The Morning Watch: A crisp, biting morning in Auron, catching the sun as it breaks over the ridge above the village chapel. I captured this on an iPhone 13 mini while out on the slopes. As I spent the vast majority of my time this week snowboarding with my family and not primarily photographing, the portability of the phone was essential for grabbing these fleeting moments of mountain light between descents. The sharp lens flare emphasises the sheer brilliance of the sun at this altitude.

The ‘Snow-Pod’ View of Auron: A long-exposure look at the village of Auron as it glows warmly against the massive, dark silhouettes of the Alps. As I spent the vast majority of my time this week snowboarding with my family and not primarily photographing, I didn’t have my tripod to hand. I had to stabilise the camera on a makeshift ‘snow-pod’—a pile of packed ice—to capture the village lights as they spilled out into the cold mountain night. It is a quiet study of human presence huddling against the vast, indifferent shadows of the peaks.

Relics of the Ridge: High above the Auron ski resort, the crumbled remains of a stone structure serve as a stark reminder of the mountain’s power over all things man-made. I was drawn to the rough, jagged edges of the ruins, which seem to be slowly returning to the earth, mimicking the rocky terrain around them. While I spent most of my time this week snowboarding with my family rather than photographing, these textures of decay caught my eye as a testament to the persistent, rugged nature of the Alps.

500mm Intimacy: Finding a subject the size of a finger from a distance. The 500mm focal length creates a beautiful compression, pulling the lizard out from the stone while melting the foreground and background into a high-key wash of light. Capturing this level of detail in such a small, skittish creature is a highlight of today's trek.

Suspended Silence: A study in geometry and altitude at Auron. These empty chairlifts, silhouetted against the thinning mountain air, create a striking pattern of lines and hooks. I love the contrast between the cold, engineered precision of the machinery and the jagged, organic chaos of the snowy peaks below. It captures that quiet, "after-hours" feeling when the mountain finally breathes.

The Mountain’s Hidden Residents: High above the Auron ski station, a small group of Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) navigates the snowy, vertical terrain. These agile mountain dwellers are masters of camouflage, blending perfectly into the rugged, rocky outcrops and sparse larch trees. It is a quiet reminder that even in a busy ski resort, nature is observing us from the heights.

Snowy Welcome: This is what you want to see when you arrive for a week of skiing! :)