One of our favorite photographers, Chad Coppess, received a real honor last week at the State Tourism Conference. Chad was given the 2013 A.H. Pankow Award, which honors those who have made a contribution to South Dakota’s tourist indusry.

Coppess is the senior photographer for South Dakota Tourism. He’s traveled all over our state with his camera, taking shots that capture our state’s beauty and fun. He co-founded the Black Hills Photo Shootout with Scott Howard, created South Dakota-themed backdrops for an online racing game, and writes three blogs celebrating South Dakota in music, film and photography. You’ve seen his photos in the pages of South Dakota Magazine and on this website many times.

Let’s celebrate this honor with a few of our favorite Coppess photos. Congratulations, Chad, and keep up the great work!