Awakening the Giant

Glowing Matterhorn is one of my finest high-altitude photographs. It paints a charismatic and grandiose portrait of the Matterhorn in the Valais Alps. At the center of the picture, the Hörnli ridge links the eastern and northern faces of the mountain. Climbers can reach summit of the Matterhorn at 4478 metres from Zermatt. A giant of rock with feet of clay, its glaciers, weakened every year by global warming, can be seen here at the bottom of the picture.

Making this picture was a real adventure for me. Desperately awaiting the arrival of the forecast rainfall, I had to stay for three days on the heights of Zermatt, in my tent with only my stove for company. I spent two nights waiting out the gusts of wind that threatened to blow away my shelter. On the third day, an hour before sunrise, the sky finally lit up. During the night, snow had dusted the Matterhorn in white. The first light of day was coming up behind the Monte Rosa massif, giving the majestic Matterhorn a bit of light. So, to capture this light invisible to the naked eye in my lens, I lengthened the exposure time of the shot. The result is before you, an astonishing royal apparition in the middle of the night.

I love this photograph because it highlights the shape of the Matterhorn. Thanks to its particular contrasts, the mountain seems to sparkle like a diamond. The night lighting also helps to magnify this legendary summit with its unrivalled presence.

Finally, this portrait shows the Matterhorn as the mythical creature I've always imagined it to be. He appears like a mighty sphinx watching over the surrounding Alpine massifs. Looking towards the rising sun, its rump is outlined by the Zmutt ridge on the right. Wise and unchanging, you can't take your eyes off it. The moment is magical, almost unreal. The very symbol of what I wish to convey through my art.