It’s one of the most popular wallpaper photos in the entire world, so much so that it has become a meme. But people are flocking to the real-world location of the Windows 10 lock screen photograph that was actually taken by Steve McCurry.
A recent video from travel creators Sagar and Ami, who explore beautiful locations in New Zealand, has blown up all over the internet as Ami expresses her wonder at discovering the hallowed spot where McCurry took the well-known photo.
Where is the Windows 10 Wallpaper?
The Windows 10 lock screen photo is a view of Wharariki Beach, a secluded spot located at the northernmost tip of New Zealand’s South Island in Golden Bay.
“We thought the photos of Wharariki Beach were edited,” writes Ami. “Until we saw it in person. Giant sea arches, wild dunes, and sea caves, it genuinely feels like another planet. We came back twice in one day just to catch the sunset.”
My best recreation of the windows 10 lock screen
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Who Took the Windows 10 Photo?
World-famous photojournalist Steve McCurry was reportedly hired by Windows to take photos in New Zealand for the 2015 release of Windows 10. Photographer Chad Copeland was also commissioned.
According to Windows Wallpaper Wiki, Ekaterina Savtsova retouched the images and creative director Chris Raykovich did some additional editing.
McCurry is a world-renowned photojournalist who is most famous for taking the iconic Nat Geo cover shot, Afghan Girl. The striking portrait of a young woman with blue eyes was shot at a refugee camp in Pakistan in December 1984.
Windows has a history of iconic wallpapers. The default Windows XP photo, Bliss by Charles O’Rear, is often called the most-viewed photo of all time. It depicts rolling green hills in Sonoma County, California, and it’s estimated to have been seen by over one billion people since it first emerged in 2002.
In 2024, Microsoft capitalized on its reputation for legendary wallpapers by holding a competition between seven different photographers from all over the world to have their image on Microsoft Surface devices.
