JJJ PHOTO COLLECTION
The photographs and stories of Jim and Marilyn Svoboda—preserved and shared for generations to come.
Meet Jim & Marilyn ↓
Jim’s passion for rodeo grew into a lifelong commitment to documenting the sport and preserving its history. Marilyn was by his side, both behind a camera and organizing the business records and photo files. Together, they turned that shared work into JJJ Photo, carrying their ranch’s cattle brand into a photography business.
They traveled to rodeos across the country, sharing both the miles and the photography. Their partnership connected family life, ranching, and the rodeo community. The cameras in their hands tell part of that story. The photographs they brought home tell the rest.
Born in Nebraska in 1934, Jim spent nearly twenty years competing in rodeo. He rode bareback horses, saddle broncs, and bulls, and competed in steer wrestling. A badly broken leg brought his competitive career to an end and turned his attention to photographing the sport.
Alongside ranching and rodeo, he spent 33 years working for the USDA. His knowledge of the arena stayed with him behind the camera.
Jim’s photography grew into a career spanning 66 years. His assignments included the National Little Britches Rodeo Association, National Intercollegiate Finals, Miss Rodeo America, and Bill Pickett National Finals.
He received major rodeo photography honors and retired in 2021. He died on February 19, 2023, at 88, leaving a photographic record that reaches across generations of the sport.
Jim helped younger photographers find their footing and offered mentorship to many aspiring photographers over the years.
Those relationships are part of the archive, too: the riders in the photographs, the photographers he encouraged, and the family who shared the journey with Jim and Marilyn.
Timeline in progress
We’re adding dates, photographs, and stories as the archive grows.
TIMELINE SCHEMATIC A few biographical milestones show how the map and timeline will fit together. The complete record of rodeos, locations, years, and riders will come from the family’s future database.
Schematic only · try the sample controls to preview the layout. These points are selected life milestones, not a record of Jim’s travels. The future database will supply the complete locations, dates, events, and rider records.
16:9 / THE LONG STORYA home for full conversations with family, riders, and the people who knew Jim and Marilyn.
Interviews coming soon
9:16 / ONE FRAMEShort memories and archive discoveries, framed for social video.
Short films coming soonLook for the ride, the rodeo, or the person you remember. The photo galleries will connect this history to photographs you can bring home.
Explore the photo galleries ↗Our archive is growing. Explore the photographs currently available in our SmugMug galleries.
