This is a bit of a different take on mud cracks. The mud had a mineral coating of white, so it was a natural for a B&W. This scene is about one foot across and graphical nature of the cracks drew me to it.
D850, 70-200mm
4 Likes
Good work Harley. I just wrote a comment on light and this is a great example of how to compose for harsh light. This makes me think of Japanese calligraphy. You could also read other things into this shape. I like it.
Love the shapes , lines and textures in this one Harley. Just wondering if you lowered the black point to make the cracks pure black or not. Would like to see what it looks like with the black point raised although that may mess with the whole concept here. Nicely seen.
Wonderful! I’ve never seen mud cracks quite like this and you found an engaging composition. B/W was an excellent choice for such an abstract image.
I see lightning bolts myself. I like the deep black in the cracks, it gives the image a lot of snap. Harley, if there was a “Golden Ratio” type rule for how to distribute mud cracks across the edges of the frame, then this would be a great illustration of it. I love the asymmetric amount of real estate each of the four sections occupies.
I’ll add the same comment for your last one. Bigger is better. The larger image has such great texture to it. I love the simple graphic nature. Would have no clue what this was unless you titled it.
Very cool find, Harley! The graphics with the lines are outstanding and the perfect candidate for the B&W treatment. I really like the way you framed this intimate landscape and when I opened the large version the textures really sprang to life. The complete lack of scale is a plus made for this intriguing scene. Without your backstory I would not have had a clue about what I was viewing.
Now that’s a set of cracks, Harley. The starkness really stands out, especially the full black in the cracks. Their shape and placement is excellent also.
This one is disorienting; I’m glad you noted what the subject was. Very dramatic contrasts, with the sharp jagged lines and deep black in the cracks. Now, if only I hadn’t seen “Rock Layers” first. 
(It’s not rare that I have preferences with images that I find hard to clarify as to why, but I think I struggle even more with abstracts.)
Harley,
Love the graphic design of this. For, the decision to go full black in the cracks - zero detail really sets this one apart. And without context as someone mentioned, I might not have any idea what this is - could be an aerial with the dark waters of canals from above - cutting (manmade?) through an arid landscape.
Cool stuff, no suggestions.
Lon
Nice work, @Harley_Goldman. The high contrast and jagged appearance of the cracks work well together. I often forget to simply look down when searching for a subject to photograph. Images like yours are a reminder of the unique subjects right beneath our feet.