered in the raffle or get the discount code you HAVE to do Step 2.  Sadly I can't make the survey auto-give you the code or tell me which salve you want.  I'll respond to all emails and convos with the discount code, and then will draw the winners.


 

Do I get to see the results?

Of course!  I'll be posting the results of the survey here for those that are curious.  Since the survey is disconnected from your personal data, even on my end, none of your information is made public.  Everyone can then enjoy pretty charts see how all the answers shook out.

 

Help me!

Please spread the word!  The more people that take this, the better my data will be, the the better reccomendations I can make for customers (including you!).  Feel free to send the link to this post, post it on Facebook, tweet it, do whatever.  The more people that enter, the more winners I draw!

All Set? 

 

Click me to launch the survey <3

 

 

Hair Salve Name Change: Panacea's, Ostara's, Freya's

Hair Salve Name Change:  Panacea's, Ostara's, Freya's

The first and most important thing I want to make clear about this change is this: the ingredients, formulas and method of preparation for each salve is utterly unchanged.  And the smell.  The smell of each salve is the same.  I'd fear angry hordes if I ever messed with that. 

Everything on the inside of the pots is the same.   Only the stuff on the outside, the name and the icon, has changed.

Panacea's Hair Salve, still Panacea's Hair Salve:

Panacea was a minor goddess in Greek mythology but her name survives today as a term used for a cure-all or remedy for all ills or diseases. Panacea means "heal-all" and the goddess personified healing through herbs. In the Middle Ages, the name was applied to a mythical herb supposed to possess a cure-all quality. Some herbs that have been considered panaceas include mistletoe, yarrow, and valerian.  Panacea's Hair Salve is vegetarian (contains honey), is the most rich of the salves, and smells of incense.

Panacea's Summer Hair Salve is now Ostara's Hair Salve

 

Ostara is the Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring. She is associated with the Moon Hare or rabbit, with eggs, Dawn, and the East - all symbolizing her primary qualities of bringing birth, rebirth and renewal to a winter-weary world. Her salve will bring similar renewal to your hair. It is vegan,  contains protein, and has a light citrus and herb scent.

Panacea's Winter Hair Salve is now Freya's Hair Salve

 

In Norse mythology, Freya is a goddess of love and fertility, and the most beautiful and propitious of the goddesses. She is the patron goddess of crops and birth, the symbol of sensuality and was called upon in matters of love. She loves music, spring and flowers, and is particularly fond of the elves (fairies).  Freya's Salve is perfect for men or women, with a clean unisex scent reminiscent of a winter forest draped with newfallen snow. It should be noted that this blend is vegan and protein free!

Why the change?

There were a few big reasons I've wanted to do this for awhile:

• Clunky Naming: When I first started making salve, there was just one, Panacea's.  When someone requested a vegan version, I called it Panacea's Vegan Salve.  Then later people wanted a protein-free version.  So Vegan became Panacea's Summer Salve and the new one became Panacea's Winter Salve.  This meant that people called them Summer, Winter and... traditional? original?  For people unfamiliar with the salves, having three versions call called "Panacea's _____ Salve" was confusing.  Having three distinct names eliminates the clunkiness and confusion. 
• Room for more salves: Because of the clunky naming convention and the fact that there were are only four seasons, there wasn't much room for expansion.  While I don't have current plans for permanent additions to the salve family, I've wanted to do special scented blends for holidays like Samhain and Christmas.  
• Winter & Summer weren't for seasons and everyone thought they were: The naming for Summer and Winter was inspired by their scents and also because for awhile I was only offering them seasonally.  This, understandably, led people to think that Summer was, well, for summer, and Winter was for winter.  Which couldn't have been farther from the truth.  Because of this assumption, people weren't choosing the salve that was best for their hair.  Removing the seasonal designations takes away this misconception and nudges people to better evaluate which salve is best for them based on ingredients and other properties.  Now, people are more likely to look at protein vs no protein, or how much more rich Panacea's Salve is than Freya's Salve or Ostara's Salve.
• Distinct and Updated Branding: We've been slowly updating our branding to be more uniform and consistent across all NightBlooming's products.  Because Panacea's Hair Salve was the very first herbal product, it was the most out of date.  We'll be continuing to update our labeling, but at the moment, don't anticipate any other name changes.

Spread the word!

This is a big change, so if you get the chance to, please let others know!  Feel free to use any of the text and images in this post. 

Also, keep your eye out for an upcoming survey on how you use Panacea and how it works for you.  People that respond will get a discount code for the store and a chance to win 2 ounces of their favorite salve!

A Last Breath of Summer

The last breath of summer by Iness Rychlik

Last night as I was packing I got a Convo asking if it was still possible to get an 8 ounce tub of Summer Salve.  I put off answering it.  Not because I didn't know the answer, I'd run out of Summer at least a week prior, but because I loathe telling my customers bad news.  It was a hard decision to only offer Summer Salve half the year and Winter Salve the other half, but there was no way I could keep up with both.

Running three types of salve all the time was just too time consuming and took away too much from my already, I felt, woefully understocked store. 

I resigned myself to giving my customer the bad news after I'd packed orders and printed shipping labels for the night.  Then I'd catch up on convos and break it to her.

When I make batches of salve, it's by the gallon, and I often do more than one gallon at a time.  I'd run out of Winter upstairs, so I went to my store refrigerator (two years ago I picked it up as we were starting to run out of room for food) to get a new bucket.  Pulled it out and stared at the label on top for a moment- Panacea's Summer Salve.

What?

I opened the lid and took a deep breath, catching the lighter, warmer smell that only Summer Salve has.  Sure enough, I'd utterly forgotten about an entire tub of it.  I returned upstairs, eager to tell my customer that, but some strange turn of events, I had her Summer Salve for her after all.

And so, my dear customers, I offer you a last breath of Summer.  Get it now, as this is truly the last of it until Beltane! 

Preorder your Salve Trio Packs now!

It's been a busy whirlwind of a summer, but fall is here and Samhain approaches. That means that the frost of winter is licking at the ground.

I've gotten several requests to hold reservations of Summer Salve until we have all three samples in stock.  In response to that I've created Salve Trio Packs!

Preorder your Sample Pack!

Preorder your Full Sized Trio Pack!

Available in both 1/2 ounce sample and 2 ounce sizes, these are preorder packs and will ship after October 31st, once winter salve is out. The Sampler Pack is $11.25 and the Full Sized Trio Pack is $40.50.

While we don't have a listing for an 8 ounce Trio Pack, if you'd like one just let me know and I'd be happy to make a listing for you!

So How's Juniper?

Here's Ms Juniper keeping herself warm next to a CPU fan.

The next question I've gotten most often is how's Juniper doing?  I'm happy to report that she's doing GREAT.  She's totally healed up from her surgery, so we'll be looking at getting her a dental soon to take care of her dental disease. She had some persistent hard brick-red gunk by her eyes, but a diet of dye-free, grain-free food has cleared that up.

Perhaps best of all, while she's still petite, she's gained an entire half pound and is now a healthy weight.  Her coat, once coarse and fluffy, is still fluffy, but shines and is like touching a cloud. 

Tensions with the other cats have eased, and while she won't cuddle with the others, there's a lot less hissing and spitting. I'll be sure to get more photos soon of her.

Juniper Donations & a Poll on Panacea Packagaing

 Juniper Donations

Thank you so very, very much to everyone that has donated!  By your generosity Juniper has received $474 towards her care!  That's almost a third of the way!  Don't forget that everyone that donates is eligible to win one of our Juniper Items in a drawing.  Right now we have Juniper's Gratitude up, but more items will be coming soon!

Our little girl is doing fantastic!  She's off her antibiotics and pain medication.  Slowly, but steadily, she's learning to  interact with the other cats in the house.  There's still lots and lots of hissing, but now she can at least get within a few feet of the others.

I'm not sure if her back claw will grow back :(  While it doesn't look infected any longer, the tissue looks somewhat dead and isn't showing any signs of claw regrowth.  As much as I'm vehemently against declawing, we may have to take off this one rather than leave it exposed and tender.  We'll give it a bit longer before making a final decision on it.

Until then, we'll keep you posted on how she's doing!

A Poll on Panacea Packaging

These little plastic discs are neat and all, but not recyclable :(

I hope everyone is enjoying their salves and the new 8 ounce containers!  Keep in mind, the final batch of winter salve for the year is posted, and when it's gone, it's gone!

My question is, what do you think of these things?  They're the little liners I cap off the salves with.  They're supposed to give greater leak protection, but obviously the sample sizes do just fine without them.  Would you prefer I keep using them for the 2 and 8 ounce jars of salve, or should I reduce the amount of packaging and stop using them?

Please let me know your thoughts in the poll below!  Spread the word so others have a chance to vote as well.

What are your thoughts on the disc jar liners for Panacea's Salve?
	Please keep them, I like them!
	I'm really not too particular either way.
	Stop using them, they don't work/ I don't like the extra packaging.

Juniper's Gratitude Contest & Last Batch of Winter Salve

 

Contest: Juniper's Gratitude Hair Sticks

In the first week of fundraising for Juniper we've raised $144!!  That's fantastic!  My most sincere thanks go out to those who have found it in their hearts to donate to Juniper's recovery.

For anyone that either donates (or has already donated) to Juniper's cause by purchasing one of her items on Etsy,  or donating via PayPal to night.blooming.garden@gmail.com your name will be entered into a drawing for this lovely pair of hair sticks called Juniper's Gratitude.



At the end of the month, Tuesday May 31st, I'll draw a name from all the donors, and the lucky winner will get this lovely pair of hair sticks for only 20 cents! 

Juniper's Gratitude Sticks are built upon rosewood and are topped with silver floral petwer and rounds of Russian Jade. Silver leafwork uplifts two creamy white glass pearls, and from the top of one stick spills a tangle of vines and soft green glass droplets.  The pair has a usable length of 5.25 inches, a total length of 6.5 inches, and a dangle length of 2 inches.

Keep your eyes open for more Juniper's Gratitude items to be listed!


Last Batch of Winter Hair Salve!

Winter Slave is melting fast!  The last batch of the season is made and posted in the shop, so stock up before
its gone!  After this, there won't be any more until October 31st, 2011!