Great portraits don’t just happen, as any photographer knows they take substantial time, planning and thought.

And this is due to be explained in a free online webinar from tripod-makers Manfrotto, called... "Great Portraits Don’t Just Happen."

Taking place on their School of Xcellence website at 3pm EDT on December 2nd the free event will be hosted by Sports Illustrated Staff Photographer Bill Frakes.

Frakes -- who has taken portraits of people including President Obama -- is due to discuss the planning, preparation and good communication which goes into an alluring portrait.

Speaking of the event, which will cover lighting and support equipment, putting a subject at ease and the differences between studio and environmental portraiture, he said: "Each portrait requires the same kind of thought process.

"Photographers need to know the kind of person that is being photographed and what they want the outcome to be. Once that is decided, photographers can go about planning lighting schemes and preparing or researching backgrounds."

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