🫂 Thank you to everyone who came out to Looking Forward Giving Back on Thursday! It was another packed house with over 350 people in the room showing up for First Exposures in a major way.
📈 We are tallying the final numbers, but the FX community showed out in support of our mentors and mentees this year, beating last year’s ticket proceeds and blowing last year’s auction sales out of the water with over 85 pieces sold!
🚀 This will have a tremendous and lasting impact on sustaining our free photo mentoring programming for Bay Area youth.
🎤 A special thanks to @frishbrandt for being our guest speaker and inspiring our young people in the crowd, to Itzel Perez, Sid Nambiar, and @tythegardenn for sharing how being in FX has left a mark on them, and to @georgeokk for captivating the crowd as our emcee for the evening!
📸 And finally, so much appreciation to all of our artists, volunteers, host committee, board, and staff for making this event such a success!
Shout out to this year’s sponsors:
🥙 @chachachasf
🍷 @bouchaine_vineyards@biritesf
🍻 @trumerusa@drakesdealership
🖨️ @oscarsphotolab
🎞️ @orangephoto
🖼️ @sterlingartsf@citypictureframe
📸 @withlove.rikki.ward@bajwashoots
🏢 @somarts
We’re thrilled to announce our summer group photography Mentoring Program 🪅
Over 6 weeks, participants learn film or digital photography, meeting twice weekly with Teaching Artists and mentors to create in a collaborative, supportive environment.
June 29 — August 7
Film Class: Wednesdays & Fridays, 4:00–7:00 PM
🍄Digital Class: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 1:00–4:00 PM
A space for youth (ages 11–18) to see and play
Mentors work directly with mentees, creating alongside one another
🧚🏼Classes are now enrolling — link in bio!
Busy and fun day installing the First Exposures auction pieces! Get your ticket for their annual fundraiser (and best party of the year!) on their website: Get down to SOMArts tomorrow, May 7, from 6-9pm and get some amazing works and help raise money for this important youth photography non-profit! @firstexposures@erikauerbach@marysceramics #firstexposures #sanfrancisco #youthphotography #photoauction #lookingforwardgivingback
📸 Olivia and Noah’s first year together as a mentee+mentor pair in our Digital Photography class was the epitome of the power of art, mentoring, and community.
✊ Being with other creatively-minded peers in our space at FX inspired them both to keep on creating and to continue making powerful statements with the art they create!
⭐️ Support First Exposures + Youth Photography + Mentoring Relationships all at LFGB 26! ⭐️
Looking Forward, Giving Back
SOMArts | May 7 | 6—9 PM
Tickets: Link in bio and below
firstexposures.org/lfgb
#firstexposures #digitalphotography #mentoringworks #supportnonprofits #youthphotography
📸 Citlaly and PM spent another year together bonding over the meaningful experiences they got to share through photography.
🫂 The growth of their bond has strengthened their interest in taking pictures and, more importantly, building and fostering community.
⭐️ Support First Exposures + Youth Photography + Mentoring Relationships all at LFGB 26! ⭐️
Thu May 7 | SOMArts | 6-9 PM
Tickets: Link in bio and below
firstexposures.org/lfgb
#youthphotography #mentoringrelationships #artauction #supportnonprofits #emergingphotographers
🛠️ First Exposures staff are hard at work prepping for LFGB on Thursday!
🖼️ Don’t miss their work lining the walls of SOMArts along with our mentees, mentors, and community of local artists. See you there!
SOMArts May 7
firstexposures.org/lfgb
Link in Bio
@theothedirector@cerebraleuphoria@deenamachina@vatopose@erikauerbach
📸 Ella and JD both have a deep appreciation for having the space to express their creativity through photography at FX.
🖼️ Always capturing every last photo on their photo walks, the two of them and their prints will be featured at this year’s Looking Forward, Giving Back.
⭐️ Support First Exposures + Youth Photography + Mentoring Relationships all at LFGB 2026! ⭐️
🗓️ Thu May 7 | SOMArts | 6-9 PM
🔗 Link in bio and below
firstexposures.org/lfgb
#artauction #photowalks #supportnonprofits #youthphotography #mentoring
➡️ Have you checked out the LFGB Silent Auction page?
🎸 If you’re a fan of iconic photos of legendary musicians, you’ll love the three big-ticket items featured in this year’s auction:
📸 Jimi Hendrix, Monterey Pop Soundcheck, 1967; by Jim Marshall
📸 Bob Dylan, Austin Ferry, Wales UK, 1966; by Barry Feinstein
📸 The Allman Brothers Band, At Fillmore East Album Cover, 1971; by Jim Marshall
Check out the links in our bio to view the entire catalog and register for the auction. And don’t forget to purchase tickets to attend in-person!
05.07.2026 | SOMArts | 6-9 PM
More on each item below
Jimi Hendrix:
One of Jim Marshall’s most iconic shots, Jimi Hendrix strikes a classic pose at soundcheck for the Monterey Pop Festival, 1967.
Bob Dylan:
This portrait was taken at the Aust Ferry terminal in Gloucestershire, England on May 11, 1966. The image was used on the cover of Martin Scorsese’s documentary about the life of Bob Dylan, No Direction Home.
The Allman Brothers Band:
This now iconic shot of band members Gregg and Duane Allman, Jaimoe, Dickey Betts, Butch Trucks, and Berry Oakley in the throes of laughter, was taken early one cool morning in Macon, GA, 1971.
#bobdylan #jimihendrix #allmanbrothers #jimmarshall #barryfeinstein
Our part-time mentors save the day every week, showing up for mentees and First Exposures all the time! See their work this Thursday 05.07.
LFGB 2026
May 7 at SOMArts
firstexposures.org/lfgb
Link in Bio
@sophiasmemoir@filmfideo@aweiss.sf@jeannehauser@brassai51@sezee_fotography
#firstexposures #mentoringworks #mentoringmatters #artauction #supportnonprofits
📸 First Exposures has the distinct honor of offering a once-in-a-lifetime photography experience. In partnership with SF-based artist, educator, and FX Advisory Board member @seanmcfarland_ , we will feature a “Private Darkroom Class with Sean McFarland” at this year’s LFGB Silent Auction.
🤳 🖼️ You will walk away from this experience having made some darkroom magic, transforming your own digital photo from your phone into a silver gelatin print to take home with you.
💰Bid on this exclusive experience for you and up to 5 additional friends!
Thu May 7 | SOMArts | 6-9 PM
Tickets & Auction info in bio and below
firstexposures.org/lfgb
Experience Details:
6 people max capacity (All ages. At least one adult/guardian must be in attendance)
4 hours (First Exposures will coordinate date/time with the winning bidder)
Class will be held at First Exposures (265 Shotwell Street, San Francisco, CA 94110)
Class must be scheduled and held by 12/12/2026
#seanmcfarland #darkroomprint #digitalphotography #supportnonprofits #artauction
