We now go through the longest heat-wave ever. And it will last a few days more. So I was going on my bike at 5.00 in the morning to be on time to make this image, Also very early because of the temperature . I hope you wil give me some comments.
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Another one of your gorgeous, and painterly “Old Master” images, rich with chiaroscuro and subtle colour - not to mention the compelling texture of the grasses moving up the canal. You have created a very strong and pleasing dynamic between the tree on the left, the windmill and the canal. I would be very interested in your choice to run the canal right up the centre. Given that the horizon line is about the one third mark, I think it works out well, so that the image comes across as profoundly calm rather than simply static. And where the canal meets the horizon line and how that juxtaposition contains the green on either side, is just superb. But still, I’m sure you gave the composition a lot of thought and I’d be interested to hear your reflections and feelings on it.
This is a really strong image, Ben. The center channel adds a very dynamic tension to the image, with its great reflection and grasses leading out to the windmill. Most enjoyable.
Wonderful serene photo Ben. I like the softness of it and agree with both @Kerry_Gordon and @Harley_Goldman, such a gorgeous image. Nicely seen and executed.
Very nice, Ben. I like that you simplified this with a warm color cast and the rest being black. The bit of green in the sky adds variety. Beautifully done.
Beautiful image. Very compelling. The composition, with all the empty space in the sky on the right, somehow works perfectly. The colors are magical. One of your best!
Wow Ben, what a high impact image, it is excellent 
If you are going to use leading lines in an image, you might as well make a big statement with them, and you sure did that here. I absolutely love the way the silhouettes of the grass appear in the reflected color of the water. Another great addition to your “polder” series.
This image is so good it deserves to have you add a haiku to it 
This is a very dynamic image. The center channel of water just pulls you right into the scene and the beautiful light. This is small but I might be tempted to crop a little of the sky out.
I like the elements and the light is nicely captured. Overall, though, it’s quite static as images go. I think if the windmill were bigger it would be more about that element and maybe less of the frame would be filled with the centered canal.
@Harley_Goldman, @linda_mellor, @Igor_Doncov,@Tony Siciliano, @Ed_McGuirk, @Richard_Teller, @Tony_Kuyper, @Kerry_Gordon. I make my images most of the time by feel. And look for possibilities until it feels good to me. Than I make a few shots. This image shows me what is happening on this site of the dike. The watermill is there to keep our feet dry in the polder ( below see level ) . The canal is an important part of the system
Making the mill bigger in the frame and less sky gives indeed also a good feeling. As I always say the beauty of photography is the lot of freedom you have in composing nice things.
And a haiku for @Ed_McGuirk.
A mill and canal
Team of water and wind
Must keep our feet dry.
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Thank you Ben, for sharing your insights and feelings behind your photographs.
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Ben, thanks for your descriptions and for the image. I prefer your original to the crop. In the original, the orange blush of the sky balances the dark tree surprisingly well. Also the original allows a longer line of the canal, which I find pleasing. Also it allows the line of the canal to be longer, which I find pleasing.
You might consider darkening that one bright area through the tree’s upper right area.
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