Top image: ‘Good Luck and Do Your Best’ (2016) by Laura Lewis and Gold Panda 

Good Luck and Do Your Best is a new photo book by Laura Lewis as a counterpart to Gold Panda’s latest album of the same name.

In 2014, the pair set out to capture the rich sounds, moods and colours of life in suburban Japan. While getting out of a taxi in Hiroshima, the driver gave them the parting farewell of “good luck and do your best”, a rough translation of the Japanese phrase “gabatte, kudasai.” Struck by the phrase – its positive, motivational sentiment and evidence in the country’s daily life – this became both the title and the linchpin for the project.

“Derwin [aka Gold Panda] and I met in early 2014 after Gareth Dobson at Wichita Recordings had given him a copy of my book People. Places. Things. Derwin had some rough ideas for a project – which would eventually become his third album – and asked if I’d like to accompany him on a trip to Japan to take photographs,” says Lewis. “We spent two weeks travelling and adventuring in various places throughout Japan. I really fell in love with Japan – the country and the people, their hard-working demeanour and the ever-present concept of doing one’s best.”

Shot on a variety of cameras including medium format and 35mm film, Lewis returned to London with a vast body of work. The imagery later formed the artwork for Gold Panda’s album and singles. “The project encompassed music, travel and photography, and was a really wonderful thing to to have been part of.” says Lewis. “It was an inspiring process and I know I will always look back on the experience, Japan, our travels there, and the work we produced together, extremely fondly.”

The book Good Luck and Do Your Best is now available at selected shops and online at via Bandcamp.
Follow Gold Panda here.