This work is evidently amateur photography. The negative plate has been badly coated and is blotched and smeared around the edges. The group of women is fairly static if a little self-conscious. The children on the bank above have moved during the exposure. However, Johnstone has used the subtle light from the side to capture the detail in the women's faces. Furthermore, through the repetition of the gingham patterns, the new cloth and the dresses, he has created a unified group.