20 some odd years ago I would look through Cosmo, Vogue and all those magazines looking for the way fashion photographers used light and created poses. I kept thinking--'man that looks awkward!' So years later when I began working with people looking to build portfolios I would use the line--'if it feels awkward it probably looks cool!' Learning poses is one thing--finding the poses that work for each person is its own thing. I ask people to move this or that way and I get the line back...'it doesn't move like that' or 'i can't twist any further without falling down.' I'll even try to get into the pose myself(maybe thats why I have back problems). I do know certain looks work for certain people. Real skinny people seem to look great with more angularity and extreme elongation--actually everyone looks better elongating their poses. In working through a shoot its fun trying to work our way into finding the right combination of outfit, lighting and pose. When we bring all three together with expression we have something. SayerMotter Photograph by Richard Sayer.