Who do you believe took the most-viewed photo of all time? Ansel Adams? Annie Leibovitz? Henri Cartier-Bresson? Nope. In reality, you’ve probably never heard of Charles O’Rear, but his photograph “Bliss,” shot in January 1996 while traveling through California’s Napa and Sonoma counties, is the world’s most famous photo.
The most viewed photograph in the world is the default background picture on the Windows XP operating system, “Bliss – Happiness,” a shot proprietary to Microsoft. Microsoft purchased the rights to use a photo of a gentle, green hill with a lovely blue sky in the background about 20 years ago. Bliss is now a legendary photo that everyone is watching.
Background story:
O’Rear was traveling through the California countryside on his way to see his fiancée (now wife) just after a storm in January 1996. He observed a stunningly green mountainside somewhere along that twisting country road that begged to be captured. While the clouds drifted in, he pulled over and set up his camera. He finished four frames that day before packing up his kit and continuing his journey, adding, “I believe that was quite great.”
Soon after submitting the finest of the four images to Corbis, Bill Gates-founded image licensing agency, Microsoft awarded him one of the largest payments ever paid for a single shot. They offered so much that O’Rear couldn’t send the original to Microsoft and had to go to their offices to deliver it personally.
Since then, O’Rear has seen his shot everywhere, including the White House Situation Room and the Kremlin, and regrets accepting a fixed fee for the photograph rather than negotiating an agreement that would allow him to profit from the image’s widespread public exposure.
O’Rear had a great career shooting assignments for National Geographic, the Los Angeles Times, and other well-known publications, but it’s a photograph captured on a whim that will live on in his memory.
Photography: Now and then:
The earliest humans reproduced in the visual realm of photography were flawless, or rather uncaptioned. Newspapers were still considered a luxury that was read in cafés rather than purchased. They had not yet used photography, and the vast majority of people had not seen their names in print. The human face was surrounded by quiet, and the gaze was at rest inside it. In short, all photography possibilities were predicated on a lack of interaction between photography and reality. (Benjamin, W., 1972)
Unlike now, where we believe in the life behind the screens than reality. We fantasize about others’ lives by watching their photographs on social media which are modified by various filters. Meanwhile, many researchers have also researched this photograph “Bliss” and have bought a Powerpoint presentation service to present their research proposal in the penal discussion.
Fascinating facts about the most viewed photograph, “Bliss”:
With Microsoft’s decision to discontinue Windows XP came another announcement: not only was the “Bliss” shot taken in California, but it was also taken with a Mamiya RZ67 medium format camera by Charles O’Rear, who had made no modifications to it. Microsoft made this photo in tribute to O’Rear’s legacy, detailing the tale behind that iconic hillside.
Here are five fascinating facts about this photograph:
- It is the standard background image for Microsoft Windows XP:
It is believed that over a billion people have seen this photo because it is the wallpaper for Windows XP, which has been around since 2001 (the most recent update was in 2008) and has been widely altered.
- It was shot by a former National Geographic photographer:
From 1971 through 1995, Charles O’Rear worked on assignments for National Geographic and was a member of the publication’s staff. He was dispatched to Napa Valley to shoot the wine region in 1978, and he acquired a long-term interest in the region. “Bliss” appeared on one of his several return trips.
- It has not been Photoshopped:
According to Wikipedia, O’Rear captured the photo with a tripod-mounted Mamiya RZ67 medium-format camera and Fujifilm Velvia film, an emulsion famed for its saturated color palette. O’Rear claims it is a true shot that was never modified. “I didn’t ‘create,'” says O’Rear. I just happened to be there at the correct time and captured it on film. If you’re Ansel Adams and you want the light to look a specific way in a photograph of Half Dome, you manipulate the light. He was well-known for going into the darkroom and dodging and burning. “Well, this isn’t any of that.”
- It’s possible that Microsoft spent more than $100,000:
O’Rear licensed the image from O’Rear and sold it to Corbis for use as a stock photo. Years later, Microsoft picked a variant of the photograph and licensed it from O’Rear. Microsoft gave O’Rear the second-largest payout ever provided to a photographer for a single shot, according to him. O’Rear signed a confidentiality agreement, but according to Petapixel, he was paid at least $100,000 for its usage.
- Microsoft only paid another photographer $45 for a different screenshot:
While many Microsoft users elected to keep the default image, others picked alternate images offered by Microsoft, such as “Autumn” by Peter K. Burian. Burian’s image was likewise a Corbis stock photo, but it was royalty-free, and he paid Microsoft the regular $45 license cost. (Burian spent 15 years writing about photography for Shutterbug magazine and is well-known to long-time subscribers.)
Wrap it up:
Apart from how photography is now a part of our lives, researchers have acquired technology as one of their data collection techniques. Photographic techniques also enable researchers to record and study behavior in its context. The use of photos and video allows the researcher to reflect on Phd research methodology secondary data collection and evaluate behavior.
Similar to how photography may be used to show the world your point of view. In the same manner that music and literature do. Starting a photography business allows you to bring people’s memories to life and keep them forever. Meanwhile, starting a writing services business can assist you in bringing many unspoken words to life.
Starting a band may be a wonderful way to express oneself musically and gain recognition. However, for other bands, college is where their success story begins. Many bands that met in college and shared the same passion for music have gone on to make great music and become hugely successful. (helpwithdissertation, 2022)
“Art is long, and Time is fleeting”
References:
- Benjamin, W., 1972. A short history of photography. Screen, 13(1), pp.5-26.
- 2022. Top 10 Rock Bands That Met In College. Online Available at <https://www.helpwithdissertation.co.uk/blog/top-10-rock-bands-that-met-in-college/> [Accessed on 02, February 2023].
