Formal and informal? Since I'm a photojournalist I'm less apt to think formal portraiture before informal portraiture. During a recent shoot I was reminded of how I tend to set people up and sort of let them be themselves as I talk with them and snap pictures. I give direction, but I'm seldom too picky about exacting position of head and hands etc.... This can be a problem sometimes, but overall I like the fact that when I'm done I usually have a more naturalist portrayal of the person overall. I think this is where a personality comes out. Even in the formal pictures I try really hard to make sure they are not too stiff and lifeless. To me formal is more about posture and lighting than anything else...so why make it be boring. I'm trying to relearn lighting techniques I learned 25 years ago and newer techniques(although most of my 'newer' techniques are from the 30's and 40's) so that I can increase my ability to set up a situation and then--let the flow of the session take on a life of its own knowing the lighting will work. I remember working with Eric Shilling this fall. I had these new lights and had them set up and ready to go when I discovered this great sun light coming in if I left the door open. So I used the natural light and then just had to reflect and balance light into the shadows. It was fun to adapt to the unexpected, which is also an indication of my journalism background where I need to be able to make a picture no matter what the situation happens to be. SayerMotter Photographs by Richard Sayer.