Ken's focus on being positive influence in photography, and on those who are part of his life

Ronan Fagan

Rosemount photographer Ken Byrne is basking in the glow of recognition for his work at the Icon International Photography awards. They are among “the most respected global competitions” in the industry, and Ken’s “technical and artistic mastery” was recognised by his international peers with multiple silver accolades in the ‘Fine Art Portrait’ category.

This moment of achievement is significant for the photographer, who has endured “low times” and a “fluctuation of emotions”. His passion for photography evident in conversation, Ken has had camera in hand for more than 20 years, developing his craft to the extent that his talent was recognised in such a lauded industry setting as Las Vegas.

He has experienced moments of low self-worth when he truly believed he would not reach the heights of his chosen career. A kidney transplant in 2017 saved his life and was an experience that “profoundly changed my outlook on life, creativity, and purpose”.

“Since that moment, my work has focused heavily on storytelling, emotion, and the deeper human experience,” Ken said. His recent accolades are not the first. He received 12 IPPA awards in 2015 and an invitation to speak as a masterclass presenter at the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers (SWPP) in London in 2016. However, such was his state of health and mind at the time, Ken didn’t celebrate those achievements “due to low self worth”.

“Today, that has changed. These new awards mark a powerful turning point, both personally and professionally, and I’m proud to represent Westmeath and the Irish midlands on an international stage,” Ken said.

His initial career choice was a welder, but “an injury while training” pointed him to a career in photography, initially in sales for an international company operating in more than 32 countries.

He soon developed an interest in the photography he was selling and began honing a career craft that has since brought him great reward. “My employers trained me over a four-year period and during that time I sampled all genres of photography, receiving great understanding of how best to use the camera in a number of situations,” Ken said.

A love for portrait photography blossomed and so too did his personal life when he met his future wife, Áine, “on the job” at a showjumping shoot.

Áine has been a source of “all that is positive” in Ken’s life and when the photographer’s kidneys failed in 2016, she donated hers to “save my life”.

“When my kidneys started to fail, it deeply impacted my mindset. I had to deal with so many life fears – which I suppressed and ultimately that led to a depression. I brought these fears on myself. The situation was distracting and I was of the view that this health issue was holding me back in life,” Ken said.

Thankfully, Áine proved to be a kidney match and on January 13, 2017, Ken was given a “new lease of life” when he had kidney transplant surgery. Ken is effusive in his love for his wife. They have three children, Keelin (17), Fia (11) and Kai (6).

“The greatest healing ability is love and Áine’s enduring love enabled me to have a kidney transplant and ultimately a renewed outlook on life. I am now at ease with my life. She is actually the heroine of my story,” Ken said.

Áine is also Ken’s partner in their family-run photography business developing and they work together at intimate wedding ceremonies both nationally and internationally. “I have become a better person because of Áine,” Ken said.

While recovering from his transplant, Ken paused to reflect on his personal life, his illness, he believed, had affected “promises made” to his family.

“My family deserved better from me and I made a personal pact to deliver on my promises to them once I returned to good health,” Ken added.

With a working mantra of “never letting clients down”, within five weeks of his surgery, Ken was back in photography mode. Discharged from hospital on a Thursday afternoon, he was shooting a wedding on Friday morning.

“If I could return to work so soon after my transplant, my next thought was what more could I now do for my family. They are my life,” Ken said.

“I always aim to bring my subject’s stories to life through my lens. There are five aspects to fine portrait photography I always draw upon during my work: light, location, pose, in-camera technique and impact for the viewer. Combining all five elements to the best of my ability is my sole focus when working with my subjects and allows for creative flow at its finest,” Ken added.

In an industry where “you can never stand still”, Ken looks towards the future with his optimism.

“Professionally, you always want to continue mastering your technique and to lift your craft to a higher level. I would like to become a mentor in the industry, but in general I aim to become a more positive influence on those who are part of my life,” Ken concluded.