Norman J. Barker, MS, RBP
Professor
Pathology
Art as Applied to Medicine
Director of Pathology Photography
Norm is a Professor of Pathology and Art as Applied to Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine. He specializes in photomicroscopy, macro and natural science photography. Norm is Director of Pathology Photography and Graphic Arts Laboratory. He is a Registered Biological Photographer and a Fellow of The Royal Photographic Society as well as the Biocommunications Association. His photographs, writing and design appear in textbooks, journals and museums worldwide. Norm’s work lies between the interface of art and science. He actively exhibits his work and his images are in the permanent collections of more than forty museums including The Smithsonian, The George Eastman House, The American Museum of Natural History and The Science Museum in London. His latest book collaboration entitled Hidden Beauty: Exploring the Aesthetics of Medical Disease is published by Shiffer Books.
Education
2005
MA, Publications Design
The University of Baltimore, Yale Gordon School of Liberal Arts
1985
MS, Adult and Continuing Education
Johns Hopkins University, School of Continuing Studies
1981
BFA, Photography, Cum Laude
Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD
Professional Certification
2013
Elected Fellow (FRPS)
Royal Photographic Society, Great Britian
2013
Accredited Advanced Imaging Scientist (AAIS)
Royal Photographic Society, Great Britain
1994
Elected Fellow (FBPA)
Biological Photographic Association for Distinguished Craftsmanship and Meritorious Contributions to the Advancement Imaging in the Biological Sciences
1985
Registered Biological Photographer (RBP)
Board Certification Biological Photographic Association
1983
Certificate of 2 year Training in Biomedical Photography Pathology Photography
Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine
Work Experience
2014 - present
2004–2014
1995 - 2004
1990 - 1995
2001 - present
2000 - 2001
1986 - 2000
1983 - 1986
Professor of Pathology and Art as Applied to Medicine
Associate Professor of Pathology and Art as Applied to Medicine
Assistant Professor of Pathology and Art as Applied to Medicine
Instructor of Pathology and Art as Applied to Medicine
Director, Pathology Photography and Graphics Laboratory
Acting Director, Pathology Photography and Graphics Laboratory
Assistant Director, Pathology Photography and Graphics Laboratory
Senior Medical Photographer
Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Professional Actvities
Associations & Organizations
- BioCommunications Association
- National Association of Photoshop Professionals
- Institute of Medical Illustrators
- Society for Photographic Education
Selected Publications
Books:
- Foster G, Barker NJ, Ancient Microworlds, Custom & Limited Editions, San Francisco. A large format color monograph combining art, and science to bring out the beauty as well as describe the morphology of fossils, using techniques of high magnification photography. Along with the book the images were on a tour of Museums throughout the United States and Europe for 10 years. 10/00
- Barker NJ, Foster G. Seaweeds: Wonders of The Ocean Realm, Man & Lion Press, Book and Photographic Exhibition at The Charleston Museum, Charleston, SC, 11/06
- Foster G, Schultz R, Barker NJ, editors. Faces of Ancient Arabia: The Giraud and Carolyn Foster Collection of South Arabian Art, Man & Lion Press and The Walters Art Museum, 8/08
- Barker NJ, Paleobotanical Splendor, Man & Lion Press, 4/11
- Barker NJ, Iacobuzio-Donahue C., Hidden Beauty: Exploring the Aesthetics of Medical Science, Schiffer Books, 3/13, Book and Traveling Museum Exhibit
- Torbenson M, Barker NJ, Patent Medicine: Selling The Cure, Man & Lion Press, 1/14
Selected Scientific Articles & Book Chapters:
- Barker, N.J., Gross Specimen Photography, (Chapter), In: W.H. Westra, R.H. Hruban, T.H. Phelps and C. Isacson, Illustrated Manual for the Dissection of Surgical Pathology Specimens, New York: Springer-Verlag, 1995: 22-27
- Foster, G., Barker, N.J., Suggestions for Photographing Jewelry, Journal of Gemology, Vol. 22, No. 5, 1991: 287-291
- Barker, N.J., Merrit, D., Photographing the Osprey in the Chesapeake Bay Region, Journal of Biological Photography, Vol. 60, No. 2, 63-70, April 1992
- Barker, N.J., “Front Cover” The Journal of Biological Photography, Vol. 60, No. 2, April 1992
- Foster, G., Barker, N.J., Photographing Small Archaeological Objects in Color, Cover and Article, Journal of Field Archaeology, Vol. 23, No. 3, 1996: 369-375
- Barker, N.J., Zahurak, M., Olson, J.L., Nadasdy, T., Racusen L.C., Hruban, R.H., Digital Imaging of Black and White Photomicrographs: Impact of File Size, American Journal of Surgical Pathology, Vol. 22, No. 2 November 1998: 1411-1416. This was one of the first studies to show the importance of file size in the publishing of black & white digital photomicrographs.
- Barker NJ, Using Macro In Large Format, View Camera Magazine, Jan/Feb 2000; 30-37
- Foster G, Barker NJ, Techniques of Macro Photography, RangeFinder Magazine, Jun 2001; 30-35
- Barker, N.J., Foster, G., Ancient Microworlds, Showcase, The Journal of BioCommunication, Vol. 33, No. 2, 2007, www.jbiocommunication.org
- Barker N, Inner Beauty. Mankind and Nature China. Wei Weller Publication, Jan 2005; 3,6-45
- Torbenson, M., Barker, N.J., Selling the Cure: Images of Health and Disease in Early American Patent Medicine Advertisements, The Journal of BioCommunication, Vol. 33, No. 3, 2007
- Barker, N.J., “Gallery” The Journal of BioCommunication, Vol. 34, No. 2, 2008 www.jbiocommunication.org
- Barker N, Capturing Inner Beauty: Medical Imagery That Delves into the Aesthetic [Slide Show] Norm Barker’s photographs lie at the interface of art and science. Feb 2012; www.ScientificAmerican.com/feb2012/placenta
- Visualising Medicine, The Journal of The Royal Photographic Society, May 2014, Vol. 154 NO4, p228-231
- Barker N, Iacobuzio C., Hidden Beauty: Exploring the Aesthetics of Medical Science, Civilization Magazine, July, 2014, this is the Chinese version of National Geographic Magazine
- Barker NJ, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA., Hidden Beauty Exploring the Aesthetics of Medical Science Exposure, Journal of The Society of Photographic Education. EXPOSURE, Fall 2015, Vol. 48:2; 36-43
- Gniadek TJ, Singer N, Barker NJ, Spevak PJ, Crain BJ, Valle D, Halushka M, : Cardiovascular pathologies in mucopolysaccharidosis type VII (Sly Syndrome) (2015) http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.carpath.2015.06.001, published online Cardiovascular Pathology, July, 2015
- Barker NJ, Roman Vishniac, The Curious Microscopist, Book Chapter , International Center of Photography, NY, Prestal Press Publishing, 2015; 296-300
- Nemanja Rodić, Steranka JP, Makohon-Moore A, Moyer A, Shen P, Sharma R, Kohutek ZA, Huang CR, Ahn D, Mita P, Taylor MS, Barker NJ, Hruban H, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA, Boeke JD, & Burns KH: Retrotransposon insertions in the clonal evolution of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Nature Medicine, published online Aug. 2015, doi:10.1038/nm.3919 BBC, 4 minute Interview broadcast worldwide, Hidden Beauty: Disease Becomes art under a microscope http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-22476101
Photographs in Museum Permanent Collections
- The University of Michigan Exhibit Museum of Natural History, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Miami Museum of Science, Miami Florida
- University of Maryland University College Adelphi, Maryland
- The American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY
- New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans, Louisiana
- University Art Museum, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
- The Dayton Art Institute, Dayton, Ohio
- Creative Photographic Art Center of Maine, Lewiston, Maine
- Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, Ohio
- Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, North Carolina
- The University of Michigan Museum of Art, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Ackland Art Museum, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Syracuse University Museum of Art, Syracuse, New York
- Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile, Alabama
- The Montana Museum of Art and Culture, Missoula, Montana
- Center for Photography at Woodstock, Woodstock, New York
- Museum fur Naturkunde, Cheminitz, Germany
- National Museum (Narodoni) Prague, Czech Republic
- The National Science Museum, London, England
- Southeast Museum of Photography, Daytona Beach Florida
- Polk Museum of Art, Lakeland, Florida
- The Smithsonian Institution (National Museum of Natural History) Washington, DC
- Center for Photography as an Art Form, Delhi, India
- Museum of Birbal Sahini Inst. of Paleobotany, Lucknow, India
- The Newark Museum, Newark, New Jersey
- “Grigore Antipa” National Museum of Natural History, Bucharest, Romania
- McMullin Museum of Art, Boston, Massachusetts
- Nelson Atkins Museum of Fine Arts, Kansas City, Missouri
- Colorado Photographic Art Center, Denver, Colorado
- George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography, Rochester, NY
- The Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston, Texas
- The Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota
- The Charleston Museum, Charleston, South Carolina
- The Australian Museum, Sydney Australia
- Johns Hopkins Medicine, Permanent Art Collection at the Hackerman-Patz Patient and Family Pavilion of The Kimmel Cancer Center
Recognition
- Biological Photographic Assoc., Salon awards at Chapter and International Level
- American Society of Clinical Pathologists, Membranous Glomerulonephritis x240 Excellence in Photomicrography, 1988
- Biological Photographic Assoc., BioImage Salon, Heart Worm in Canine
- Blood, x450 Honorable Mention, Print Series, St Louis MO. 1989
- Biological Photographic Assoc., BioImage Salon, Dinosaur Bone x60, Charles Foster Memorial Citation for Excellence in Photomicrography, Tampa, FL, 1991
- Biological Photographic Assoc., Silver Medal for Best Oral Paper, “Documenting the Fossil Record” Tampa, FL, 1991
- Biological Photographic Assoc., BioImage Salon, Nautilus, Aronauta argo, Second Award, Specimen Colr Print, Tarsi of a Predacious Diving Beetle x40, Second Award, Baltimore, OR. 1992
- Biological Photographic Assoc., H. Lou Gibson Best Journal Paper Award “Photographing The Osprey in The Chesapeake Bay Region” Stamford, CT. 1993
- Biological Photographic Assoc., BioImage Salon, Dinosaur Bone-Medullary Canal x200, Second Award, Nymphalis antiopia eggs x60, Honorable Mention, Stamford, CT 1993
- Nikon International Small World Competition,1987 Honorable Mention,1988, Honorable Men- tion, 1989,10th Place, 1990, 12th place, 1991, 15th Place, 1992, Honarable Mention, 1993 5th Place1994, 20th Place, 1997, Two Honorable Mention, 1998, 12th Place, 2000, Image of Distinction 2009, Image of Distinction 2010, Honarable Mention 2016. All images published in the Nikon Calendar
- Biological Photographic Assoc., received grant from the Endowment Fund for Education to study digital imaging at the Center for Creative Imaging, Camden, ME, March, 1994
- World Congress on Biomedical Communications, Media Expo, Fine Art, Eve, Award of Excellence, Orlando, FL, 1994
- Biological Photographic Assoc., BioImage Salon, Pointsettia Leaf x20, Award of Excellence and The Canadian Founders Natural Science Award, Reno, NV, 1997
- BioCommunications Assoc., BioImage Salon, Mice, Award of Excellence and Stromatolite Fossil Cyanobacteria x40, Award of Excellence, Department Identity Brochure, Award of Excellence and The Charles Foster
- Memorial Citation, for Excellence in Photomicrography, Baltimore, ME, 1998
- BioCommunications Assoc., BioImage Salon, Cenocerus pseulineatus, Award of Excellence and The B.C.A. Medical Education Award, Dallas, TX, 2001
- BioCommunications Assoc., BioImage Salon, Ostera virginica, Award of Excellence and The Canadian Founders Natural Science Award, Las Vegas, NV, 2003
- BioCommunications Assoc., BioImage Salon, Sea Mosses Poster, Award of Excellence for Graphic Poster Design and Best of Show, Baltimore, OR, 2005
- BioCommunications Assoc., BioImage Salon, Araucaria mirabilis, Fossil Pine Cone, Award of Excellence and Favosites sp., Red Sponge Coral, The Charles Foster Memorial Citation, for Excellence in Photomicrography, Two Citations of Merit, Tucson, AZ, 2007
- BioCommunications Assoc., received grant from the Endowment Fund for Education to complete and frame an exhibit, Tucson, AZ, 2007
- BioCommunications Assoc., BioImage Salon, Two Citations of Merit, Award of Excellence and The Charles Foster Memorial Citation, for Excellence in Photomicrography Rochester, NY, 2008
- BioCommunications Assoc, 2008 Louis Schmidt Award, The highest award given by the Association for outstanding contributions to the progress of communications in the life sciences, promotion of understanding and cooperation within the field of biocommunications, maintenance of an ethical approach to professional relationships and a willingness to freely share scientific information and technique, A Lifetime Achievement Award, Rochester, NY
- BioCommunications Assoc, BioImage Salon, Brown Pelican Chick, Award of Excellence and The Canadian Founders Natural Science Award, George Peabody Library, Award of Excellence for Graphics in Poster Design, also Two Citations of Merit, Salt Lake City, UT, 2009 http://jbiocommunication.org/issues/35-2/gallery.html
- BioCommunications Assoc, BioImage Salon, Fungus Plates, Award of Excellence, Gallstones x10, Award of Excellence, OR Concentration, Award of Excellence, Boston MA, 2010
- BioCommunications Assoc, BioImage Salon, BCA Medical Education Award, Medical Photograph Award & Award of Excellence, Specimen, Osteoporosis, Award of Excellence, Graphic Poster, Microbiology, Award of Excellence, Photomicrograph, Plancenticeras mieki, Citation of Merit, Graphic Poster, Evergreen, Phoenix, AZ, 2011
- Health and Science Communications Associations, Bronze Award for theVideo “HALSTED”, Ralph Hruban & Norman Barker, Producers, Providence, RI, 2012
- BioCommunications Assoc, BioImage Salon, Citations of Merits for, Guairea cariera, Smokers Lung and Solenestrea, Bar Harbor, ME, 2012
- BioCommunications Assoc, BioImage Salon, BCA Medical Education Award, & an Award of Excellence for Graphics Media and Book Design, for Hidden Beauty: Exploring the Aesthetics of Medical Science, Norman Barker & Christine Iacobuzio-Donahue, Pacific Grove, CA, 2013 www.bca.org/gallery/bioimages2013awards.html
- Web Health Awards, Honoring the Best Mobile Health Resources, Merit Award Winner for, The Johns Hopkins iCareBook for Pancreatic Cancer, Category: Mobile Application: Medical Education: Large Mobile Device, Ralph Hruban, Toby Cornish, Norman Barker & Development Team, Madison Films, 2013
- BioCommunications Assoc, & Association of Medical Illustrators, Combined Meeting, BioImage Salon, Citation of Merits for, Shipworm Wood, Award of Excellence for, Inside the Dome, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 2014 http://bca.org/gallery/bioimages2014awards.html
- BioCommunications Assoc, BioImage Salon, Charles Foster Memorial Citation & Award of Excellence for Red Fossil Coral, x20, as well as, 3 Citations of Merit for Dactylioceras, Dinosaur Bone, and Graphic Design for the Poster Patent Medicine: Selling The Cure, Santa Fe, NM 2015 http://bca.org/gallery/bioimages2015awards.html
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