[Pic] Is This The Most Well Known Landscape Image Of All Time?

November 18th, 2011

18 Comments

I've always wondered what who actually took the amazing images that come with our operating systems to be used as desktop wallpaper. I've never seen a name or heard a story about how they got the shot. Sadly I still don't have the story but we do have a face. Someone just sent me this image of the guy that took the shot that came with every Windows XP machine back in the day. Does anyone know who this is? Let us know in the comments below.

18 Comments

Anonymous November 18, 2011 - 10:04 pm

Here you go, the name of the photog is Charles O'Rear. :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bliss_%28image%29

Also note the picture from november.

J.C.Chang November 18, 2011 - 10:05 pm

Charles O'Rear is credited with the photo.

Physics Dude November 18, 2011 - 10:05 pm

That photo, Bliss, is by Charles O’Rear.
Here is a PetaPixel link explaining all this.
http://www.petapixel.com/2010/04/06/the-photographers-behind-the-wallpa…

Ralph Leo Bennett November 18, 2011 - 10:06 pm

Personally, I'm wondering what the royalties were. Then again, any publicity or credit for an image viewed by hundreds of millions of users would make the career of any photographer.

He might as well have re-painted the Mona Lisa, and no, I'm not kidding. I'd bet that photograph is better known.

Ryan Powers November 19, 2011 - 2:34 am

publicity or credit don't pay the bills

Ralph Leo Bennett November 19, 2011 - 12:38 pm

Anyone credited with one of the most iconic photographs of the generation would be a fool if they couldn't forward their career and keep their bills paid.

Shane Stiles November 20, 2011 - 3:00 am

Will work for photo credit is way overrated. It rarely pans out to anything. Better to get paid what your work is worth up front then let the cards fall where they may.

Ralph Leo Bennett November 20, 2011 - 2:09 pm

I do completely agree, that applies to Graphic/Web-Design too. It's a common means of trying to avoid payout.

mike ricca November 18, 2011 - 10:07 pm

I read an article on him not long ago that alluded to the fact that Microsoft paid a BUTTLOAD of money for the rights to the photo. Supposedly an obscene amount of cash.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bliss_(image)

Raul Pop November 18, 2011 - 10:07 pm

The photograph was taken by professional photographer Charles O'Rear. More info about the picture you can find here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bliss_(image) :)