Through Color, AI and Stop Motion, Dan Saelinger’s Cosmetics Test Shoot Pushes Current Trends

Photographer and Director Dan Saelinger is no stranger to experimenting with color, composition and products. Inspired by the graphic aesthetics of the ‘80s, his work consistently balances technical exploration with creative playfulness. Recently, Dan created a personal test shoot focused on beauty products, using his distinctive style to bring new energy to the genre. Choosing products from Drunk Elephant, Murad, and Bubble, he wanted to imagery that would unequivocally his style and push the current look of the brand, while staying true to the brand’s history.

With brands increasingly embracing playful and dynamic aesthetics, he saw an opportunity to interpret these trends through his own perspective. By blending set design, AI-generated backgrounds, and stop-motion techniques, he crafted unique visual narratives for each brand.

What trends are you seeing in beauty photography right now?

There’s a shift toward more playful and experimental imagery. Legacy brands like Clinique still stick to classic, clean visuals, but newer brands like Drunk Elephant and Bubble bring a lot of personality into their branding. I also see a growing emphasis on making beauty photography more engaging—how do you take a product that’s been shot a million times and make it feel fresh? It’s about playing with angles, colors, lighting, and even world-building to create something new.

You used a mix of practical sets and AI-generated backgrounds in this shoot. How did you decide which approach to take?

For Murad and Bubble, I built physical sets because their branding feels more grounded. But for Drunk Elephant, I wanted to lean into its surreal aesthetic, so I generated a background using AI. I used Midjourney to create a bathroom scene with neon and pastel tones that felt in line with the brand. The challenge was making it look like a real, built set—so I carefully matched the lighting in my studio to blend the product seamlessly with the AI backdrop.

I wanted to explore a range of aesthetics within beauty photography, so I picked brands that spoke to me visually. Drunk Elephant has a neon-heavy, Memphis art style that I love. Murad’s branding is very clean and bold, almost clinical, while Bubble has a playful, youthful vibe. My goal was to select products that would push my creativity in different ways while still fitting within my visual language.

You also incorporated stop-motion animation. Can you talk about that process?

The Drunk Elephant packaging has a really cool rotating cap feature, so I wanted to highlight that movement. I shot multiple frames of the cap opening and then animated them in After Effects. I aimed for a smooth, playful motion—something between traditional stop-motion and fluid animation. I think incorporating movement adds another layer of engagement, which is becoming increasingly important in beauty content.

Did you go into this shoot with a concrete plan, or did your ideas evolve along the way?

It was a mix of both. I had initial ideas for some shots, but a lot of it evolved as I worked with the products. I like to sit with them, move them around, and let inspiration strike. For Bubble, I went through a few different concepts before landing on the final setup. The process is always about pushing ideas further until they feel right.