Her gaze is the first thing one notices. It is a remarkably human, vulnerable look, brows furrowed with a worried and tired gaze aimed directly at the viewer. But if not for the title, you might not even realize it was a woman; the clothes she wears are loose, plain and ambiguous. Her hair is chopped short. Further from being undecorated, her mouth and head are wrapped. Her work is coarse; picking up clumps of sticky seaweed from some abandoned shore. Small, simple houses, perhaps the workings of a village, are seen at a distance.
Instinctively you are inclined to categorize the woman as a poor one, judging by her clothes, her choice of work, the toughness with which she complies in her task and the weakness in her eyes. This may very well be, however, a typical chore and the inquisitive glance one of irritation at the interruption of the photographer. But the outline of her lips indicate more of a sigh as they are slack, rather than in a tight frown, though it is difficult to tell, more complementary of sadness than of anger. It is not an enviable task, and therefore may be easily considered more obligatory, and certainly not a career choice- more evidence for a poorer lifestyle. However, given the time period, this work may also be typical for those who dwelled outside of the more 'urban' areas of Japan and comparison to neighbors, the woman may be average.
Interestingly, she is alone, solely in charge of the seaweed. First this means that it is not a 'work force task', requiring many people. But it also contributes to a feeling of melancholy, one initiated by her troubled gaze and deepened by the monotonous, strange task. Seaweed itself is a very slimy, unattractive and unappealing flora. Making the village distant also adds to the image's mood. photographer may have wanted to capture a moment in daily life, and in an instant it is conveyed by her gaze, which is strategically in the center of the photo. It is almost challenging, to look her in they eye as she does what could very well be man's work.
The picture is intriguing because of the sense of rawness, a simple task and a simple woman working. Seaweed and the sea are crucial to Japanese culture, being an island, food and culture fundamentally revolve around the sea, as exemplified today by the ever-popular sushi. But that vision is remarkably reduced by the simplicity and pureness of this image. It is a captivating shot, in which the viewer is provoked by her stare and feels as if she ought to be helped, even if unsure of what from.
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