Page 1 Laundry A study of Pennine Lancashire laundrettes in one roll of film Lee Johnson
Laundry
Mar 23, 2016
Laundry is an exploration of the laundrettes of Pennine Lancashire. Photographer Lee Johnson takes us on a photographic journey by setting himself a challenge. Armed with his forty year old SLR camera, a 50mm lens and one roll of expired colour film, Lee sets out to document the laundrettes throughout East Lancashire with a perception that these are something of his childhood that are no longer viable and likely to disappear. In this, Lee finds that not only are there more laundrettes than he thought but that they are thriving businesses that are continuing to grow.
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LaundryA study of Pennine Lancashire laundrettes in one roll of film
Lee Johnson
LaundryA study of Pennine Lancashire laundrettes in one roll of film
Lee Johnson
First published in the United Kingdom byLee Johnson Photography 2013.
Copyright © 2013 by Lee Johnson.
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in anyform or by means, without prior
permission in writing of the publisher, nor beotherwise circulated in any form of binding or
cover other than which is published andwithout a similar condition including thiscondition being imposed on the subsequent
purchaser/viewer.
www.leejohnsonphotography.blogspot.com
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Acknowledgements
As with any of my projects there are always a lot ofpeople behind the scenes that offer me help andsupport.
Firstly, my family. Lisa and my kids, Eve and Caleb.They have to put up with me saying 'What do you thinkof this?' every five minutes or 'Hang on while I justsort this out.' I know I'm a bit of pain at times butthanks for your support. I love the three of you verymuch.
My friends, Liam and Barry who often give feedback tomy images and scratch their heads at what I am doing.A special thanks goes to Bob who encourages to shootmore on film and mess about with all thingsphotography.
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About the authorI began taking photographs when I was about seven years old. Mygrandparents bought me a little 110 compact camera to document thesummer day trips we took. By the time I was 12 years old I hadmoved on to my first 35mm single lens reflex camera.
About four years ago I made the leap to a digital SLR and continuedto develop my skills in producing high quality photography.Although I do love the freedom that digital photography gives andthe speed that you can produce a finished image I still enjoyshooting on film. In fact, although my SLR finally broke when I wasabout 20 I still have and use the original lens from it.
As a photographer I do tend to shoot a variety of subjects with myfavourites being wildlife, landscape and documentary. However, I dolike to work on quite large essay type projects; I do like myphotographs to tell a story.
I consider myself to have a variety of influences from famousphotographers such as Simon Roberts and Fay Godwin to those that Ioften sit down with and talk photography.
To see more of my work visit:
www.flickr.com/photos/spideylj1074 orwww.leejohnsonphotography.blogspot.co.uk
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About LaundryLaundry began with a trip up in to the attic.
I decided that I was going to put a roll of film through my oldPracktica MTL3 and so I went out and bought a roll of black andwhite film.
When I brought the case down from the attic I found that there was aroll of Boots own brand 400 asa colour film in there. It hadexpired in 2003. I thought it would be worth shooting the rollanyway. What was the worse that could happen? I'd get some shotsback with wacky colours but that in itself could be interesting.
I had decided that I was going to shot a mini project with the monoroll and thought I would do the same with the colour roll.
The subject had to be something that would work over around 20images. The roll of film was actually 36 but being film rusty, thecondition of the film and the chances that I would mess up sometechnicality I assumed I would have around 20 usable images if I waslucky.
The answer came to be by accident. I drove past a laundrette oneday and it struck me that it had the same appearance as it probablydid when it first opened. OK, it may be a little worse for weararound the edges, but the signs and ‘art’ (losing the term loosely)looked pretty much like I think they would have done in the 1970’sand early 80’s. I thought about this carefully and I realised thatevery laundrette that I had been in had a same or similarappearance. I also thought that as washing machines have becomemore affordable that laundrettes would be a thing of the past, adinosaur waiting to become extinct. I had an inkling that thissubject would suit film and in particular would suit this roll offilm that when process could result in weird colours and artefactsdue to the age. So off I went.
I began with laundrettes that I knew still existed and then I beganto find more and more of them. In fact, it has actually shatteredmy illusion. The laundrette busy is still thriving and while theone’s I visited are a relic of the past there are new, clean, modernlaundrettes opening up.
The film was processed by a lab in C41 chemistry and I have scannedthe negatives. I have to admit that my neg scanner isn’t very goodand there is deterioration in the sharpness of the image, noise andcolour isn’t quite right but you know what? That doesn’t matter toomuch. I think it suits the subject perfectly.
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LaundryA study of Pennine Lancashire laundrettes in one roll of film
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Laundry is an exploration of the laundrettesof Pennine Lancashire.
Photographer Lee Johnson takes us on aphotographic journey by setting himself achallenge.
Armed with his forty year old SLR camera, a50mm lens and one roll of expired colourfilm, Lee sets out to document thelaundrettes throughout East Lancashire with aperception that these are something of hischildhood that are no longer viable andlikely to disappear.
In this, Lee finds that not only are theremore laundrettes than he thought but thatthey are thriving businesses that arecontinuing to grow.
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