Suddenly, the Weisshorn rises out of the bewitching mist. Dominating the Imperial Crown of Zinal, it rises gigantically between the Zermatt valley and val d’Anniviers. A grandiose creature, its imposing silhouette marks the Swiss Alps with the seal of splendor. The heroine of our photography, its northern ridge scrolls between light and shadow, revealing two sides of the same reality. For from black and white emerge all the nuances of a nature in full effervescence. Impetuous serenity, where softness emerges from strength. High mountains in all their purity.

In the middle of winter 2017, I set off to meet the Weisshorn. While the storm has blanketed summits with snow and the winds are still raging, I strap on my touring skis and gather my gear. The mountain beckons. From the Saint-Luc station, I reach summit de la Bella Tola, at 3025 meters altitude. A 1,400-metre climb and several hours of walking during which I dream. Of this legendary pyramid, its inspiring contours. I dream that I can immortalize it beyond the clouds. And when I finally reach the summit of the Bella Tola, the miracle happens. The Weisshorn, with its sharp point piercing the sky, reveals its immaculate finery, glistening in the sun. To its left, the famous Bishorn lends a hand with its colossal wingspan. At this very moment, the Alps offer me a breathtaking spectacle.

As a young mountain photographer, this was one of my first portraits of the Weisshorn. And one of my most striking. Facing the mountain, our gaze soars along its northern ridge, flying over rock, snow and glaciers, crossing its great gendarme to rub shoulders with the sky. When I took this photograph, I hadn't yet covered this fabulous route. I was letting my imagination run wild: would I one day be one of those who tread the Weisshorn's summit ? Would I taste this exceptional adventure? Since then, I've been lucky enough to make this incredible ascent. And I never tire of contemplating, surveying and photographing this marvellous mountain.