Born in Lumberton, North Carolina, Hughes, fueled by a lifelong passion for photography passed down from his father, embarked on a photographic journey that took him from a diverse array of jobs to capturing the essence of the Latino community in Springfield, Massachusetts with the "Palante" series. Strongly influenced by photographers Diane Arbus, Keith Carter, and Ben Lifson, Hughes' lens has explored cultures in cities like Paris, Berlin, Prague, the Greek island of Hydra, and Asunción, Paraguay, creating a visually diverse body of work. His photography has been published and exhibited in the New York Times, Springfield Museum of Art, and the Danforth Museum.