Where was the photo for the Windows XP background taken?
‘Bliss’ was taken just off Highway 121 in Sonoma County. SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) — If you’re looking for Bliss, it’s on private property, but it’s clearly visible just off Highway 121 in Sonoma County.
How much did Bliss photo sell for?
“Bliss” by Charles O’Rear. Microsoft then selected O’Rear’s photo out of thousands of images in their stock library to illustrate the philosophy of Windows XP, and the company paid O’Rear an undisclosed sum that’s known to be over $100,000.
Who took Windows XP photo?
photographer Charles “Chuck” O’Rear
A Windows XP desktop, with the “Bliss” image in the background. In 1998, photographer Charles “Chuck” O’Rear was driving from Sonoma County through Napa on his way to Marin County.
What is the most viewed photo in the world?
Bliss
Not many know Charles O’Rear is the man behind Bliss, the photograph considered by many as the most-viewed picture in the history of the world. O’Rear clicked Bliss 21 years ago and it was used by Microsoft as the default background for its Windows XP operating system.
How much did Charles O back pay for Bliss?
Charles O’Rear took the photo in 1996 and Microsoft bought the rights in 2000. The iconic default Microsoft XP wallpaper “Bliss” is considered to be the most-viewed photo of all time. While Microsoft paid the photographer behind that photo over $100,000 for the usage!
What’s the story behind Windows XP’s Bliss?
Although it will forever be associated with Windows XP, Bliss was actually the by-product of a love story. It was a regular Friday afternoon in 1996 when photographer Charles O’Rear took the drive through California’s wine country to see his then-girlfriend Daphne.
Why does Microsoft use Bliss as its default wallpaper?
The image would eventually be chosen as the default wallpaper, resulting in the company acquiring the image and renaming it to Bliss . The image also became part of Microsoft’s $200 million advertising campaign to promote their software, Yes You Can and has been the subject of many parodies.
Who is the photographer of the Bliss image?
In November 2006, Goldin+Senneby visited the site in Sonoma Valley where the Bliss image was taken, re-photographing the same view now full of grapevines (pictured). Their work After Microsoft was first shown in the exhibition “Paris was Yesterday” at the gallery La Vitrine in April 2007. It was later exhibited at 300m³ in Gothenburg.
What happened to the default wallpaper in Windows XP?
Two years following the acquisition, Microsoft’s design team selected images to be used as wallpapers in Windows XP. The image would eventually be chosen as the default wallpaper, resulting in the company acquiring the image and renaming it to Bliss .