This museum grade fine art photograph is available in a fine art limited edition of 200, signed and numbered with a signed Certificate of Authenticity (COA) provided for additional provenance.
Split Eternity - Milky Way over the Death Valley Mud Cracks and Telescope Peak, Death Valley, CA
Mud Cracks, Death Valley National Park, California
The Milky Way Core over the Death Valley Mud Cracks, Panamint Range and Telescope Peak, Death Valley National Park, California
Deep cracks (known as the Death Valley Mud Cracks) form in the dried mud beds of Death Valley as the Milky Way core rises into the night skies above the basins in Death Valley and the Panamint Range. The Milky Way rises above Telescope Peak and Wildrose Peak, with Rogers Peak anchoring the middle of the core as it rises above the Panamint Range. Telescope Peak is the tallest Mountain in Panamint Range and Death Valley National Park at 11,049 feet according to the NPS, a stark contrast to Badwater Basin which sits at -282 feet below sea level (the lowest elevation in North America). This creates an 11,331 foot vertical rise from Badwater Basin across just 17 miles, a greater vertical relief than the south rim of the Grand Canyon, one of the most dramatic elevation contrasts on Earth. From the Panamint Range ridgeline, you can simultaneously see both Mount Whitney (highest point in the contiguous US) and Badwater Basin (lowest point in the contiguous US).
Note: Telescope Peak rises to 11,043 feet above sea level according to the National Geodetic Survey and NOAA (NAVD 88, NGS Benchmark GS0799), the highest peak in Death Valley National Park. The NPS lists the elevation as 11,049 feet, a slight variation reflecting different measurement datums and methodologies. The vertical rise from Badwater Basin to Telescope Peak using the NAVD 88 measurement is 11,325 feet. This is likely the more accurate measurement, but I've opted to quote the NPS measurement above to match their official website pages.
To see a more of the Death Valley Mud Cracks, please see my photos Jigsaw, Broken, Cracks in Time, Fractured Twilight, and Broken Road.
Death Valley Mud Cracks: A Trip to See the Mojave Desert Wonder at Night
Death Valley is a place of hidden beauty, where the wonders of nature find a way to astound us even in the most desolate of places. I’ve always loved Death Valley, and I’ve always been enamored by mud cracks in the dry desert. There’s something otherworldly about this landscape. I imagine this is what parts of Mars must look like, dry mud cracks split for all eternity. Perhaps that’s what makes Death Valley so intriguing to me: it really does seem like an alien world here on earth.
Seeing the Milky Way core rise into the dark night sky overhead was quite a sight to behold. The way the Milky Way twinkles high above the Death Valley Mud Cracks, Panamint Range and the Death Valley Wilderness is always a moment that makes time stand still. When I was a kid I always wanted to explore alien worlds, and as an adult exploring Death Valley is a nice substitute. My son also loves exploring here. One of his favorite things to do here has always been to gaze up at the stars. I guess it’s true: like father like son.
What Creates the Dried Mud Cracks in Death Valley?
Dried mud in Death Valley National Park creates deep mud cracks shaped like geometric patterns in the dry, arid landscape of the Mojave Desert. They are not found in one, permanent location. Rain and flash floods cause them to disappear, and as the landscape dries out the mud contracts causing cracks in the mud and the mud cracks to re-appear. The mud cracks form in spots with mud deposits along the dried lakebeds and playas that line the valley floor. They do not appear in places which are the salt flats along the valley floor. This is where the famous honeycomb like hexagon shaped salt rings appear, as seen in Under the Sea and across my Badwater Basin Photography in my Death Valley gallery. The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes have places where polygon-cracked clay from an ancient lakebed forms the floor, and it can occasionally be seen in certain parts of the lower dunes around the outer edges (especially after flooding). The Furnace Creek area is another location where they tend to form, and they have formed near the Stovepipe Wells area and in various washes around Death Valley. Any place flooding has left mud deposits will begin to form mud cracks once the mud dries out due to the intense heat of Death Valley, so it's important to pay attention to the weather patterns here to track where the mud cracks may occur during any given drying cycle.
Technical Specifications
- Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
- Settings (Sky): 24mm | f/2.8 | 25 Seconds | ISO 3200
- Settings (Foreground): 24mm | f/2.8 | 180 Seconds | ISO 3200
- Process: 6-Image Focus Stack (1 Sky, 5 Foreground) | Successive Back-to-Back Exposures | Low Level Lighting (LLL) in Foreground | In-Camera Long Exposure (The Mead Method) | Bespoke Multi-Layer Noise Management (Manual Masking to preserve shadow integrity and astronomical detail)
Historical and Provenance Note
The Death Valley Mud Cracks are highly ephemeral, changing size, shape and location as the landscape endures the never ending cycle of heating, drying, and flooding as the cycle repeats itself over time. As such, each photo of these formations is a unique moment in time that rarely exists in quite the same manner once the cycle repeats.
Since this image was captured, the cycle has repeated multiple times. Flooding has washed away these specific mud cracks as silt washes down from above and starts the process anew. As such, this photo stands as a moment long since gone: a moment frozen in time through the wonders of photography.
Technical Note
A 6-Image Focus Stack of 6 single exposure images all taken at back to back to back. The sky frame was taken first at the proper exposure settings, followed by 5 exposures of the foreground each at 180 seconds. Figuring out the 180 second exposure required mental exposure extrapolation based on the initial sky exposure settings, as I mentally calculated the proper exposure settings for the foreground. All foreground exposures were taken at the exact same settings, shifting focus each frame to ensure sharp, in-focus details from the closest elements of the image to the stars above in the night sky.
Photo © copyright by James Mead.
Chromaluxe® Metal Prints | Gallery Float Ready to Hang
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• Float mount backing for a frameless, floating display. Ready to hang out of the box
• Signed and Numbered Limited Editions of 200
• Signed Certificate of Authenticity (COA) provided for additional provenance
• Hand Crafted in the USA by our master printmakers
Please contact me for Alaska, Hawaii, and international shipping rates. Please allow 3-4 weeks for production and delivery.
These metal prints are ideal for collectors seeking a contemporary look with museum-quality output. Resistant to scratch, moisture and UV fading, they work beautifully in both home and office settings.
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Lumachrome TruLife® Acrylic HD Fine Art Prints | Gallery Float Ready to Hang
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Bring home the brilliance of nature with the industry’s finest print medium. My Lumachrome TruLife® Acrylic HD Fine Art Prints are crafted using a state-of-the-art process that infuses archival pigments into a transparency layer, backed by a clear acrylic backer and mounted under crystal-clear TruLife® acrylic. This creates a luminous, almost 3D effect. Colors appear to glow from within.
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• 1/8" clear acrylic backer mounted using an archival adhesive layer
• 1.25” Roma wooden rear float mount frame inset 2” from the edge for a clean, frameless display that is ready to hang
• Signed and Numbered Limited Editions of 200
• Signed Certificate of Authenticity (COA) provided for additional provenance
• Hand Crafted in the USA by our master printmakers
• Ready to hang out of the box: no glass or framing required
Please contact me for Alaska, Hawaii, and international shipping rates. Please allow 3-4 weeks for production and delivery.
Whether you're designing a luxury interior or curating a personal gallery, these prints are built to impress and designed to last a lifetime.
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Roma Framed Lumachrome TruLife® Acrylic HD Fine Art Prints | Museum-Quality Ready to Hang
Timeless elegance. Unrivaled depth. A true centerpiece.
My Roma Framed Lumachrome TruLife® Acrylic HD Fine Art Prints represent the pinnacle of archival display. These statement pieces combine the award-winning brilliance of Lumachrome HD with the craftsmanship of custom Roma wood mouldings, transforming your chosen image into an heirloom-worthy work of art.
Each piece is handcrafted by master printmakers and framers in the USA using museum-grade materials. The print itself is infused with archival pigments into a transparency layer, mounted to an archival acrylic backer and face-mounted and sealed under a 1/8" layer of crystal-clear TruLife® acrylic: a premium optically-coated surface that eliminates reflections and enhances depth, vibrance, and clarity.
Surrounding this luminous presentation is your choice of genuine Roma Moulding, hand-built with a choice of 3.5" or 4" Italian made wooden Roma frame with a 3" black linen liner for a refined, framed, museum grade appearance. This adds approximately 13 to 14 inches to both the height and width of the final piece. This level of finish is rarely seen outside of luxury interiors and gallery exhibitions.
After placing your order, I’ll reach out personally to confirm your ideal frame and liner pairing from my curated Roma collection. If you’d prefer to finalize your framing choice in advance, feel free to reach out any time for a custom recommendation.
These museum grade works of art feature:
• Gallery-grade presentation with luminous depth and 3D effect
• TruLife® acrylic: anti-reflective, scratch-resistant, and blocks 99% of UV
• Archival quality construction with pH-neutral adhesive and backer
• Available in your choice of 3.5" or 4" Roma wood mouldings with a black linen liner for a framed, museum-grade appearance
• Museum-grade 3" black linen liner for added depth and visual separation
• Signed and Numbered Limited Editions of 200
• Signed Certificate of Authenticity (COA) provided for additional provenance
• Hand Crafted in the USA by our master printmakers
• Ready to hang out of the box: no glass or framing required
Please contact me for Alaska, Hawaii, and international shipping rates. Please allow 4-5 weeks for production and delivery.
Whether displayed in a luxury residence, corporate lobby, or fine art collection, these framed prints command attention and offer a sense of permanence few art mediums can match.
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These are investment-grade art pieces designed to last generations. If you have any questions, need any mock-ups or if you need anything else before purchase, please reach out and I will be in contact shortly.