Here's a question: What do former President Bill Clinton, Pope Benedict XVI, Bishop Emeritus Donald Trautman of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie and legendary jazz musician Dave Brubeck all have in common? Art Becker has photographed every one of them.

“I got a picture of Dave Brubeck with his piano reflected in his glasses,” Becker says. “That image reflects my passion: to create something new, different and unique. I work hard to tell a story through the photographs I take.”

Becker first started as a painter and drawer throughout high school and tech school, but experimented with photography during that time. After learning the art of photography at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale and working for a time as an assistant photographer, he began his business, Art Becker Photography, in 1982.

“I came back to Erie in 1989 so we could be closer to family and I started working with musicians and art directors to find my niche,” Becker says. “I also began to take stock photos.”

Becker takes photos for advertising agencies, design firms and direct clients, such as Matthew Walker Publishing — the producer of this book — and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie. “I want to get great shots that highlight our community and make people proud of where we live,” he says.

The pressure to get the shot just right no longer bothers Becker. “Someone once told me that a photographer should treat the subject of their picture just like anyone else. It's all about being yourself,” he says. “The camera doesn't make a photo great. What makes a photo great comes from your head and your heart.”