Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe

Here are 3 video clips that will be instructive. Note that when Bolton makes an attempt his shoulders stay in position, scapulas directly over the bar. When he misses, that position is not maintained well. All of these clips show fairly clearly, despite the variety of observation positions, that the shoulder blades are plumb to the bar as it comes off the floor, and that they stay that way until the bar is above the knee.This is a critical difference in the clean and the deadlift: the shoulders stay out over the bar longer in a clean to facilitate the second pull, but the deadlift begins the rotation back lower on the thigh. This may be the source of the misperception of the shoulder position. But the ride up from the floor to the lower thigh is the same in both, and the videos clearly show this position. Even sumo deadlifts look the same off the floor, although it is harder to see the scapula position with the back in a more vertical position.Another point is that if the deadlift is viewed from the side of the supine hand, the shoulder on that side is not as far forward due to the external rotation of the humerus, and the rest of the arm is further back because the elbow is pointed back instead of out. Try this yourself and see.