I’ve travelled between 20 and 25 countries this year. I’ve earned this opportunity through relentless work ethic and passion for what I do. This blog post and accompanying video will show you what I’ve been up to this year, as well as what’s in my camera bag.

My life has not been an overnight success. I’ve worked very hard for everything I’ve been able to do and for everything I have. Right after I graduated from High School I was arrested essentially for being homeless. I was staying in an abandoned hospital and had lit a small fire to keep me warm. Someone walking by spotted smoke coming out of one of the windows and called the police and was arrested for trespassing. My Grandparents helped me get my first apartment, and also used to bring me food every Sunday from their butcher shop. The Government of Ontario gave me a cheque every month to help with rent. At that point I was working on my business relentlessly and could see my future success. Now finally, through all the hard work I’m able to live the life I’ve wanted to. With hard work comes great pleasure, and I’m only getting started.

Chris A. Hughes

The post WHAT’S IN MY CAMERA BAG? first appeared on A Nerd's World.

If we go back to 5 or 6 years ago, you’d have to rent a helicopter, get permits and spend a lot of money to be able to go into the sky and get this kind of footage. You can do it today with us at a fraction of that cost and with 1 hour of notice! Using the latest DJI Phantom 4, we capture your footage in incredible 4k quality.

With the technology available in consumer drones today, it is amazing what’s achievable. Leading the industry benchmark with an almost half an hour flight time pre battery charge, the DJI Phantom 4 provides the perfect canvas for your artwork.

Instead of giving you a review about the Phantom 4, I’d like to tell you about my story with DJI so far. I initially purchased a DJI Phantom 3 Professional in 2015. It was very impressive and I made quite a few customers happy with it. Fast forward to one day earlier this summer, mid-flight, my Phantom 3 decided to abandon its family here at A Nerd’s World. It just took off at full throttle, into the sky. I was in shock and disappointment. I kept wondering about how it was possible that this happened to me. I had the unit firmware up to date at all times and yet it still happened. To make matters worse, here I was stuck with an extra 8 batteries for it.

Going 30 Days into the future after the incident, I’d mustered the courage to invest my time, money and faith back into DJI and try the Phantom 4. I bought it, along with extra batteries and a few other goodies and took it on a trip across the United States. I had an amazing experience at B&H Photo Video in Manhattan, New York. Not only were the staff extremely helpful, but the prices beat Canada by a long-shot. From there, I traveled to New Jersey, Philadelphia and finally to Washington DC, before coming back home. During this trip, I regained my confidence in DJI. The phantom has helped me capture outstanding footage, which I’ll give you a sneak peek of shortly.

So, I’d like to leave you with this. At A Nerd’s World, we are still the best drone service provider in Toronto.  Do you want to distinguish yourself from your competition? Instead of having a bland website like everyone else, why not add some life and realism to it with the power of video?

Be sure to catch a video our capabilities with the DJI Phantom 4 in Toronto, to better understand the type of quality that is achievable by this amazing drone.

We’re here for hire. Give us a call today at (647) 348-2020 to book drone services for your event!

Chris A. Hughes

The post Aerial Drone Photography in Toronto first appeared on A Nerd's World.

Today, we’d like to take a few moments and talk to you about the importance of having an updated, professional headshot. It’s a small investment that has the ability to pay off in exponential dividends. A proper headshot allows you to showcase your professionalism, both inside and out, with a winning photograph.

Do you remember the old saying “Never judge a book by its cover?” Well here’s a reality check. The real world very much judges by the way things and people look. This holds especially true when it comes to professional situations involving job interviews, making connections and networking. This points to the fact that we have a short amount of time to make a good first impression.

Whether you are an actor, lawyer, doctor, realtor or any other professional designation, do not overlook your headshot! If you Google “LinkedIn headshots Toronto”, you will find out that we, A Nerd’s World, ranks at the top as #1. This shows you how serious we are about aspects such as actors headshots Toronto.

Headshot Toronto

The A Nerd’s World photography studio is located at 688 Richmond Street, Unit 304, in Toronto. We are offering professional headshots to everyone, for a no-strings-attached price of $100+tax. Come on by for your session, walk-ins are always welcome! We’ve got 3 professional photographers on staff that all shoot with top-of-the-line Canon products. On top of that, we’ve got the latest in lighting systems from Profoto, to ensure even, smooth exposure of all subjects in front of our camera lens.

You will not find a better headshot Toronto studio around. We are an honest bunch of nerds that are on a mission to help improve professionals’ business presences and to help generate more successful first impressions.

Want to know more about us? Have questions about the best Headshot Toronto? Do not hesitate to send us a message or give us a call: (647) 726-2020.

Chris A. Hughes

The post Headshot Studio Toronto first appeared on A Nerd's World.

The Death of Peel Apart Film

It was just recently that, FujiFilm announced that they have discontinued FP-100c instant film. For instant photography enthusiasts such as myself, this was devastating. There is a romanticism in taking a picture, tearing apart the film, and waiting in anticipation for the photo. It pains me to think that pulling away film will soon be a thing of the past. FP-100C was the only pull away film left, and its discontinuation puts the final nail in the coffin for peel apart film.

The importance of peel away film is that you pull apart the negative on the instant film which can allow you to make prints. The FP-100c takes incredible photographs and was still being used up until recently by professional photographers and amateur photographers alike.

“It’s fine grain and rich tonal gradation make it ideal for passport photos, commercial test shots, presentations, ID photos, and direct printing,” – Fujifilm on FP-100C film

People may have heard my interview on CBC Radio Metro Morning, or seen me on Storage Wars Canada evaluating items related to photography. For these reasons, I’ve been titled the film ambassador, a position I’m honored to fill. I believe it is my responsibility to give light to what is happening to countless instant photography fanatics who are left with Type-100 cameras that will be useless without FP-100c instant film.

This morning at 8:47 am I was contacted by a City TV news editor. I did a face-time interview with CTV news anchor Marcia MacMillan live, and an interview in person for CTV Toronto news. The interview I gave titled ‘The campaign to save instant film’ was about how there is over 20,000 signatures on change.org imploring FujiFilm or companies like Impossible Project and Lomography to save FP-100c film. As a fellow film enthusiast it is heartening to see that other like-minded individuals are passionate and are taking action to try to save this film, and I encourage anyone reading this to sign the petition at this link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4XCQQRROKE&nohtml5=False

I’ve even incorporated my love for photography at my company, A Nerd’s World. When we shoot headshots or do photography for commercial clients we do it digitally, but we’ve setup a display of over 300 vintage cameras for our clients to look at when they are at our Bathurst store front or Richmond street location. Digital photography may be more practical but, I believe it is incredibly important to understand the roots of photography for anyone who truly has a passion for it.

It saddens me to think that photography enthusiasts even twenty years from now will never experience the joy I’ve had of peeling away film. I’ve been lucky enough to have a supply of some of the film left for myself, but I know that there are others that aren’t so lucky, and my heart goes out to them.

Chris A. Hughes

The post CTV Interview this Morning first appeared on A Nerd's World.

On Monday, March 21, 2016 I was invited to speak with Matt Galloway of Metro Morning at the CBC radio station, regarding the discontinuation of FujiFilm’s FP-100C peel-a-part film. The announcement has caused a stir in the film community, with film photographers all over the world protesting the company’s decision. A rumour has sparked about FujiFilm meeting with Kaps founder of The Impossible Project, to keep the line in production. Film enthusiasts have begun purchasing the remaining stock before it is extinct. The audio interview can be heard here.

The post CBC’s Metro Morning Interview first appeared on A Nerd's World.

Social media is one of the primary methods of communication we use today.  Our days are consumed by posting random thoughts and pictures to our Facebook walls, tweeting and sharing news, and showing everyone and their cousin what we had for lunch today.  Among social networking websites, there is one very powerful platform that people tend to forget, and that’s LinkedIn.

Having a profile picture on your professional social media page is like having a personal logo or brand–it’s unique to you, and unless you have a doppelganger on the loose, your profile picture easily distinguishes you from other people.  The most successful brands have memorable logos that have made impressions on their consumers–like these brands, you want to ensure you stand out from the crowd and that you’re visible to hiring managers, potential customers, and new business.  Sure, smartphones are equipped with pretty impressive cameras, but that doesn’t mean the selfie you took at your friend’s bachelor party should be used as your LinkedIn picture, or as beside your professional bio on your website.

According to reports from LinkedIn, profiles with a clear, professional photo are seven times more likely to receive clicks and views.   For those who work in the corporate world having updated, clear, recognizable LinkedIn headshots are as important as stating your company or title. Having a professional photograph that is consistent with other professional accounts and websites also adds credibility and makes you more trustworthy to customers as well as other professionals.

If you haven’t made it to the corporate world yet, and you’re a new graduate or are looking for jobs in Toronto, then having a LinkedIn account can play a major role in your chances of landing a job.  The problem is, you’re on a tight budget and think you can’t afford a professional headshot, which can typically range in cost between $250-500.  Before you give up all hope and reach for that selfie stick, the Nerds at A Nerd’s World would like to step in.  Professional photography in Toronto has always been one of our specialties, and we’re currently offering professional headshots for only $100–no strings attached.  Promotional headshot sessions typically last 20 minutes, and we send you home with a DVD of all your images in high-resolution for you to review.  When you find a photo that you want to use as your profile picture, send it over to us, and we will have it edited in black and white and colour the same day.  Easy, affordable, and a fantastic return on investment.

Whether you’re entering the workforce for as a new grad or are the CEO of a tech firm, we want you to take advantage of our $100 headshots in Toronto.  As of January 2016, there are a reported 400 million active accounts on Linkedin, with 11 million users from Canada.  With a network so vast, why put your brand at risk?  Give us a call to book your $100 headshot session today.

Thank you,

Chris A. Hughes

The post LinkedIn Headshots in Toronto first appeared on A Nerd's World.

At the end of December, Orlando and I planned a last-minute to trip to Paris to ring in the New Year.  With the recent attacks in the city, I thought there would be a lot more tension, but we found the people there to be very optimistic and friendly—Overall, the city felt welcoming and happy to celebrate a year of new beginnings.  Initially, our visit was supposed to last four days, but on the last day of December, Orlando was on a plane bound for Toronto—without me.

My family and I had traveled across the United States and Canada, stopping at almost every antique store and historical site we passed, capturing the memories on film.  I’m no stranger to taking the road less traveled, but this trip to Europe felt different.  I was in a place that was so foreign to me and from the western world.  I knew there where so many more cities to see, people to meet, and experiences to be had beyond the City of Lights.  The East was calling my name with moments that I  had yet to capture and stories to bring home with me.  With only my passport, cameras, and a backpack I prepared myself for a journey that would bring me to 13 countries over 24 days.

I have 58 rolls of 35mm film that I am still going through, but the most memorable part of my journey that I felt compelled to share was my visit to the West Bank in Palestine.  There is a long history of conflict between Palestinians and Israelis and in the west, all we know is what we see on the news—the partisan views of media outlets such as BBC and CNN.  I didn’t know what to expect when I arrived in the West Bank.  I’ve always considered myself as someone who would rather experience something first hand than base my beliefs on stories from other sources.  Although I didn’t know what to expect, I remained neutral, but I wasn’t prepared for the sequence of events that occurred during my stay in the West Bank.

Everything happened so quickly, but at the moment, I had no concept of time.  It was like watching old footage of a train wreck in slow motion, with no sound.  In reality, the sounds were deafening—a chaotic symphony of gunfire, breaking glass, the silence before an explosion followed by screams.  Sounds that I would never want my children to hear.  Sounds that no child should ever hear, but in the West Bank, these sounds are what make children grow up before their time.  Amidst the destruction, some boys believed they were men, unfazed by what was going on. Civilians being wounded and killed are commonplace in the West Bank.

Questions surrounding the tension between Palestine and Israel have been a complex subject, often with no straight answer.  Although I am back at A Nerd’s World, fulfilling my duties as the owner of my business, I have more questions about the West Bank now than before I had left.  The experience changed me and the way I view the lives of the people in North America.  I see people complain about the length of lines at Starbucks, yet will still wait ten minutes or more for a caffeine fix.  I hear people blaring their horns because they’ve spent ten minutes stuck in traffic.

What I am sharing with you is only ten minutes of footage—yet with very few words, it speaks volumes to me.  People are entitled to their own opinions, ones that are formed around the obscurity shared by the media.  I’m not here to shape your views, but I do know one thing is for certain—my perception of what can happen in ten minutes will never be the same.

Chris A. Hughes

The post Not your Average Vacation first appeared on A Nerd's World.

A Nerd’s World provides professional aerial photography and videography using a fleet of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) also commonly referred to as “Drones.”

What is a Drone?

A Drone is an aircraft that is operated remotely from the ground. Once accessible only to military and government personnel, drones were mainly used in situations or over terrain that was considered too risky for manned flight. Drones now offer an eye in the sky and are used in several different industries for surveillance, digital photography or aerial video.

Our Drone of choice is the DJI Phantom 3 Professional equipped with an HD 4k drone camera that allows us to capture a range of digital content from various altitudes. Drone photography in Toronto is relatively new; however, 2016 is the year to get ahead of the competition by introducing AR drone coverage to your business.

In addition to having stunning bird’s eye imagery that will be unique to your business, here are six reasons to hire us for all Toronto Drone Photography Services in 2018:

1. Architectural Photography and Visualization

Our smooth cinematic high-resolution imagery allows architects, technologists, and CAD designers to depict a new building in conceptual drawings or CAD renderings accurately. With the number of high-rise condos in Toronto, images of rooftops, balconies and terraces can be easily obtained using our AR drone.

2. Property Development

For property developers with hundreds of acres of land in their portfolio, obtaining imagery of the property would be pricey if they were to hire a photographer specializing in aerial photography, not to mention a pilot and the rental cost of the plane. With a UAV, costs can be cut and obtaining a higher number of digital images within a shorter amount of time significantly brings operating costs down.

3. Advertising

Catch the attention of your customers with stunning visuals taken from angles never seen before. Boat excursions on Lake Ontario to vineyards in the Niagara region, any tourist attraction, can benefit from the breathtaking twist on promotional imagery.

4. Media, Film and Creative Projects

Our unmanned aircraft is quiet, yet can capture stabilized imagery from nearly any angle, and from heights as low as 2 feet off the ground to over 1000 feet. Pan and slide over terrain from any altitude to get eye-catching shots to wow your audiences.

5. Special Events

Whether it’s your daughter’s wedding taking place at a country club, or a charity golf tournament, using a drone to record special events from new dimensions can be an invaluable addition a marketing portfolio or to your family’s video album.

6. Documentaries and Promotional Videos

A Nerd’s World has over 20 years of combined professional film experience and looks forward to assisting you in your filming endeavors. From the basics of film footage to more creative advice on scripting and editing, we are more than happy to provide you with our professional consulting services.

Our DJI Phantom 3 Professional allows us to shoot Aerial photographs and videos in locations that would otherwise be difficult or very expensive to access. Knowing that your aerial photography or film project is beings executed by a team of notable Professional Toronto photographers and filmmakers guarantees the result of any project to be creative and innovative. Stay tuned for cuts from our latest Aerial Toronto real estate drone photography project, which we are excited to unveil in the New Year.

Thank you,

Chris A. Hughes

The post Aerial Photography Services in Toronto first appeared on A Nerd's World.

It was our great pleasure working alongside Open Creative and Evergreen on the “Getting Dirty Ad Campaign”.

Evergreen is a Toronto based not-for-profit that relies on community support to inspire action and green Canadian cities. Get Dirty was a fun, lighthearted call to action that invited people to support this innovative organization by rolling up their sleeves and helping to create change.

Evergreen – Getting Dirty Video Campaign can be viewed here

Credits: Concept and Graphics by Open Creative, Photography by Chris A. Hughes of A Nerd’s World

The post Evergreen – Getting Dirty Campaign first appeared on A Nerd's World.