Just like fashion and music, food has transformed the world and we find ourselves inundated by possibilities that we were unaware of as food fans say twenty thirty or even fifty years ago.
Food had a history culture and education a unique and as important as anything else in our lives as humans. Eventually learning what not to eat or what to eat in small amounts is just as important as what to eat or abundant amounts of certain things.
There are rules and there are no rules. I have been photographing food culture for over 40 years and still look at this category with vigor and excitement. I now know that we can consume food as if it were a prescription for health or we can eat it to the extent that it can be cause of our death . A very delicate balance.
 "Poached trout from the San Pablo reservoir" |
 "Savoy Cabbage" |
 "Banquet plate on paper" |
 "Reunion Lunch" |
 "Shrimp tree on Christmas" |
 "Banquet plate" |
 "Lunch at Lulu's" |
 "Persimmons" |
 "Persimmon bulbs" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "So Much Good Food" |
 "JoeSam celebration Cake" |
 "Oysters Rockerfeller and Kimchi" |
 "Creamy Gaspacho " |
 "Matso Ball Soup" |
 "Crab Gaspacho " |
 "Marshall's Roasted Chicken" |
 "Marshall's Roasted Chicken" |
 "Grilled Tahini Oysters" |
 "Fish and Chips" |
 "Housewarming cake" |
 "Our 40th anniversary cake" |
 "Dakota's food preparations" |
 "Dakota's food preparations" |
 "Dakota's food preparations" |
 "Dakota's food preparations" |
 "Birthday cake" |
 "Roddey's Sunday lunch for neighbors" |
 "Oakland Police Annual Crab Feed" |
 "AFresh Oyster Tray" |
 "Another version of Paella" |
 "Breakfast at Cafenated" |
 "Party Salmon Spread" |
 "Harvest still life" |
 "Harvest Still life" |
 "Thanksgiving Hors d'oeuvres" |
 "Thanksgiving Hors d'oeuvres" |
 "Sausalito Oysters" |
 "Grilled Lamb Roast" |
 "Lamb dinner spread" |
 "Dakota Sample Menu" |
 "Dakota Sample Menu" |
 "Dakota Sample Menu" |
 "Dakota Sample Menu" |
 "Dakota Sample Menu" |
 "Quick morning snack" |
 "4th of July" |
 "4th of July" |
 "Figs nd Bell Peppers" |
 "Dakota chefs" |
 "Dakota Chefs" |
 "Lunch" |
 "Lunch" |
 "Seafood lunch in Tiburon" |
 "SF Lunch group" |
 "SF Lunch group" |
 "SF Lunch group" |
 "SF Lunch group" |
 "Doliva/Linden spread" |
 "Mildred's special day luncheon" |
 "Persimmon from Rosarita's farm" |
 "Restaurant tray" |
 "Pretzel business" |
 "Rita's bounty" |
 "Bob Soller's second course" |
 "Kirala Restaurant" |
 "From Scends Restaurant" |
 "Retirement cake for Dr. Thomas Roeder" Berkeley, California April 2021 |  "Baby Shower dessert for Lucy" Berkeley, California April 2021 |
 "Kitchen still life test:Dakota Holbert" Berkeley, California February 2021 |  "Kitchen still life test:Dakota Holbert" Berkeley, California February 2021 |
 "Kitchen still life test: Linda Holbert" Berkeley, California December 2020 |
 "Dining room still life test: Dakota" Berkeley, California October 2020 |  "Dining room still life test" Berkeley, California October 2020 |
 "Dakota's Cooking Sabbatical" Berkeley, California August 2020 |  "Dakota's Cooking Sabbatical" Berkeley, California August 2020 |
 "Dakota's: Lemon Tart" Berkeley, California July 2020 |  "Dakota's: fried squash blossoms" Berkeley, California June 2020 |
 "Dakota's: Holiday Fare" Berkeley, California December 2019 |  "Dakota's: Holiday Fare" Berkeley, California December 2019 |
 "A Berkeley Lunch" Berkeley, California June 2019 |
 "A Berkeley Lunch" Berkeley, California March 2019 |  "The San Francisco Fancy Food Festival" San Francisco, California January 2019 |  "?" Oakland, California November 2018 |
 "Kingston II" Oakland, California October 2018 |  "Rita's Garden" Oakland, California October 2018 |  "Rita's Garden" Benicia, California October 2018 |
 "Kingston II" Oakland, California October 2018 |  "Kingston II" Oakland, California October 2018 |
 "The Dead Fish" Benicia, California April 2018 |
 "Ouest" Oakland, California March 2018 |  "Home" Oakland, California March 2018 |
 "Korean Stone Grill" Oakland, California December 2017 |
 "Macarel" Oakland, California December 2017 |
 "Fried Chicken" Berkeley, California November 2017 |
 "Fish Dish" Amsterdam, Holland April 2017 |  "Fish Dish" London, England April 2017 |  "Fish Dish" Essouerra, Morocco April 2017 |
 "Cioppino" San Francisco, California April 2017 |
 "Kody's first grilled fish" Berkeley, California February 2017 |  "Rita's cake" Napa, California February 2017 |  "Still Life" Berkeley, California November 2016 |
 "Paula Demersseman's baked beans" Rapid City, South Dakota July 2016 |
 "Still Life" Rapid City, South Dakota July 2016 |  "Still Life" Rapid City, South Dakota July 2016 |
 "Still Life" Rapid City, South Dakota July 2016 |  "Still Life" Rapid City, South Dakota July 2016 |
 "Still Life" Oakland, California July 2016 |  "Still Life" San Francisco, California July 2016 |
 "Still Life" Tiburon, California June 2016 |  "Still Life" Berkeley, California May 2016 |
 "Still Life Iyasare" Berkeley, California May 2016 |  "Still Life Iyasare" Berkeley, California May 2016 |
 "Still Life" Playa Del Carmen, Mexico February 2016 |  "Still Life" Playa Del Carmen, Mexico February 2016 |
 "Still Life" Berkeley, California March 2015 |  "Dakota's Tuna" Berkeley, California March 2015 |
 "Dakota's cookies" Berkeley, California October 2014 |
 "Still Life" Oakland, California September 2014 |  "Still Life" Oakland, California September 2014 |
 "Still Life" Richmond, California September 2014 |
 "Still Life" Richmond, California September 2014 |
 "Ravioli" Berkeley, California July 2014 |
 "Aunt Lois Dinner" Morton, Mississippi July 2014 |  "TGIF" Atlanta, Georgia July 2014 |
 "Ham and Egg croissant" Berkeley, California June 2014 |
 "Famous Restaurant" St Helena, California April 2014 |  "Famous Restaurant" St Helena, California April 2014 |
 "Japanese commercial counter" San Francisco, California January 2014 |  "Japanese commercial counter" San Francisco, California January 2014 |  "Japanese commercial counter" San Francisco, California January 2014 |
 "Breakfast" Berkeley, California January 2014 |  "Japanese commercial counter" San Francisco, California January 2014 |  "Japanese commercial cunter" San Francisco, California January 2014 |
 "Sushi Spread" New York City October 2013 |
 "Paella dish by Chris VonMarschall" New York City October 2013 |  "Deli counter: Rance 99 Market" Richmond, California October 2013 |
 "Salmon Spread" Montclair, California September 2013 |
 "Friday Appetizer" Sausalito, California May 2013 |  "Genova Eggplant" Oakland, California April 2013 |
 "Doyle Memorial Food" Berkeley, California April 2013 |  "Doyle Memorial Food" Berkeley, California April 2013 |
 "Daphne Easter Dinner" Berkeley, California April 2013 |  "Doyle Memorial Food" Berkeley, California April 2013 |
 "Banquet Paella" Oakland, California June 2012 |
 "The Golden Corral" Tracy, California September 2012 |  "30 Dollar Louie Salad" San Francisco, California June 2012 |
 "Pre roasted Potato Mix" Berkeley, California January 2012 |  "Cray Fish Platter" Berkeley, California December 2011 |
 "Head Cheese at Genova Deli" Oakland, California November 2011 |  "Alvarado Birthday Feast" San Francisco, California November 2011 |  "Carols lamb dish" Oakland, California November 2011 |
 "Stuffed Peppers at Genova Deli" Oakland, California Novemberber 2011 |  "Grapes from Ritas Farm" Napa, California October 2011 |  "Olives at Genova Deli" Oakland, California November 2011 |
 "Susan's 200th baked chicken" Berkeley, California October 2011 |  "My lunch break at Cafe Intermezzo" Berkeley, California October 2011 |
 "Mary Joe Rodrigues's meal" Oakland, California September 2011 |  " Skewer at Safeway Counter " Richmond California September 2011 |  "Skewer at Safeway Counter" Richmmond, California September 2011 |
 "Brians graduation cake" Berkeley, California May 2011 |  "Cake designed by Dakota" Berkeley, California May 2011 |  "P.J.s Table" San Francisco, California May 2011 |
 " Meat Counter at Whole Foods " San Francisco, California May 2011 |  " Meat Counter at Whole Foods " San Francisco, California May 2011 |  "Meat Counter at Whole Foods" Oakland, California May 2011 | |||
 " Vegetable Bins at Whole Foods " San Francisco, California May 2011 |  " Vegetable Bins at Whole Foods " San Francisco, California May 2011 |  " Vegetable Bins at Whole Foods" Oakland, California May 2011 |
 "Susans Retirement cake" Piedmont, California May 2011 | 
"Gelato Counter in Las Vegas" | 
"Gelato Counter in Las Vegas" Las Vegas, Nevada March 2011 |
"Ranch 99 Fish Market" El Cerrito, California 2010 | 
"Ron's Lunch at Bria Restaurant in Las Vegas" |
"Ranch 99 Fish Market" El Cerrito, California 2010 |
"Ranch 99 Fish Market" El Cerrito, California 2010 |
"My Wife Susan's 200th Homemade Apple pie" Berkeley, California January 2011 |
"Ranch 99 Fish Market" El Cerrito, California 2010 |
"Lucky Store Produce" Oakland, California 2010 |
Whole Foods Display, Berkeley, California 2010 |
"Lucky Store Produce" Oakland, California 2010 |
Contra Costa College Culinary Arts Food and Wine Event Richmond, California 2010 | 
The Berkeley Bowl Market Berkeley, California 2010 |
Whole Foods Display, Berkeley, California 2010 |
Whole Foods Display, Berkeley, California 2010 |
Contra Costa College Culinary Arts Food and Wine Event By: Spun Sugar of Berkeley Richmond, California 2010 |
Contra Costa College Culinary Arts Food and Wine Event Richmond, California 2010 |
Contra Costa College Culinary Arts Food and Wine Event Richmond, California 2010 |
Eggplant from Whole Foods, Berkeley, California 2010 |
Collard Greens from Whole Foods, Berkeley, California 2010 |
Eggplant from Genova Delicatessen, Oakland, California 2010 |
Contra Costa College Culinary Arts Food and Wine Event: BY John Surla Richmond, California 2010 |
Contra Costa College Culinary Arts Food and Wine Event Richmond, California 2010 |
Contra Costa College Culinary Arts Food and Wine Event: By John Surla Richmond, California 2010 |
Betsy and Daughters, Gourmet Food Show: San Francisco, California 2010 |
Genova delicatessen meat display, Oakland, California 2010 |
Fall food festival, Queens, New York 2008 |
 Contra Costa College Culinary Arts Food and Wine Event |
 Jerry Chin, California chef Berkeley, California 2006 |
Shopping at a Super Market, Oakland California April 2010 |
Shopping at a Super Market, Oakland California April 2010 |