PhotoWalk x PhotoSlam with Dave Herring Recap | Maiden Lane Grand Opening
- Date
- March 28, 2026
- Venue
-
120 Maiden Lane
San Francisco - In partnership with
-
Dave Herring
Fujifilm | Oberwerth | Very Good Co. - Attendance
- 150+ Photographers
On Saturday, March 28, 2026, Maiden Lane became , the home to Camera West San Francisco, a gathering place for photographers. The occasion was the grand opening of Camera West San Francisco, and we celebrated it the only way that felt right — by filling our new store with people who love making images.
How the Day Came Together
The PhotoSlam was the vision of Bay Area photographer and creator Dave Herring, and from the moment the first person showed up on the lane, it was clear this was going to be something special. By 1:30pm, the store and the street outside were bustling with folks, with many guests seeing the new Camera West space for the very first time.
Devyn Lodge opened the afternoon with a warm welcome and a shoutout to our sponsors, Fujifilm and Oberwerth, before handing things over to Dave. He mapped out the photowalk route, introduced the themes, and gave everyone the special instructions before the group headed out.
The PhotoWalk
The route stretched from Maiden Lane out through Chinatown to North Beach and back, weaving through some of the best-photographed blocks in downtown San Francisco. By 3:30pm, people were filtering back into the store, trading stories from the walk, reviewing their shots, and uploading their favorites to the PhotoSlam website.
The PhotoSlam
At 4:15pm, the main floor was standing room only. The mezzanine was lined with photographers looking down at the screens below. With the volume of submissions, there was a moment of nervous energy about keeping everyone engaged through the full slate — but Dave has a gift for this kind of room. He kept energy high, pulled judges from the crowd, and let the audience weigh in collectively on every set. As the competition progressed, the decisions got harder in the best possible way, with truly outstanding images rising to the top.
When the dust settled, three photographers took home prizes: a Fujifilm X-T5 kit for first place, an Oberwerth Louis bag for second, and a Camera West swag bag for third.
The Winners!
Thank You
To everyone who came out: this day meant a lot to us. Seeing the new Maiden Lane store full of people who genuinely love photography and the craft of visual storytelling was exactly what we hoped for when we imagined what this opening could be.
To Dave Herring: thank you for bringing this community together. It’s what you do, and you do it better than anyone.
To Very Good Co. and Jenn, who put a strap on the grand prize X-T5!
To Fujifilm and Oberwerth: your presence on the in the store alongside your products and contibutions to the grand prizes, made this edition of the PhotoSlam genuinely special. Thank you for showing up.
We’re already looking forward to the next one. A new theme is coming. Stay tuned!
