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Robert Kenney, born Kenneth Robert John Sawatzky in 1954,in Chilliwack, British Columbia, a small town on the banks of the Fraser River. Kenney is a well-known, esteemed portrait photographer, whose unique style of using wet-plate collodion has made him an inspiration to others and brought fame and success to his doorstep.

Early life
Sawatzky was raised by Mennonites, filling his childhood with rules and restrictions that did not allow for the growth that he would later on experience. He did not have free access to art in our and around his home due to his strict upbringing. As it is natural that youth grow and branch off into their own beliefs and understandings of the world, when Sawatzky had matured he made the choice to self-baptize by fire, and this allowed that he explore the world without the rigid restrictions of his previous style of living as a Mennonite. It was in his late twenties when Kenney fully discovered and delved into photography. Kenney was interested in stopping time and allowing people to interact with their authentic selves in his portrait work. He found his niche in the use of wet-plate collodion that has brought him into the eyes of the public.

Wet-Plate Collodion
Wet-plate collodion process was introduced in 1851, to replace the standard means of photography of that time, the daguerreotype, and it was greatly used for the next three decades that followed its introduction. Collodion is a chemical blend that is dispensed upon a glass plate, which is then placed in silver nitrate to make it photosensitive. The plate is then exposed in a 10x10 camera then must be developed immediately before it dries. This muddled, chaotic and inconsistent style of capturing a photograph presented many challenges and setbacks for the growing profession, therefore many photographers dispensed it when a better option was available. Yet, for Robert Kenney this manner of capturing photographs suits his style of seeing the world and its people.

Fame and Success
Robert Kenney’s use of wet-plate collodion in the technologically advanced 21st century world is one of the primary details that set him aside from the millions of photographers that exist worldwide. He has found a way to embrace the individual within the photograph as well as suspend time in an ethereal manner that is evident in all of his work. Robert Kenney currently resides and works in Vancouver, British Columbia with much success. He procures one’s spiritual awareness in his photographs, while using simple provisions and overall natural lighting to bring forth breath-taking portraits. His unique style and representation of people in his portraits has reached success not only in his home province, but also across North America.