Practical lighting example from "Mad Men"

[robcat2075]

This is from a production design commentary on one the the Mad Men DVDs, a series I'm only now getting around to watching.

 

Their premise is that the series is set in the early 60's so they want period furniture on their sets. They found these secretarial desks and ordered them in beige because they wanted them to appear not too extravagant.

 

To make the beige panels photograph more interestingly, however, they put a larger than normal desktop on them so it would extend over the sides and cast a shadow (two really ifyou look close), breaking up the color without explicitly adding another color to the object.

 

I also think the overhanging shadow gives a depth cue that is interesting to the eye and adds a 3D-ness to the object that might not be there other wise.

 

 

[John Bigboote]

Wow- THAT is art-direction... somebody actually stood there and thought... y'know, if the desktops were overhanging more we'd get a better shadow...