I think we're too close to her for desolation to come through. She looks a little thoughtful and bit sorrowful, but desolation would give way to melancholy for me. Nicely taken shot though (and a pretty subject too) but she looks a little too tightly cropped. [5]
I love the person in the lower right of the phot. She adds so much to the picture. Just the direction she is looking and the expression on her face. I love the grayscale and the contrast.
I feel that the person is just a little too far into the corner. Possibly bring her up and out a bit so that we can see her shoulders for a bit more body language.
I like this, but I think she's too close to the corner. the real desolation is in her face and in the dry brush on the left. lowering the frame a little would help.