It seems like every time we turn around hackers have struck
again. Russians, North Koreans, The Chinese…and disaffected youth everywhere
are using the Internet to attack networks and servers everywhere. If there was
ever a stock photography subject matter ripe for the picking…it is cyber
security issues.
Access To A Server
Room
I managed to get impromptu access to a small server room…so
tight I had to press my back into the wall and really scrunch up with my 24-105
lens zoomed all the way out on a Canon 5D MKIV and grab a couple of shots. The
background was plywood and cables…not particularly photogenic! I used the pen
tool in Photoshop to strip out the servers. I then duplicated the servers and
then extended them to create a larger looking line of hardware. I duplicated
that set of servers and flipped them and managed to get the look of a much
larger server room.
Cloud Computing,
Networking And Big Data
I dropped in some cloud images behind the servers, then
added a layer mask to the server layer and “painted” out the bottoms of the
servers to make it appear as if they were emerging from a cloudscape. By having
the servers in clouds we bring in the concept of cloud computing…which be
default brings in the concepts of networking, connections, the Internet and big
data.
Hoodies, Hackers And
Cyber Criminals
Next I went to my archives and found an image I photographed
of a hoodie (shot of myself using my self-timer). The hoodie makes a perfect
symbol of crime…in this case of hackers and cyber criminals. I stripped out the
hoodie using the pen tool to create a clipping path and turned that into selection.
I then pasted the hoodie into the image and added a bit of blue-green color to
add interest. I created a layer mask of the hoodie and painted away my face
from the garment.
Binary Numbers And
Digital Communications
Finally, I added a couple of layers of binary numbers, ones
and zeros, made with the type tool and given perspective with the transform
tool. The binary numbers also add to the story line of digital communications,
streaming information and, of course, big data.
I decided to put this hacker stock photo image with Getty as
an RF (royalty free) image figuring with RF there is a bigger audience and
these days there is a bountiful need for images dealing with hackers and cyber
crime…a need that I think is only to grow as time goes on.
