Gwen Callas-Miller
April 2026 - Down The Hatch
About the Image(s)
I visited Myakka River State Park for the first time in February and captured a Great Blue Heron having a go at swallowing this large, young catfish. I took hundreds of shots waiting for the "Down the Hatch" moment. It took many tries. I liked the alignment of the eyes of prey and predator, catching the poor catfish looking down the throat of the GBH. I was at a fair distance and cropped this shot to focus on the action. I also denoised, decreased the vibrance, and slightly dehazed and sharpened.
Equipment: Sony a1, FE 300mm, 2.8 + 2x Teleconverter
Settings: 1/1000, f/5.6, ISO 400
9 comments posted
Everyone has such great action shots this month. This is a wonderful, focused, well-cropped view of the heron and its prickly prey. Decreasing the vibrance was a good choice. It's perfect the way it is now. Love the dangling feathers. Posted: 04/03/2026 15:54:58
This is as close a level of detail of a heron swallowing a fish that I've seen!
Curious:
-was this handheld or on a tripod?
-How did you find using the 2x tele? I rarely use my tc's on my 400mm f/2.8, but I find that unless there is a lot of light, they really slow down acquisition of focus.
Posted: 04/04/2026 23:11:49
Curious:
-was this handheld or on a tripod?
-How did you find using the 2x tele? I rarely use my tc's on my 400mm f/2.8, but I find that unless there is a lot of light, they really slow down acquisition of focus.
Posted: 04/04/2026 23:11:49
Thank you Peter. This was handheld. I use a 2x TC most of the time. The Sony 300mm lens is outstanding glass. I have never had any issues. I only use a 1.4 TC or just shoot without if the distance dictates. The lens is also lightweight which I truly appreciate. My 209-600 has stayed on my shelf as a result. Posted: 04/05/2026 03:26:04
Great shot, Gwen. Your persistence paid off. You nailed the decisive moment. I wonder what that catfish was thinking. The water dripping off its tail adds a bit more intrigue. Nice job with the focus and cropping. Posted: 04/08/2026 21:31:02
Thanks John! Posted: 04/08/2026 21:41:56
Wow excellent image! I always like when you get the water dripping off the fresh catch. You have captured the emotions of this prey and predator pair very well. Love it! Posted: 04/12/2026 22:00:15
Thanks so much, Sarita! I was happy that my persistence paid off and the "expression" of the fish was definitely a bonus for me. Posted: 04/12/2026 23:23:48
Beautiful!! Love to catch any of the birds with a fish.
Watching them get it down is so much fun....I keep shooting! This one is exceptionally clear....and yes the 300 is one sweet lens!!! It is my go to all the time, and like you I have both adapters and change based on where I am going!
This image captures the excitement of the heron and the surprise of the catfish! Clear, sharp, and clean. They don't get much better than that!!! Congrats!!! Posted: 04/15/2026 20:46:49
Watching them get it down is so much fun....I keep shooting! This one is exceptionally clear....and yes the 300 is one sweet lens!!! It is my go to all the time, and like you I have both adapters and change based on where I am going!
This image captures the excitement of the heron and the surprise of the catfish! Clear, sharp, and clean. They don't get much better than that!!! Congrats!!! Posted: 04/15/2026 20:46:49
Thanks you Sherry! Posted: 04/15/2026 23:03:48