Biography - Chad Coppess spent 28 years as the official photographer for the South Dakota Department of Tourism, but sneaks over the border and spends as much time in Wyoming as he can. His interest in Old West and Native American history pulls him west quite often, and even more so now that’s he retired from a second career with South Dakota Magazine. A new aspect of his photography is placing western action figures into actual historic locations, which of course means pretty much all of Wyoming.
About the Photo - Ojibwe dancer/artist Michelle Reed jumped at the chance to do a photo shoot at the sacred Mato Tipila, or Devils Tower. The gracefulness of her eagle wings and movement instantly made Chad think of the many birds he’s seen circling the tower each time he visits there.
History - Several tribal legends explain the significance of the Tower to their heritage, many including a gigantic bear that clawed the sides of the rock to create the vertical cracks in its face. The Tower is popular with rock climbers, but a voluntary climbing closure for the month of June respects the cultural and spiritual significance of the monument.
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