From the valley floor of Zinal rise the giants of the Imperial Crown. In the foreground of this panorama of the Valais Alps, the Besso spreads its ridges from shadow to light, taking our gaze into a fabulous world. At its foot, the Zinal and Moming glaciers bear witness to a time when the mountains were pure white. Our journey begins on the left of the photograph, along the ridges of the Zinalrothorn. The odyssey continues fromObergabelhorn to the Matterhorn, from summit of the Dent Blanche and the Dent d'Hérens to the summit of Grand Cornier.

I took this panoramic photograph of the Imperial Crown at Zinal in early autumn. Cradled by First snows, the mountain is reborn after the arid heat of summer. Its diaphanous veil reveals a cracked armour to the light. The fragility of a mountain that has stood here since the dawn of time. The cracks in its rock, the cracks in its glaciers. The bones of titans once clad in a thick white coat.

Through this work, I pay homage to the imperial crown of Zinal, grandiose and flamboyant. I love the rare textures that testify to its rich history. The play of melodious lines that redraw the mountains. Every summit echoes Next, every peak is in tune with the whole, like brushstrokes on a masterpiece. A marvel emerges from perfect alignment, a moment of grace from remarkable balance. An indomitable Valais fortress that touches our hearts.