The New Way to Find, Hire, and Be a Great Second Shooter in 2025 I Ep 174

Real talk: finding a second shooter you can actually trust (who cares as much as you do) can feel like a tall order. Maybe you’ve been burned by “bare minimum” seconds, or you’re stuck in the cycle of doing it all yourself because letting go of control feels scary. But what if you could finally get trusted support, book more dream gigs, and reignite your own creative spark – without sacrificing your standards or sanity?

In this episode, I sit down with Jimmy Lick, founder of Second Society – a vetted network that makes finding, hiring, and being a second shooter easier (and more fun) than ever. We dive into practical strategies and surprising mindset shifts to help you hire (or become) a second shooter who truly elevates the experience – so you can save time, serve your clients better, and fall back in love with your business.

In this week’s episode you’ll discover:

• The origin story behind Second Society: How Jimmy turned a simple idea into a 4,000+ strong platform for photographers 
  
  
• Why hiring a vetted second shooter is so important – and what to look for beyond just skill (this one thing can make or break your entire experience) 
  
  
• The biggest red and green flags we’ve seen in second shooters — and how to stand out if you're looking for gigs 
  
  
• How to communicate expectations before, during, and after the shoot to avoid nightmare scenarios 
  
  
• The underrated second shooter hack no one talks about: why hiring someone more experienced than you can be the ultimate level-up in your photography business 
  
  
• How to get started with Second Society – whether you’re hiring, looking for work, or just curious 

RESOURCES + LINKS

✔️ Direct link to YouTube episode

✔️ Follow Jimmy Lick on Instagram

✔️ Follow Second Society on Instagram – Connect with Jimmy and the Second Society community for inspiration, job postings, and more. 

✔️ Listen to the Second Society Podcast – Tune in for more behind-the-scenes stories, tips, and industry insights. 

✔️ Join Second Society – The vetted platform for finding (and becoming) high-quality second and lead shooters for photographers and videographers worldwide. 

✔️ Discover more resources for photographers – Free guides, tools, and support at saramonika.com/photographers

👋🏻 Say hi to me on social! I would love to hear which episode helped you!
Photography account: @saramonikaphoto
Education account: @sara.monika

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To all YOUR success,
Sara