Most of us use Windows XP version in our pc. Not only us,
75% of pc user uses this version. This is the most popular windows version of
Microsoft yet. And I guess anyone who's looked at the Microsoft Windows default
desktop screen in the last 10 years is very familiar with the following pic.
Isn’t you?
Do you remember the pic?I think it’s not tough also for a
normal XP user. Because we saw it thousand times on our monitor screen. But have
you ever think what place it is or who is the photographer of this pic? Well,
this picture belongs from Napa valley of North America & it is the work of
photographer Charles O'Rear. This photograph of a grassy Sonoma County, Calif, hill called "Bliss" by Microsoft,
earned him the second-highest payout for a living photographer in American
history. Bliss is the most seen picture of the world. It has been seen more
than billion times yet.
O’Rear has spent a long time of his career with National
geography channel. He started being famous working there. And his photograph “bliss”
was taken more dramatically in January, 2001. He was 60 years old that time. And
in that specific day he was driving his car with his girlfriend on the way of Napa
Valley. It was a sunny day. There was Vineyard on the both side of the road
& hills. This view of nature attracts O’Rear. He took off from his car
& Shot some snaps.
O’Rear was not very hopeful about the pic. He defined it an
ordinary one. But after a few days he was informed by his agency that Microsoft
has chosen this pic as default desktop screen of their new Windows version XP. They
want to buy its copyright. Though the amount of payment is still unknown but it
is guessed thatBliss is the 2nd highest paid photography of the
world.
Recently, reached by phone, O'Rear tells Seattle Weekly that
the payday sort of fell into his lap.Charles O'Rear."My photos are repped
by Corbis, so when Microsoft was looking for photographs they went to
Corbis," he says. "I got a call one day saying Corbis and Microsoft
negotiated to use the photo."
O'Rear says he shot the photo in January of 2001, and that
there were no enhancements made to the image at all--though he admits
"Microsoft may have taken out a cloud or two."
He says that the intense emerald green of the grass is
simply the results of a winter rain."People are always amazed that we can
get that green of grass in January," he says. "But out here we
definitely can."He also tells us that the hill is now a vineyard and is
far less beautiful.In fact, here's a photo of it now. "It's not nearly as
beautiful now," O'Rear says.
