How to do Mad Men style in alleys?

[colormaniac]

This would be my first MM attempt. It involves two young models, male and female. At first we were kicking around ideas about mobsters. But they didn't like those old-fashioned Godfather-like styles. They were talking about Mad Men (the TV series). And then we chose some alleys in the town for shooting locations. Elsewhere (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=750026&page=2)I asked about how to set up lights in alleys. Now I'm wondering what exactly is the Mad Men style. What particular skills or lighting is involved there? Do you have some suggestions?

[gorgon2k]

any links to examples?

[Lowner]

To me the TV series shows a very unreal glossy take on the 1950's fashions. Unreal because theres not a hair allowed out of place, always "perfectly" presented.

So not a photographic style that sits with that gritty, film noir look. Sharp, snappy, stylish is the name of the game. Think of the fashions in "The Truman Show" but rather more upmarket, not some dirty, gloomy alley. Madison Avenue I don't know at all, but I'm imagining big, expensive Hotels foyers, lots of money, big ego's, chrome, plastic and indoor potted palm trees - Glitz and glamour 1950's style.

[colormaniac]

any links to examples?
You can google "Mad Men TV" and see the pictures.

To me the TV series shows a very unreal glossy take on the 1950's fashions. Unreal because theres not a hair allowed out of place, always "perfectly" presented.

So not a photographic style that sits with that gritty, film noir look. Sharp, snappy, stylish is the name of the game. Think of the fashions in "The Truman Show" but rather more upmarket, not some dirty, gloomy alley. Madison Avenue I don't know at all, but I'm imagining big, expensive Hotels foyers, lots of money, big ego's, chrome, plastic and indoor potted palm trees - Glitz and glamour 1950's style.

I see. Right, not a hair is out of place. No wonder it's so hard to envision. Anyway, that shooting was over. The models chose the clothes that they thought were suitable. So, it may not be like Mad Men at all. But they seem to like the pictures anyway.

Here I posted some pictures. However, somehow not many people commented on them. I don't even know whether many people think that the pictures are good or not. They just keep talking about a model who looked like Michael Jackson. http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=812568

[Lowner]

Not Mad Man at all, but as long as everyones happy then it's a successful shoot in my book.

[Mark_Cohran]

What truly matters in a shoot is if the client likes the final product. If they do, all is good despite what anyone else might say.

[colormaniac]

Thanks! Yes, that's what matters. The models, especially the male model, likes them a lot and immediately used one of the pictures as his avatar in MM.

[Karl Johnston]

http://theantiroom.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/mad-men.jpg
http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/080529/cover-story/mad-men_l.jpg
Like this?

Woo...I don't envy you. That's beyond me how to light and process like that. It kind of reminds me of Pin up. What I'm thinking is a lot of soft light and beauty dishes. Glamor looking, not gritty or high contrast. Popping colors, hyper realism. Of course you'd probably need some kickbutt MUAs and a wardrobe stylist to pull off the authenticity of it all...if you really wanted to mimic that look, anyway.

Softboxes and beauty dishes are my guess.

Not sure if you nailed the look with it with your shoot, but if the client is happy then that's all that matters.

[Casperd360]

I would actually like to see the photos you took.

[colormaniac]

I would actually like to see the photos you took.
It's here, http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=812568
Please don't get disappointed. They don't look like Mad Men at all. The two models originally said they liked the Mad Men style but actually they brought clothes that didn't look like that. Since I also had no idea how to do it, we just went ahead with what we had there.