Celestial Appearance

Magnificent panoramic photo of Mont Vélan, which rises to 3722 meters at the bottom of the Val d'Entremont, on the border between Switzerland and Italy. Situated between the Grand-Saint-Bernard pass and the Combins massif, this sublime mountain offers a grandiose panorama of the Alps. I love the aesthetics of its shapes, the beauty of its ridges and its hanging glaciers. Its summit is so vast that it's nicknamed the soccer pitch. In creating this black and white portrait of the mountain, I wanted to put it in the spotlight, as it too often lives in the shadow of its emblematic neighbor, the Grand Combin.

It's early spring and, on this particular day, the conditions are exceptional. I have waited many years to immortalize the freshly snow-covered Mont Vélan. A sea of clouds masks the base of its now vanished glaciers, elevating the mountain to the status of a celestial monument. It highlights its purity and the beauty of its forms. An inspiring sea of mist that plays a central role in my search artistic work, but almost cost us our lives. I took this aerial photograph by helicopter. We took off from the Valais and reached summits through a passage in the clouds. But while I was fascinated by the beauty of the spectacle before me, time stood still. I photographed this grandiose landscape while the sea of clouds insidiously surrounded us. To get back down to earth, we had to dive through a narrow skylight before the mist closed in on us for good. The session almost turned into a catastrophe.

That's the ambivalence of the high mountains. We are irresistibly drawn to its absolute purity, but the danger is ever-present. Whether you're climbing summit or flying to meet it, the risk is always present. In the midst of turbulence, I move forward with this fear deep inside me. No doubt the intensity of my feelings is reflected in my work. Between the irresistible need to be a privileged witness to the splendors revealed by the high mountains and the incessant doubts that make my heart beat faster, I pursue my artistic quest. Always bearing in mind that we weigh nothing in the face of alpine immensity.