# GBH striking

**URL:** <https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/gbh-striking/52292>\
**Category:** Image Critiques\
**Tags:** birds\
**Created:** [September 17, 2026, 9:09pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/gbh-striking/52292 "2026-09-17T21:09:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mark\_Seaver](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/mark_seaver/32/231_2.png) [@Mark\_Seaver](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Mark_Seaver)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 9:09pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/gbh-striking/52292/1 "2026-09-17T21:09:01Z")

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![Original - GBH striking.jpg](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/4/b/4bced9d837a431bff02cb3f78736332611e429db.jpeg)

**Critique Style:** Standard

The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below.

**Feedback Focus:** Artistic / Expressive

### About This Image

I spent about an hour watching a Great Blue Heron fishing in a Duckweed covered section of the C&O Canal yesterday. It was having pretty good luck catching small fish with 3 out of 5 strikes successful. It came up with a small (2-3 inch) fish after this strike, but the fish is very hard to see in the subsequent photos against all of the grass in the background.

### Feedback Requested

I’m happy with getting the eye open and clear during the strike. Surprisingly, there was no significant splash.

### Technical Details

Camera: Canon EOS R5  
Lens: RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM  
Focal length: 472mm  
Shutter speed: 1/1250s  
Aperture: f/10  
ISO: 3200

tripod and polarizer

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**Author:** ![Jim\_Zablotny](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/jim_zablotny/32/3919_2.png) [@Jim\_Zablotny](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Jim_Zablotny)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 1:57pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/gbh-striking/52292/2 "2026-09-18T13:57:11Z")

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The heron is nice and sharp and the bird’s eye is the focal point for drawing the viewers eyes to the subtle action. Comp looks good, although more room on the LH side would be ideal. I like the leaves floating in the sea of duck weed. A good capture indeed…Jim

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**Author:** ![Dennis\_Plank](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/dennis_plank/32/27033_2.png) [@Dennis\_Plank](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Dennis_Plank)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 5:34pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/gbh-striking/52292/3 "2026-09-18T17:34:42Z")

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Nice job, on catching the strike, Mark. I’m always envious of the folks in the southeast who always seem to get them with huge prey. The ones around here always seem to be getting minnows that are almost invisible. You have excellent detail in the heron and I’ll echo @Jim_Zablotny on the duckweed and leaves. It must raise the level of difficulty on the heron’s hunting significantly.

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**Author:** ![Allen\_Brooks](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/allen_brooks/32/390_2.png) [@Allen\_Brooks](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Allen_Brooks)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 2:28am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/gbh-striking/52292/4 "2026-09-21T02:28:15Z")

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Nice striking pose, Mark. Great detail and nice habitat. I’ll echo the comments on the leaves in the duck weed-it’s nice to break up the monotonous green.