Man responsible for ‘most viewed photo of all time’ reveals how it actually happened
The most viewed photo of all time is likely one that you’ve seen before – even if you might not realise it.
Is it a piece of timeless art like the Mona Lisa, which sees millions flock to the Louvre in Paris each year to have a peep?
Is it the snap of an egg that claimed the title of most liked Instagram post – only to be dethroned by a picture of Lionel Messi celebrating his 2022 World Cup win?
Nope, it’s actually just a photo of a plain old field.
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The man behind the surprisingly iconic image is Charles ‘Chuck’ O'Rear, who just so happened to be in the right place at the right time when he pulled out the camera that he always carried around with him.
O’Rear, who is now 83, had been visiting his now-wife, Daphne Larkin, when inspiration struck.
In an interview with People back in 2021, he recalled how he’d been driving from his house to Larkin’s home in Marin County, California – a journey that saw him ‘pull over often to take photos’ of the scenery.
On this occasion, he felt moved by a scene of rolling green hills and a bright blue sky dotted with fluffy clouds.
The photo, titled ‘Bliss’, would go on to become one featured in homes around the globe – specifically, on their Microsoft computer screens as a background wallpaper.
O’Rear explained how his pic pre-dated fancy technology like PhotoShop, saying: "When it's 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.”
He added: "The size of the camera and film together made the difference and I think helped the Bliss photograph stand out even more. I think if I had shot it with 35 millimetre, it would not have nearly the same effect.”
'Bliss’ was at Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates’ disposal after Gates' Corbis group bought Westlight stock photo agency in 1998, purchasing the image at a 'low six-figure' sum.
Because of the hefty sum, FedEx reportedly refused to deliver it due to equally hefty insurance costs, meaning O’Rear had no choice but to fly to Microsoft's Seattle office and deliver it himself.
But while it’s the famous Windows photo that O’Rear is most well-known for, he’s also forged a successful photography career outside of that.
"Twenty-five years at Geographic and nobody ever gives a damn about that," his wife laughed.
O'Rear added: "I get emails maybe every week or two, something related to the 'Bliss' photograph.
"When I die, although I won't be buried, Daphne has said, on your tombstone, we're not going to say National Geographic, we're going to say, 'Photographer of Bliss'."
Topics: Technology
Jess Hardiman