1. A method for recognizing actions, comprising: obtaining, by an information processing apparatus, a picture containing an image of a person from an imaging device, as well as first data indicating distance of the person and other subjects seen in the picture from the imaging device on an individual pixel basis, second data indicating distance of a wrist of the person from the imaging device, and third data indicating a coordinate position of the wrist in the picture; extracting, by the information processing apparatus, a set of pixels from the obtained picture whose respective coordinates fall within a specified coordinate range defined around the coordinate position of the wrist and whose respective distances fall within a specified distance range defined around the distance of the wrist; and determining whether the person has picked up an object, based on a ratio representing how many of the extracted pixels have a distinctive color tone.