Man who took ‘most-viewed photo ever’ explains the process behind it
- The most viewed image is called ‘Bliss’
- It was taken by photographer Charles, or ‘Chuck’, O’Rear
- He captured the iconic image while driving to his then-girlfriend’s house
Published on May 25, 2024 at 2:10 PM (UTC+4)
by Nalin Rawat
Last updated on May 25, 2024 at 2:10 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Daksh Chaudhary
The picture clicked by Charles is the ‘most-viewed photo ever,’ but the photographer says he was just at the ‘right place at the right time’.
The image in question is called ‘Bliss’ and Windows users will recognize it immediately.
It was the default wallpaper on the Windows XP operating system, that was used for more than a decade.
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Luscious emerald green hills paired with a serene blue sky filled with perfect fluffy clouds, the ‘Bliss’ embodies serenity and tranquility.
No wonder Microsoft selected it as the default wallpaper for XP, and now it is the most-viewed photo in the world.
While we have written about many iconic photos throughout history, this one is indeed special.
You’d think that capturing such an image would require careful planning and hours of preparation.
But according to the photographer, Charles, or ‘Chuck’, O’Rear, he just took the photo while driving to his now-wife Daphne Larkin’s house.
O’Rear took the image in January 1996, driving from his house in California to Larkin’s house in Marin County.
“I always carry a camera with me, because you just never know. I used to pull over often to take photos.” He told American publication, People.
You’d think that the image is photoshopped or altered in some way, but it isn’t.
“When it’s on film, what you see is what you get,” he added.
According to O’Rear, he used a Mamiya RZ67, an amazing camera of its time, and color Fuji Film to capture the image.
“There was nothing unusual. I used a film that had more brilliant colors, the Fuji film at that time, and the lenses of the RZ67 were just remarkable,” he explained in a video interview for Microsoft.
Eventually, Microsoft bought the agency that O’Rear had originally submitted ‘Bliss’ to and it became the most-viewed photo ever.
Although the precise amount is unknown, we do know that the tech giant paid him more than $100,000, to acquire Bliss.
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Nalin started his career by working with various national newspapers in India. He has also worked as a writer/editor for many popular websites, while still pursuing his journalism and mass communication degree. Working as a digital nomad has allowed him to inform and educate through his work. When he is not writing, you can find him playing video games or travelling the mountains on his bike.
