Echoes of the Black Place
Eroded Hills at the Black Place in Northern New Mexico
Stepping into the "Black Place" in northwestern New Mexico feels like walking onto another planet. It was a surreal moment to finally stand in the area where Georgia O’Keeffe once painted, having spent time piecing together clues online to find this place. The erosion patterns in these badlands are mesmerizing, creating rhythmic, undulating forms that seem to shift under the light.
On this first visit, I kept my kit light, shooting handheld with my OM-1. It was a brief, exploratory session—a way to simply soak in the atmosphere before committing to a deeper, more comprehensive return visit, which happened only weeks later. The few frames I shot this day were just the beginning, but they captured the quiet, ancient energy of a place that feels completely timeless.
Explore More of My Adventures
Deep in the remote Bisti Badlands lies a small, highly localized area known as the Alien Egg Hatchery, home to these whimsically eroded hoodoos found nowhere else on Earth. This single twilight image highlights the eerie, cracked textures of these bizarre formations under the soft blue hour light. Read the full story behind navigating this desert wilderness and the fascinating geology that created these surreal sandstone monoliths.