Oy Leticia,
Hm, there is no rule that says a photo MUST be taken in golden light. And maybe I was a bit over-enthusiastic in my visualizations (everything happening in my minds eye).
I was just saying that the time of day was not
ideal. What I meant by that, was that in my minds eye, I saw some more definition in the hills. When the sun comes from top, there are very little shadows. If the sun were more from the side, it would have created more definition in the hills, shadows and texture.
But you see, now you come into contact with the concept of "light". Without light, photography would not exist, because all that photography is, is the capture and interpretation of light.
We speak of hard light (in the middle of the day, like your Atacama) when the shadows are very dark and harsh, or soft light, when the shadows are not so intense and more subtle (like earlier and later in the day, or on a day when it is covered with cloud).
Also, of course the colors are more intense when the light is less hard.
I realized that you were on your way somewhere when the photo was taken. Of course the desert is not a place where you can just change your "schedule" in a moment. There are so many places where I have been, and just didn't have the opportunity to be there at the "perfect" time. I still took the photo. But I always wish I could go back. But there are so many new places too.
Anyway, there is a lot to learn, and photography is really an interesting subject. A subject which of course, starts with light...
Hope you will stick around and post more photos, and learn more, as we all do...
Salud y amor! :hug::