The Beautiful Badlands of western North Dakota and eastern Montana

It’s history, culture, and quality of life.  It’s western North Dakota and eastern Montana, shaped by its terrain, and it’s the Beautiful Badlands!  Ranchers produce cattle, families explore together, mountain bikers ride the Maah Daah Hey trail, hikers marvel at the rugged terrain.  Like us, photographers seek the beauty of the region.

Mike and Mary at Wind River Canyon in the winter, Theodore Roosevelt National Park near Medora, North Dakota

What We Do

We’re two writer/photographers in love with each other and in love with these Beautiful Badlands!  Mary (Marys Photos) and Mike (Mykuhls Photography) capture and share images of wildlife, rugged landscape, rodeos, powwows, mountain biking and events. We write about our exploits hiking, camping, exploring and enjoying the Beautiful Badlands of North Dakota and Montana. 

Mike Kopp

Mike Kopp

Mike Kopp was a life-long career photojournalist with experience in television news as well as a radio personality in the Des Moines, Iowa and Bismarck, North Dakota areas.  He was a newspaper editor in western North Dakota, and won six awards for newspaper photography and five awards for broadcast documentaries. His photos have sold in galleries across North Dakota and are known for “sense of place and time”.  Mike hiked, canoed, camped, and rode horses in the Badlands of North Dakota for over 40 years.  His promotions of motorcycle tourism in North Dakota garnered the attention of national travel interests.

Mike passed away in March of 2023 after a long battle with cancer.  He was a man of intense curiousity, and vast talents.  He is deeply missed by many, but especially by his devoted travel companion and wife, Mary Lou.  

Discover Mike’s legacy here: Mike D Kopp, adventurer and photojournalist.

 

Follow Mike here:

www.500px.com/ndshooter

www.msquaredphotos.us

www.facebook.com/MykuhlsPhotography.MikeKopp/

Mary Lou Tastad

Mary, also known as Sidehackmary, is an avid photographer and motorcyclist with an educational background in architecture, interior design, fashion design, and fine arts. While employment brought her to retail management, construction, and preschool education in eastern North Dakota and northern Alabama, Mary now spends the major part of her time traveling with camera in hand. Western North Dakota has for years captivated Mary as a beautiful and spiritual place.  Her photo entitled “Winter Reckoning” was chosen as a winner of the 2014 North Dakota Governor’s Art Contest.

Mary’s photos are featured here:

www.flickr.com/photos/47073411@N08/

www.500px.com/sidehackmary1

www.marys.photo

 

 

Mary Lou Tastad