We were travelling in the north of Argentina with a rented camper, looking for interesting places to photograph. During the day, temperatures are extremely high but drop very low at night. It is difficult to find where to sleep in the area. There are some mining operations but no hotels. So, we used our camper as accommodation, but it was really cold.

There are many salt flats abound in this area. Spanning more than 1,600 square kilometres (600 square miles), Salar de Arizaro is the sixth largest salt flat in the world. Currently, many mining companies exploit the salt flats, which are rich in lithium, the main ingredient of batteries.

A particular characteristic of it is a conical hill named Cerro Cono or Cono de Arita, a sandstone formation. Small, rounded bumps in the landscape are called yardangs; dusty hills formed when soft rocks are weathered and abraded by winds.

The area can be very windy, which is a significant problem if you have to change your lens. It is best to do so in the vehicle and be ready to capture the picture. The other drawback is that colours are altered by the intense midday sun.

Landscapes of large, empty spaces where isolation is the norm make for interesting photographic subjects. You can find wild fauna around the area, mainly guanacos and lamas, but rarely vicunas and alpacas. Like the Atacama in Chile, this area also offers enormous possibilities for astrophotography thanks to its dry climate with low humidity and no light pollution.

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