Episode 104: Jussi Grznar / Commercial, Action Sports, and Fine Art Photographer

Jun 20, 2019

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Commercial, action sports, and fine art photographer Jussi Grznar joins the show to talk about growing up in former Czechoslovakia and watching the fall of communist leadership and repression, and how that led him to chasing his dreams not only for himself, but for his parents that never had the same opportunity. At an early age Jussi's parents always encouraged him and his sister to let themselves be influenced by travel, music, and whatever other culture they could absorb. At age 10, when communism fell, Jussi remembers starting to finally get his hands on skateboard and snowboarding magazines, and hear some of the music that had not been allowed before. It would become the spark of a dream that would eventually lead him to North America and through a ton of random jobs before finally picking up a camera to document the mountain lifestyle he had fallen in love with. While living in Whistler and attending the pro photography showdown, Jussi told his close friend that one day he would stand on that stage. It would be a prophetic statement that would give Jussi a goal that he would chase for years before making it come true and winning best in show and the people's choice at the same competition. During our conversation we discuss the trials and tribulations Jussi dealt with not only getting to Canada, but figuring out how to survive there and get his foot in the door of the competitive world of action sports photography, what it is was like to accomplish his goal of winning at Whistler's renowned pro photographer showdown after putting in years of work, how he made the transition from action sports photographer to commercial lifestyle shooter, and the advice he give to others coming up.