  The speed of light in vacuum, $c$, is a fundamental constant of nature.
Photons belonging to a structured beam of finite transverse size, generated by
a spatial light modulator, have been observed to travel with a group velocity,
$v_g$, which is smaller than $c$ also when propagating in vacuum [1-3]. This is
an effect that depends on the geometry of the beam. From quantum mechanical
considerations, these photons must in any case propagate at the speed of light.
This paradox can be resolved by taking into account a projection effect. What
was measured in these experiments as group velocity was in fact its projection
onto the beam propagation axis [4]. This depends on the divergence of the beams
used in these experiments. We have found that for hypergeometric beams carrying
orbital angular momentum (OAM), generated by sources with equal aperture [5-8],
$v_g$ obeys an OAM/velocity relationship similar to that proposed by Majorana
between spin and mass for bosonic and fermionic relativistic particles. This
relationship, depending on the geometrical properties of the beam, can pave the
way for an alternative estimation of OAM or to implement a time buffer in
optical communications.
