The general characteristics for the American Southwest are remoteness, dryness and extreme temperatures. After all, it is a desert. Rock formations that otherwise would be covered by vegetation are exposed. The landscape with its dominant sand stone is eroding over eons and presents rather unique geologic formations. The classic views are mesas, buttes, spires, hoodoos, washes and so on and provide a wonderful inspiration for landscape photography.

There is a particular place in the Southwest which is known as the Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. Two particular places in this vast area draw each year an increasing amount of visitors. One is the permit regulated visit of “The Wave” at North Coyote Butte. The other spot is of free access and is called White Pocket. Free access is somewhat elusive, as the approach is not an easy one. Too many people get stuck with their cars in deep sand.

Long before White Pocket became its fame it was a patch of weird geologic formations lost somewhere in the sandy wilderness. Ranchers used the rocky ground to collect water for the cattle, hence the name Pocket. Finally, White Pocket as most of the rock is white.

My first visit to this place was over a decade ago. In the meantime I visited it too many times to know exactly how often I have been there. Each time was a special moment, but the best was at a sunset that had a sky complementing perfectly the rocks in front of my tilt and shift lens.