Did you know that the world's most viewed photograph wasn't taken in a studio, but in a moment of pause on the side of the road? Windows XP's famous wallpaper, "Bliss," wasn't actually a design or digital art, but a completely real scene, created by nature itself that day.
It was 1996. Photographer Charles O'Rear was driving through the wine region of Sonoma County, California. This area lies along Highway 121 between Napa and Sonoma. Along the way, he spotted a lush green hill and the deep blue sky stretching above it. Without much thought, he stopped, got off, and took out his camera.
At the time, O'Rear had a Mamiya RZ67 camera and Fujifilm Velvia slide film, known for its vibrant colors. The grass was exceptionally green due to recent rain, and the clouds in the sky appeared soft and clear. At that very moment, he took a few shots, one of which would later become history.
This photo wasn't digitally edited. The grass wasn't colored, nor was the sky darkened. What's visible is exactly what was present that day. Later, when people would comment on the photo, saying it looked "too perfect," O'Rear would often point out that the camera and the weather played a role, not a computer.
A few years later, the photo reached Microsoft. Around 2000, Microsoft purchased it from Corbis, then Bill Gates' image licensing company. When Windows XP launched in 2001, this photo was made its default wallpaper. This photo became XP's signature.
The price of this photo has not been made public to this day, due to a confidentiality agreement. Reports suggest that the amount was in the six-figures, considered extraordinary for a single photo at the time. The price was so high that shipping the original film via standard courier wouldn't have been possible. Microsoft sent O'Rear a plane ticket, and he personally took the film to Seattle.
Over a billion copies of Windows XP were installed, and this image appeared on the screen every time the computer was turned on. This is why "Bliss" is considered one of the most viewed images in the world. For countless people, it was the first thing they saw when they turned on their computer in the morning, providing a sense of peace and openness.
Over time, the landscape of the area changed. The hill that once covered grass is now covered with vineyards.
In the 1990s, a disease called phylloxera destroyed the old vineyards, allowing grass to grow for a short time. "Bliss" is a photograph of that rare period when the area looked completely different.
Charles O'Rear later said that he worked for National Geographic for decades, taking photographs all over the world, but people recognize him most for this one photo. It became the most unnoticed yet most immortal moment of his career.
Even today, "Bliss" is not just a wallpaper, but a memory of the early 2000s technology era. A simple roadside decision, a few minutes' pause, and a camera click sealed its place in history.
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