Two years ago, we went to the Lancaster Fair and I fell in love with the wildlife photography of Roger Irwin. I was very much hoping he would be at the fair again this year.

He was. I think what draws me to his photos is the fact he uses a telephoto lens, but not one of those Hubble-esque lenses that lets people take close-ups from the coffee shop. These animals know he’s there and the photos in which they’re actually looking at the camera are breathtaking. If you follow that link above and look through the gallery, there are two bobcat photos I find particularly amazing. One is a bobcat stretching, and the other’s a young bobcat in the snow.

Maybe it’s the fact I have two boys and I’m dealing with one leaving the nest this year, but he had a print on display of a mama black bear and her twin cubs, and I really can’t describe how much it touched me.

Slightly closer view of them…

And look at the sleepy faces. They’re so precious, curled up together and ready for a nap.

Needless to say, a photograph of a glass-covered photograph loses something, but it’s really gorgeous. He wasn’t allowed to sell his work in the display barn he was in, but my husband contacted him later and we met him last night to get my bears.

And if you have a wildlife lover in your life, you really should check out his gallery. He sells prints (not all as big as mine.) and they’re simply gorgeous.

Now, after eighteen years of hanging over the television, our pencil sketch of Ayrton Senna in his Marlboro car will be moved and my bears will hang there.