The Story Behind the World's Most Famous Desktop Background

The photograph was captured by Charles O'Rear, a seasoned photographer with a background in National Geographic. In January 1996, O'Rear was driving through the picturesque landscape of California's Napa Valley, a region renowned for its vineyards and natural beauty. It was a moment of serendipity; the conditions were perfect. A recent rainfall had transformed the rolling hills into a vibrant, verdant expanse, and the sky was a brilliant blue, dotted with fluffy white clouds.