About the Author and the Photographer
Mary Somervell, Author
Mary lives in Nelson, New Zealand with her partner, Steve Vaughan.
Mary is a published author, frequent blogger and outdoors enthusiast. She writes inspirational stories about living well, connecting with nature, and redefining adventures.
She founded AWOL (Adventurous Women on the Loose) to share her passion for being active outdoors with other women.
In 2022 Mary self-published Going AWOL: Inspiration and Insights from Adventurous Women on the Loose.
She completed an online Poetry Masterclass with Mark Tredinnick in 2023. This inspired her to write a series of poems to highlight Steve’s photos of beautiful places and their combined adventures throughout New Zealand and the Pacific.
Mary's lively poems are partnered with Steve's striking photos in A Poetic Journey through Aotearoa due for release in mid-April 2024.
Connect with Mary on LinkedIn
Steven Vaughan, Photographer
Steve is a self-taught landscape and underwater photographer who lives in Nelson, New Zealand.
His landscape and nature images have appeared in numerous calendars. His digital and framed photos have been widely admired by local holidaymakers and visitors to New Zealand.
Steve has used his understanding of New Zealand’s landscape to become a recognised landscape photographer, who also coaches in landscape photography. His coaching and editing of images help photographers go ‘beyond the shutter button’ to convey their personal vision.
A Poetic Journey through Aotearoa is a collaborative effort. Each poem shines a light on a beautiful photograph, and the matched pairs are made more whole by the encounter.
Many of Steve's photos also appear in Going AWOL: Inspiration and Insights ... book.
