When you try to guess what the ‘most viewed photo ever’ is in, what do you think comes to mind first? After all, it could be a number of things. However, once you get a glimpse of the image again, it all makes sense.
We’ve all seen it—the iconic image of a picturesque hillside from California, taken back in 1996 by 81-year-old photographer Chuck O’Rear.
This simple picture has since gone on to become one of the most iconic and widely viewed images ever taken, but not without an incredible backstory.
When Chuck took the photo, he had no idea that it would go on to become such an international sensation.
In his interview with People magazine, he recalled “I always carry a camera with me because you just never know… I used to pull over often to take photos. I think the scenery there was so beautiful.”
As fate would have it however, this seemingly ordinary snapshot ended up landing in the lap of Bill Gates when his Corbis group purchased WestLight stock photo agency two years later in 1998.
The photograph was subsequently named Bliss and became Microsoft’s default desktop image for Windows XP—a stark reminder for many computer users around the world who logged off from MSN Messenger each night during their teenage years.
Contrary to popular belief, Bliss wasn’t photoshopped or digitally generated at all—it was captured using film photography instead.
Chuck explained that “when its on film what you see is what you get. There was nothing unusual. I used a film that had more brilliant colours, the Fuji Film at that time, and the lenses of the RZ67 were just remarkable.”
This goes to show how important technology can be when taking photographs as well as how powerful film photography still is today despite digital cameras becoming increasingly commonplace among amateur photographers everywhere.
Of course, when Bill Gates buys your work there are bound to be some pretty sizable rewards involved! Although exact figures remain undisclosed, we do know that Microsoft paid Chuck over $100K (in low six figures) for his snap shot.
Today, nearly 25 years after its initial release, Bliss continues to live on through laptops screens everywhere making Chuck O’Rear’s legacy as one of history’s greatest photographers truly undeniable.
