Meet the Photographer Behind Rasperry Pi’s Awesome Desktop Images

Jan 01, 2025

Matt Growcoot

A long, deserted road stretches into the horizon under a partly cloudy sky. The sun is setting, casting a warm glow over the landscape. Fields of grass line both sides of the road, and distant mountains are visible. — Taken in Iceland, ‘Road’ is the best-known desktop image on Raspberry Pi devices.

Walking through a train station in New Zealand, Greg Annandale looks up to see his photo on an information screen. The Raspberry Pi computer powering the board has gone back to the desktop wallpaper which Annandale shot of a road in Iceland.

Raspberry Pi, in case you don’t know, is a credit card-sized device that has revolutionized computing in the last decade selling over 60 million units thanks to its adaptability and hackability. And on scores of those computers is Annandale’s beautiful travel photos which he shoots all across the world.

A bustling train station with people walking in different directions. The ceiling is arched with a metallic design. Signs and digital screens are displayed overhead, and workers in orange vests are visible among the travelers. — Annandale glimpes his image at Auckland’s Britomart train station in 2019.

A hot air balloon floats over the lush, ancient landscape of Bagan, Myanmar, with numerous temples and pagodas scattered across the greenery, silhouetted against a misty morning backdrop with mountains in the distance. — ‘Balloon’

A fisherman stands on a bamboo raft on a calm river at dusk. He holds a pole and is accompanied by cormorants. A lantern hangs from the raft, casting a warm glow. Misty karst mountains rise in the background, creating a serene and mysterious atmosphere. — ‘Fisherman’

Scenic view of a valley with a calm lake surrounded by lush green trees and rocky hills. In the background, a glacier rests between snow-capped mountains under a partly cloudy sky. A sailboat is anchored in the lake. — ‘Fjord’

A nighttime cityscape of New York City featuring the illuminated Brooklyn Bridge in the foreground. Skyscrapers with bright lights stand prominently, including the One World Trade Center tower, against a cloudy night sky. — ‘Bridge’

When PetaPixel asks Annandale how many people have seen his photos, he reckons that it probably is in the tens of millions.

“It’s really hard to know,” he says. “Along with folk using the devices as personal computers, many Raspberry Pi end up in schools, libraries and computer labs, along with running information/kiosk displays in places such as train stations and conference venues.”

A scenic view of a black sand beach with green grass tufts in the foreground, leading to towering, cloud-topped mountains in the background. The sky is partly cloudy with patches of blue visible. — ‘Sand’

The image shows the Northern Lights, with green and purple hues, illuminating the night sky over a mountainous landscape and a calm body of water. Snow partially covers the ground. — ‘Aurora’

A serene waterfall cascades over dark, rocky ledges covered with patches of green moss and grass. The water appears silky and smooth, and surrounding foliage hints at an autumn setting with hints of yellow and brown. — ‘Waterfall’

A scenic view of the Grand Canyon under a partly cloudy sky. A leafless tree stands prominently in the foreground, adjacent to rocky terrain, with expansive canyon vistas and shadows cast by clouds in the background. — ‘Canyon’

When it comes to iconic desktop pictures, nothing competes with Microsoft Windows XP Bliss taken by Charles O’Rear which is widely considered the most viewed photo in the world. However, Raspberry Pis are often used in educational settings and in YouTube videos that have millions of views.

“It always feels special to see any of the photos in these situations,” says Annandale, who is from the U.K.

“I don’t think that will ever get old, and it’s always exciting to see them in use out in the wild, a particular favourite being spotting a Raspberry Pi-powered information screen (displaying the Iceland “road” image) whilst travelling through Auckland’s Britomart train station in 2019.”

The Iceland photo Annandale mentions is probably the best-known Raspperry Pi desktop image as it was the first photo wallpaper and launched with a major upgrade of the operating system (OS).

A dramatic sunset over a body of water with silhouetted mountain peaks. The sun breaks through thick clouds, casting golden rays across the sky and reflecting on the waves below. — ‘Islands’

A breathtaking sunset over an ancient temple landscape, silhouetting the pagodas against a golden sky. Dense greenery surrounds the temples, with rolling hills in the background under a warm, glowing horizon. — ‘Temple’

Night view of Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, illuminated by green laser lights, with its three towers and sky park. The ArtScience Museum, shaped like a lotus, and surrounding buildings are lit with red lighting, reflecting on the water. — ‘Lasers’

A scenic view of a lighthouse perched on a grassy cliff overlooking the ocean. The rugged green terrain leads to a majestic, cloud-topped mountain. Fluffy clouds dot the blue sky, enhancing the breathtaking landscape. — ‘Cliff’

Traveling Photographer

Annandale works for the Raspberry Pi Foundation, an educational charity distinct from Raspberry Pi the commercial entity. He works in software engineering, building educational programs for young people.

It means he is only a part-time photographer but when he does work he often travels for a substantial amount of time.

“Since around 2012 I’ve been shooting travel, landscape and expedition images at some level,” he explains.

“More recently, whilst travel time has reduced significantly, I’ve focused more on purposeful image-taking for science and documentary use (this has led to a fellowship at the Royal Geographical Society).”