Stellar snaps

Hodge’s Cove photographer’s pictures of N.L. featured on Instagram’s global account

Cody Avery started posting pictures of his home province on Instagram three years ago, and in late June one of his photos was featured on Instagram’s community account as part of a nine-post series recognizing the Canada 150 celebrations.

Cody Avery of Hodge’s Cove started posting pictures of his home province on the popular photo-sharing site Instagram three years ago, and in late June one of his photos was featured on Instagram’s community account as part of a nine-post series recognizing the Canada 150 celebrations. The post has received more than 700,000 likes and more than 2,000 comments.

Avery, known to Instagram users as @codographs, has 14,900 followers, with each of his posts getting hundreds of likes.

The 20-year-old photographer is currently enrolled in the forestry resources technician program at the College of the North Atlantic in Corner Brook, and has spent the past three years travelling Newfoundland and Labrador to capture its immense beauty.

Avery’s work focuses predominately on nature and landscape scenes, things he feels drawn to.

He said in an interview that he “prefers hiking and landscapes to photos of people.”

Avery’s deep love of Canada resonates clearly in his work, which captures the rugged beauty of Atlantic Canada.

This love did not go unnoticed by the staff members of Instagram, who contacted him in early June with questions to answer in preparation for his photo being shared on Instagram’s global account, which curates beautiful photos from around the world and is followed by 225 million Instagram users.

Avery’s photo was posted on June 27 with the caption: “From the rugged cliffs of the Avalon to the long range of mountains of the west coast, everywhere screams adventure.

Newfoundland has a very diverse landscape. It’s extremely beautiful — from forest to city to sea, there’s beauty all around. To me, part of being Canadian is appreciating all that we have.”

“Getting a shout-out from the people and place where I’ve been posting my work was so great,” Avery said about having his photo featured so prominently.

Avery said he was honoured to “represent Canada for its 150th birthday,” something he had also had the opportunity to do in February when six of his photographs were featured on Roots Canada’s account as part of its series honouring the special year for the country.

“There’s no formula to my work” Avery says, adding that it is a question he has often received about his photos.

He said he does not publish or edit photos on a specific schedule, but when the time or the image is right.

Avery hopes to continue pursuing his passion for photography after he graduates from the College of the North Atlantic and works in forestry.

He said he hopes to someday have the opportunity to take photos across Canada.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Photographer Cody Avery at the Grand Codroy estuary in October 2016.

SCREEN GRAB A bonfire on the shores of Red Indian Lake (October 2016).

PHOTO BY CODY AVERY Dungeon Provincial Park, Cape Bonavista.

PHOTO BY CODY AVERY Early morning fishing in Goobies (June 2015).

PHOTO BY CODY AVERY View from Little Port Head overlooking cedar cove on the west coast of Newfoundland (Lake Harbour, October 2016).

PHOTO BY CODY AVERY Wildflowers with a coastal background. Taken on Fogo Island near the community of Joe Batts Arm. “Long studio,” one of five art studios on the island, can be seen in the background.