Mud Cracks in Death Valley

Travis Rhoads

Travis Rhoads

Well-Known Member
Wandering the mud cracks in Death Valley was a completely new experience for me. The shapes were everywhere, finding the right ones to use as foreground elements was a true challenge. We had flagged some during scouting, and some we just stumbled upon while trying to find a place to shoot sunset...to know that they are all different now makes the images we captured unique...and it gives me a good excuse to go back!

#1: Muddy Puzzles
MuddyPuzzle-POTN.jpg


#2: Sunrise on the Mud Flats
SunriseOnTheMudFlats-POTN.jpg


#3: Missing Pieces
MissingPieces-POTN.jpg


#4: Fresh Mud
FreshMud-POTN.jpg


I found myself doing so many vertical orientation images on that trip, so much more than usual, and living at 16mm...
 
Travis Rhoads

Travis Rhoads

Well-Known Member
AlanLichty said:
Fun set Travis - I do like all of them but in particular #1 and #3. Very nice clouds in #4. Well seen.
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Thanks Alan. #1 was probably my favorite mud crack image from the trip. I am working on another one from that session, just not done yet. #3, those cracks were past their prime, and being stomped on, but I really liked the layers of textures in it...so I stopped and spent some time there.
 
Travis Rhoads

Travis Rhoads

Well-Known Member
Sunny Sra said:
Travis,
This is a fantastic set. I've never photographed the mud flats out there...must find em
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Thank you Sunny. Much like the patterns in the sand dunes, the cracks change and move, especially after the rains they got this February. Finding them is half the fun!
 
JimFox

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
Just an awesome series Travis! I don’t think I have seen this full set before from you. They certainly look great, and #1 is an easy favorite though the midday one you added is sure really cool too.

Your #4 is the closest looking to what I could find when I was there last time. I think the mud cracks are harder too find, have short life spans and so are much more difficult to get the salt polygons in Badwater.
 
Travis Rhoads

Travis Rhoads

Well-Known Member
JimFox said:
Just an awesome series Travis! I don’t think I have seen this full set before from you. They certainly look great, and #1 is an easy favorite though the midday one you added is sure really cool too.

Your #4 is the closest looking to what I could find when I was there last time. I think the mud cracks are harder too find, have short life spans and so are much more difficult to get the salt polygons in Badwater.
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Thanks Jim, I have posted them all between FB and IG at some point since the trip...but I can't expect anyone to remember that but me!:)

#4 was the closest to the road, and the easiest to get to...and it was one we found walking back...and then the sky lit up for an encore...so I had to stop and make the other guys wait for me....they had to, I had the keys...the mud cracks are certainly more spread out in the park, and not concentrated, and finding them isn't easy, and people tend to keep the hard to find ones secret...and for good reason. We saw a group just trampling on them and not being considerate...which was a shame.
 
pepper

pepper

Well-Known Member
these are stunning! you've really captured some beautiful shapes and textures in the ground.

congrats on being the featured post.
 
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