SF Camerawork is a non-profit photography gallery dedicated to encouraging photographic dialogue in the San Francisco community and beyond. We seek to enrich the community through photography, by providing gallery exhibitions, lectures, portfolio reviews, a biannual journal, and a youth mentoring program, First Exposures.

First Exposures is a photography mentoring program for at-risk youth, ages 11-18, whose backgrounds include homelessness, transitional housing and low-income living situations. We provide a unique combination of group learning and one-on-one instruction, pairing each youth in our program with an adult volunteer photographer to teach them black and white photography. Through photography, we aim to give these at-risk youth a way to express themselves in a world where they are not otherwise heard.

Description:
First Exposures meets every Saturday from 10 - 2:30. In addition to basic instruction in shooting, printing and processing, we also go on outside photo shoots and field trips, to magazines, parks, advertising agencies, research facilities and museums. The success of this program depends greatly on the energy and enthusiasm of the volunteer adult mentors, who are photographers in the community with a commitment to youth and to education. First Exposures operates on a Semester basis, and we offer a Fall and a Spring semester corresponding to the school year. Volunteer mentors are asked to make a two-term commitment.

History:
First Exposures is a program of SF Camerawork, a non-profit photography gallery dedicated to encouraging photographic dialogue and giving back to the community through photography and education. SF Camerawork is approaching its 30th year of operation, and First Exposures was initiated by Camerawork in 1996.

Contact people:

Chelsea Morse, Gallery Manager, (phone), (email) Andrew Goodrich, Operations Coordinator, (phone), (email) Erik Auerbach, Program/Education Coordinator, (phone), (email)

Main office number: (415) 512-2020
Office fax number: (415) 512-7109

Address:

657 Mission Street, Second Floor San Francisco, CA 94105 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.sfcamerawork.org

Directions:

Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: Market and Third St.,   Walk distance (in minutes): 3   Nearest Bus Stop: Market and Third St., 3 minute walk

Miscellaneous Information

Besides English, which languages are spoken at your agency?
	French, Spanish
What is the minimum age for volunteers at your agency?
	18
Is your agency wheelchair accessible?
	Yes
Does your agency have the capacity to host groups of more than 10?
	Yes
Does your agency have the capacity to host groups of more than 20?
	Yes