By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Oh! EpicOh! Epic
Font ResizerAa
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Movies & Shows
  • Gaming
  • Influencers
  • Life
  • Sports
  • Tech & Science
  • Contact
Reading: World’s Most Popular Image: The Backstory
Share
Font ResizerAa
Oh! EpicOh! Epic
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Movies & Shows
  • Gaming
  • Influencers
  • Life
  • Sports
  • Tech & Science
Search
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • catogories
Follow US
Oh! Epic > Entertainment > World’s Most Popular Image: The Backstory
EntertainmentInfluencers

World’s Most Popular Image: The Backstory

Jethro
Last updated: May 15, 2023 14:55
Jethro
Published May 15, 2023
Share
SHARE

Unbelievably, the image with the highest viewership was produced on a whim.

Contents
Bliss, A Perfect HillsideA Billion Worth Image

Bliss, A Perfect Hillside

Though you might not be familiar with the picture by its name, “Bliss,” you’ll recognize it when you see it.

Since it was Windows XP’s default desktop image, “Bliss” has been seen by over a billion people. However, many people have questioned whether such a “perfect” hillside could actually exist without the use of Photoshop.

Another revelation, along with Microsoft’s decision to stop supporting Windows XP, revealed that Charles O’Rear had shot the “Bliss” image on a Mamiya RZ67 medium format camera, and that he had made no changes whatsoever.

Microsoft produced the following film to honor O’Rear’s memory and to explain the history of that famous hillside:

O’Rear was traveling to see his fiancée (now wife) in January 1996 when he found himself driving through rural California just after a storm.

He observed a stunningly green hillside somewhere along that twisting country road that begged to be captured. In response, he drove there and set up his camera as the clouds began to gather. That day, he produced four frames, put his equipment away, and resumed driving, saying, “I think that was pretty nice.”

A Billion Worth Image

O’Rear regrets not negotiating an agreement that would have allowed him to profit from the image’s widespread public exposure after seeing his shot everywhere since then, including the Situation Room in the White House and the Kremlin.

The Sydney Morning Herald in Australia quoted O’Rear as saying, “It was not a situation like royalty.” “I should have negotiated a [better] deal and said, ‘Just give me a fraction of a cent for every time it’s seen, and that would’ve been a nice arrangement,” the author says.

While Microsoft did enhance the grass’s green and crop the image to the ideal screen size, O’Rear believes that “Bliss” is otherwise an unmodified photograph.

“On film, what you see is what you get,” he asserts. Nothing odd occurred. At the time, I used Fuji film, which had more vivid colors, and the lenses on the RZ67 were simply amazing. The difference was the size of the camera and film, which, in my opinion, made the Bliss photo much more distinctive. If I had taken the photo in 35mm, I believe the result would not be nearly as striking.

O’Rear had a great career as a photographer, working on projects for National Geographic, the Los Angeles Times, and other reputable publications, but oddly enough, it will be a spontaneous photo that people will remember him by.

You Might Also Like

Netflix Rushes Kpop Demon Hunters 2 For 2026 Release

How Multiplayer Games Strengthen Long-distance Relationships

India’s First 3d-printed Animal-free Artificial Cornea

Belgium Turns Wind Turbine Blades Into Benches & Playgrounds

Ulmer Nest: Solar Pods Offer Winter Shelter For Homeless

Share This Article
Facebook Whatsapp Whatsapp Email Print

Follow US

Find US on Social Medias
FacebookLike

Weekly Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Popular News

A Long-Lost UK Village That Had Been Underwater for Centuries Reappears

Jethro
By Jethro
August 30, 2022
Netherlands’ Smart Self-inflating Barriers Safeguard 9m
malo pomógl plus pelna garsc
Barbie’s Billion-Dollar Debut: Not Just Child’s Play
What Happened To Charlie Sheen? His Rise, Fall & Comeback
Global Coronavirus Cases

Confirmed

0

Death

0

More Information:Covid-19 Statistics

You Might Also Like

People are ony just realizing Hello Kitty isn't a cat and it's surprising them all
Entertainment

Hello Kitty Is Not A Cat: British Schoolgirl Kitty White

October 5, 2025
Eating kiwi with pineapple can help boost immunity while improving skin health
Entertainment

Kiwi + Pineapple: Vitamin C Duo For Immunity & Skin

October 5, 2025
A 13 year old boy became the first ever human to get cured of deadly brain cancer that was once thought as incurable
Entertainment

Lucas Jemeljanova: First Dipg Cure In Biomede Trial

October 5, 2025

About US

Oh! Epic 🔥 brings you the latest news, entertainment, tech, sports & viral trends to amaze & keep you in the loop. Experience epic stories!

Subscribe US

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

 

Follow US
Go to mobile version
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?