Yes, more dried mud! As I have written before, for reasons that still mystify me, this is an irresistible subject for many landscape photographers… and I’m no exception. What explains it? The colors? The contrast with surroundings? The fractal shapes?
This example comes from a very small “mini-playa” among volcanic hills in Death Valley National Park. The area was re-shaped by an eruption a tome point in the past — estimates range from as recently as 800 years ago to many thousands of years. Small, rounded hills drain into lower areas, and here the muddy water pooled over the decades, gradually creating a flat surface of dry mud.
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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email
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