Hmong farm workers carry heavy baskets such as these on their backs. Day's end brings a welcome respite. I caught this man at just the right moment – looking down, holding his back, about to enter his home. You don’t always have to actually show a person working in order to express an idea about that work. In this case, the hard work is already done. The baskets are all empty and on the ground. It’s his aching back that needs some care.
The warm quality of the late afternoon light sets a mood of closure that adds context to the scene.