It’s time to highlight another wonderful member of the Snapdragon Insiders community. This month, we’re delighted for you to meet John D. Hamilton (@HamiltonJohnD on Twitter and Tiktok), a Snapdragon Insider from Canada. Here’s what John has to say about his passion for photography and being a Snapdragon Insider.
How did you get involved with Snapdragon Insiders?
I love photography and I’m always trying to figure out which device is the best for capturing images. My passion is taking photos and videos on my Xiaomi Mi Note 10 powered by the Snapdragon® 730G Mobile Platform, among other devices with Snapdragon, and adding them to Google Maps. I saw some real, honest, authentic tweets from Snapdragon Insider Mikael Hilger (@M1K4_3L on Twitter; @miketlse on Instagram) and saw that he’s a Local Guide: Level 9 on Google Maps, with more than 47 million views of his 12 thousand plus photos. I’m a Local Guide: Level 8 on Google Maps, with more than two million views of my almost three thousand photos.
I started to follow Mikael on Twitter to learn more, and then I discovered the incredible photography talents of Snapdragon Insider Ryan Cleary (@spintheweedawg on Twitter; @ryan.cleary.photography on Instagram). Ryan has a gift for teaching and communicating photo and video techniques in a way that is easy to understand. He’s a master of photography, in my opinion.
I was very fortunate to attend the Snapdragon Insiders VR meetup and got to talk one-on-one with people from around the world. They taught me more about the exciting things Snapdragon is doing. From there, I just looked for everything related to Snapdragon. The Snapdragon Insiders Discord has been a great place to connect and learn. I’ve met so many people online from all around the globe, some who don’t even have a device powered by Snapdragon but really want to learn more about the brand. That says a lot about the power of Snapdragon technology.
What’s the best photo you've taken on a device powered by Snapdragon?
My best photos are the ones that capture the beauty and emotion of a moment and evoke a passion for my community. I also love the simple beauty of the photos I take on my morning walks. Regardless of the subject, I’ve learned that taking the best photo is a process. I’m learning more and more every day, and I know that my best photo is the one I’ll take tomorrow, and the day after that, and so on. I’m always learning and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
What’s your go-to device with Snapdragon?
When I first started taking pictures in the early 1960s, my camera was my family’s box camera — a Rainbow Hawk Eye No. 2A Model B made by the Canadian Kodak Company. We’ve come a long way since then! Today I use my Xiaomi Mi Note 10 (powered by Snapdragon 730G), Xiaomi 11T Pro (powered by Snapdragon 888), and Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 (powered by Snapdragon 680). When the time comes, my next phone will definitely be powered by Snapdragon — 100 percent. Even when I buy my next car, my first question will be, “Does it have Snapdragon?”
Who is your favorite Snapdragon Insider to follow?
Oh, I couldn’t choose. I follow so many for different reasons. But some of my favorites to follow on Twitter are: @Antonio_Luis, @jeffrey_jpeg, @techvamp, @ryjb, @LTEstyles, @Lexcyn (who is a fellow Canadian), @yo_mismo1, and @Redribbon_26.
What future tech are you most excited about?
Virtual reality. My first experience with VR was with a Snapdragon Insiders meet up. I didn’t have the goggles or anything, but Mikael showed me how to access the event on my computer in 2D. I’m interested in trying VR with the headset in the future.
Why are you a fan of Snapdragon?
I’m not an expert in software or hardware. I only use my smartphone for photography and I still have a landline phone, but as a retired teacher and a retired optician, I know quality when I see it. I love to take photos and videos to add to Google Maps, and Snapdragon offers the best photo quality and video performance. I want to leave a legacy behind, and I know that I want that legacy to be shot on a smartphone powered by Snapdragon — it’s as simple as that.
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