Dreamlike Odyssey among the Mountains

If there were only one left, would it be this one? The immutable natural wall that stretches across the border between Switzerland and Italy. Here's one of my finest works. In this panoramic photograph, we take a bird's-eye view of my favorite mountains: the five summits over 4,000 meters high that make up the fabulous imperial crown of Zinal. In the heart of the Valais Alps rise Dent Blanche,Obergabelhorn, Zinalrothorn, Weisshorn and, of course, in the foreground, the hero of the picture, the majestic Matterhorn. I shot this fabulous portrait from a helicopter over Cervinia. In the background, Zermatt is shrouded in mist, while bernese alps emerges from a sea of clouds.

I'm very moved by this work because I've been lucky enough to climb every one of these mountains. After long hours of effort, I remember the joy I felt when I reached summit on the Matterhorn. With a last breath, I touched the cross on its crest, thanking the heavens for allowing me to experience this unique moment. I then crossed the summit ridge, proud of my every step and admiring the breathtaking beauty of the panorama before me. Paroxysm of happiness. To be at one with nature, pure and wild, and at the same time to realize how insignificant man is in the face of the power of the elements.

This photographic masterpiece, timeless and out of this world, highlights the immensity and grandeur of the Alps. I set myself the challenge of transcribing the power of the mountains through gentle contrasts. And the magic works. A magnificent, bewitching mountain that stirs my soul. That day, as the storm blew away towards other horizons, the clouds covered the valleys, adding extraordinary depth to the work. The photograph becomes an ode to travel among the most beautiful summits of the Alps. From the top of the Matterhorn, the eye sails through the heart of the imperial crown to dock at bernese alps. The work seems to come from a world where men do not exist. Only the Matterhorn cross betrays the passage of human beings into this fairytale world, on the border between earth and sky.