Training Photographers: Stories from the Field

Hiring another photographer can create the capacity your business desperately needs—but finding the right person is only the beginning.

Todd and Craig share lessons from their own hiring experiences, including why client interaction can matter more than technical skill, when a contractor model may need to change, and how hiring too late can hold back an entire market. They also discuss training through real-world examples, explaining the “why” behind your standards, and giving new photographers enough time and repetition to become confident on their own.

Chapters

00:00 — Hire for Personality, Train the Technical Skills 04:34 — Bringing a New Photographer Onto the Team 09:01 — Knowing When You Finally Need Help 11:19 — Lessons From Craig’s First Two Hires 20:27 — Finding the Right Person for the Market 25:09 — When the Contractor Model Isn’t Working 28:00 — How More Capacity Reignites Growth 30:25 — The Cost of Waiting Too Long to Hire 35:00 — Training Your Values in the Field 38:26 — Your New Hire Is Always Watching You 42:44 — Training Someone to Become Better Than You 44:51 — Give Them the Time and Reps to Improve

Resources:

Spiro Sync 2027: Visit https://spiro-sync.com

The REPP Conference: Visit https://repplaunch.com/repp2026

Questions or future episode ideas: hello@spiro.media