The Maplewood BBQ and Spirits is a popular straight up and down barbecue on Rt. 20 in Richfield Springs. It has an unadorned menu listing familiar barbecue items at reasonable prices. The limited wine list has fairly low priced items by the glass and bottle. The seating in the main room is at large, communal wooden tables and benches. Up stairs is a brightly lit overflow also with communal tables and benches. Through the bar is a small room with more conventional tables and chairs and a large wood burning fire place dating from the late 18th century. We were struck by the first class organization and politeness of the staff.
Because of the handsome wooden tables, stone walls and tiled floor I decided to ask John Yule, the owner, if I could do a picture. He was delighted at the idea and we turned up a couple of weeks later and did it.
One of the enjoyments of photographing people in their own surroundings is looking for interesting light. As we all know digital cameras these days can record images in very dark places so the amount of light is no longer a problem, only the position of the light source. Getting around that is the fun, and bringing the subject into the problem of finding the right light lets them to feel part of the camera and the photographer's activities, thus reducing their self-consciousness.