When the skaters had gone

jchanders

When the skaters had gone

It was quite long after sunset before the last skaters had left the other evening at Kinderdijk. What remained were the silhouettes of the 18th-century windmills standing out against a beautiful evening sky.

For those of you who do not know about the specific role of these windmills in such places as Kinderdijk, just the following. As wind was the only power to drive a mill in the Netherlands before the age of steam and electricity, it was used for all sorts of mills, corn-mills, sawing-mills and waterpumping-mills. The mills at Kinderdijk were such pump-mills, used to pump and keep the low-lying polderland dry. You needed quite a lot of such wind-mills for that purpose in certain places such as here at Kinderdijk.

In most cases only a few of these mills have survived. At Kinderdijk you can still find an extraordinary high number within a small area, i.e. 19 mills – it is this sight which makes Kinderdijk one of the touristic hotspots of the Netherlands and has secured its place as a world heritage site. While electric pumps have taken over the function of these mills generally, in some places they are restored to their original function, as a new and very old way of using energy in a natural way.

Few people actually realize that in case of a really long-lasting power failure we would all get wet feet in most of the western and northern parts of the Netherlands. More windmills needed badly!

For more information please have a look at:
http://www.stichting-kinderdijk.nl/en/index.php
http://www.kinderdijk.org/

Kinderdijk, 6th January 2009, 5.19 pm
Nikon D80, Nikkor 18-200 mm at 24 mm
F 4, 1/50, ISO 800

When the skaters had gone belongs to the following groups:

! 100% !, Dawn and Dusk Light, Dutch Touch, European Everyday Life (add the place!), Everyday Life, Heritage in Stone, Landscape and Abstract Photography, Landscape Photography, Live, Love, Dream: May you have a Blessed Christmas Season , Mills & Mines, Safe Haven, Shadows & Reflections and Skyscapes Available for sale as

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When the skaters had gone by jchanders
When the skaters had gone by jchanders
  • dinghysailor1

    dinghysailor1

    wonderful capture with the perfect dusk light and superb silhouettes!

  • Pat Yager

    Pat Yager

    Juergen, this scene reminds me so much of what my child’s mind pictured icy canals and windmills to be like as Hans Brinker and his friends skated on the canals. It was one of the three books that I had as a child, along with Heidi and Black Beauty. I appreciate your description of the use of the windmills those years ago. – Pat

  • LindaR

    LindaR

    wonderful image ~ love the colors and the small bits of light ~ interest to learn more about the windmills ~ we have some on Cape Cod here in Massachusetts ~ as a child I’ve been inside to see and learn about how they ground cornflour and the like ~ xx

  • Linda Ridpath

    Linda Ridpath

    Beautiful image, I was in Holland last week and took the opportunity to slither along the canals while they were frozen solid. skating, bbq’s and fireworks were going on, fabulous celebrations on the ice!!!!

  • Tom Gomez

    Tom Gomez

    A wonderful scene and great information …

  • linifer

    linifer

    beautiful! simply beautiful oxo

  • Anne Smyth

    Anne Smyth

    lovely image…I too grew up with Hans Brinker and have only visited the Netherlands in warmer weather but still dream of skating on the canals..thanks for this beautiful capture

  • Wanda Raines

    Wanda Raines

    Thank you for the information. Very interesting. Nice shot.

  • andreisky

    andreisky

    Stunning!

  • WatscapePhoto

    WatscapePhoto

    Wonderful mood in this iconic shot. Brilliant photography, Juergen. Kudos!

  • Evita

    Evita

    Excellent capture!!! Beautiful scenery!! :D

  • barnsis

    barnsis

    So beautiful, so soft and quiet, love it

  • jadeast

    jadeast

    Excellent photo juergen, we learned about the windmills in
    fourth grade geography when they were the only power for those pumps!

  • flyfish70

    flyfish70

    Wonderful capture, love the silhouette of the windmill, very nice work!!!!!

  • Bev Woodman

    Bev Woodman

    Beautiful silhouettes and sunset shades – a lovely image.

  • joedog

    joedog

    Great info and spectacular light and colors

  • AnnieSnel

    AnnieSnel

    Beautiful capture!

  • shallay

    shallay

    I miss the skaters, but I like the lonely mood of this shot – and especially the windmills! I thought they might still be in use – interesting to be reminded that the Netherlands is part reclaimed sea. So many of your shots contain windmills, that I was lulled into believing they must still be around everywhere, but evidently not – they do give a lot of flavour to your marvellous photos!

  • Joanne Bradley

    Joanne Bradley

    Just an amazing shot, so great composition, and capture of color, tranquility and silhouettes~

  • Hans Goepel

    Hans Goepel

    wonderful capture

  • Larry Trupp

    Larry Trupp

    Wonderful capture and a typical Dutch landmark, love this one Jeurgen, an inst fav

  • Karen Betts

    Karen Betts

    beautiful image love the windmills but i never saw the skaters on the dykes.

  • Laneyk

    Laneyk

    prachtige photo!!

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