The Most Viewed Photo Ever Had to Be Hand-Delivered

The person behind the most viewed photo in the world has revealed the extraordinary lengths he had to go to in order to deliver it to a renowned buyer. Chuck O’Rear, an 81-year-old photographer took a photo, during a routine trip through California in 1996, that you have probably already seen. Yes, we are talking about the famous Windows XP wallpaper.

About the Bliss Photo

It was a straightforward case of being in the right place at the right time, with the photographer having no idea what was in store for the photo he considered to be “just another picture.” In an interview, O’Rear stated that he always carried a camera with him because you never know what might happen. He also explained that he used to pull over rather frequently, to take a particular photo. The photo in question which has the title Bliss was taken by the photographer in Marin County, California. O’Rear was on his way to meet his future wife Daphne Larkin, which makes the entire story even more wholesome.

It’s possible that you haven’t given it much thought since then, but the image is familiar to anyone who uses a computer operating system called Windows. The photo went on to become the iconic default desktop image on Windows XP. Many of us were greeted with this spectacular landscape back in time while waiting for MSN to load. Something interesting that should be mentioned is that the casual snapshot was snagged by Microsoft after Bill Gates’ Corbis group bought Westlight stock photo agency in 1998.

What Camera Was Used?

O’Rear explained how he took the photo by adding that when it’s on film, what you see is what you get. He used a Mamiya RZ67 camera, loaded with color Fuji Film on a tripod. He says that there was nothing out of the ordinary. He chose a film that had colors he found to be more dazzling, which, at the time, was FujiFilm. The lenses on the RZ67 were incredible.

Naturally, when dealing with a buyer as huge as Microsoft, you would expect to receive sizable cash in return, and O’Rear did not come up short on this front. Although the specific number is unknown, the tech giant purchased the photo for a low six-figure of over $100,000. The exact amount is unknown. O’Rear was paid so much money for the photo that FedEx wouldn’t touch it because of how hefty the insurance would be. This meant that O’Rear had to board a plane and travel to Microsoft’s headquarters in Seattle to personally deliver the original photo.