Most viewed photograph of all time taken in my backyard.

[Skyscraper]

Okay, not literally in my personal backyard, but it's still very cool.

For whatever reason, most of us come to have a connection or bond with the place we choose to call home and that is extremely true for me. So we enjoy it (and perhaps become even a little prideful) when our little slice of Earth gets recognition on large levels.

Here's a cool article about the man who took the picture that was used by Microsoft for their stock desktop image for Windows XP. I used XP when I was younger and had no idea where the picture was taken until today. Kinda fun.

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20140411/articles/140419852

 

[Sac Arrow]

If they hadn't edited out the vineyard stakes, it would have been more recognizable.

 

[Skyscraper]

Not edited, the picture was taken when the land was still owned by Stornetta and not planted.

 

[Sac Arrow]

Ah, the cow people with the funny milk commercials.

 

[Matthew]

That's a neat story.

 

[Skyscraper]

That's a neat story.

I thought so too. Mainly because it was just a guy driving down the road who was inspired to stop and snap a few pics, which happened to become the most widely seen photo ever, how circumstantial is that!

I wish he could disclose how much they paid him for it

 

[Matthew]

I thought so too. Mainly because it was just a guy driving down the road who was inspired to stop and snap a few pics, which happened to become the most widely seen photo ever, how circumstantial is that!

I wish he could disclose how much they paid him for it

That's the real reason for dropping XP support - they found a way to finally stop paying him!

 

[MAKG1]

If they hadn't edited out the vineyard stakes, it would have been more recognizable.

No, it wouldn't. It would look just like every other square foot of open land in the North Bay.

I can't even go hunting for Lake County diamonds anymore, as the spot where they used to be is all planted now (it was what used to be a deserted and undeveloped dirt road south of Clear Lake). No, they aren't real diamonds….just bits of (really) clear quartz. Kinda cool, though.

Every square inch up there has been developed for grapes now.

 

[paflyer]

Did you ever wonder how many tourist pictures have you in the background?

 

[Ghery]

And for years my wife was convinced that the picture was taken in eastern Washington near the Idaho line. She was convinced she knew the mountains in the background. The funny thing is that we lived in Napa many years ago (late 1970s), and I remember Stornetta Dairy.

I believe he sold the picture to M$ for a fixed one-time fee. If he had residuals, he'd be a wealthy man.

 

[MAKG1]

Did you ever wonder how many tourist pictures have you in the background?

As a rule, in a resort town, locals do NOT hang out where the tourists do, unless they work with them directly. In fact, tourist areas get avoided. Waiting in a traffic jam to go to Safeway is not fun.

The tourists' view of many places is warped. It's not like the guidebooks say it is. Ever.

I practically have to lock myself in my house every Memorial Day after 10AM.

Tourists get made fun of. For instance, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk publishes it's stupidest tourist questions every year. My favorites are "How many quarters can I get for a dollar?" and "Is that Hawaii?" (pointing at Monterey 40 miles away across the bay).

 

[Skyscraper]

Did you ever wonder how many tourist pictures have you in the background?

Unfortunately I have to pose for a lot of tourist pics being in the wine industry. But like Makg said, when I'm of the clock I'm usually where the locals hang out. I'm not one of those types that hates tourists, largely because it's a huge economic driver here and tourists are typically a friendly bunch anyway, but I still prefer the company of residents.

 

[paflyer]

Well, I meant as a fellow tourist. And that was related to frequently shot photos of touristy places.

"How many quarters can I get for a dollar?" A: "Three"

and "Is that Hawaii?" A: "No, it's Japan; you can't see Hawaii from here"

 

[paflyer]

Not edited, the picture was taken when the land was still owned by Stornetta and not planted.

And before the Teletubbies moved in?

 

[Skyscraper]

And before the Teletubbies moved in?

????? Right over my head...