Morag Perkins

@moragperkinsphoto

Photographer, mostly film, mostly plants. Looking straight into the light with the lens wide open. Also occasionally touching on disability, MECFS, and rare types of diabetes (specifically MODY) She/her Glasgow, Scotland www.moragperkinsphoto.com

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Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· 12d

So this is wholesome! My #PostcardsFromAfar postcard from June went on a little adventure on the way to me It was correctly addressed and sent from Illinois - then somehow managed to find it's way to Belfast, where some kind soul popped it in an envelope and forwarded it on to me in Glasgow

Colour postcard showing a view of a clear blue river flowing through a mountain valley.

The postcard is sitting on top of an envelope with a Northern Ireland postmark and a UK first class stamp, addressed "FAO: Morag"

Next to it is a page from a telephone message notepad, with the handwritten message: "Received your card by mistake so just posting forward to you. Lovely photograph." then something illegible (maybe a name?) and "Cheers from Belfast"

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· 29d

Made a friend on my walk by the canal yesterday. Turns out his name is Ziggy and he has his own Instagram! Also he gives excellent cuddles www.instagram.com/glasgowcanal...

Selfie taken from a low angle with a cat. The whole thing is very reminiscent of the “vibing cat” meme

The photo is mostly clear blue sky and a little bit of greenery - then just peeking in at the bottom left corner you can see the head and shoulders of me and a cat, both looking down at the camera.

I am a middle aged white woman with brown hair and glasses, and I am wearing a green shirt, black top and old school white-wired Apple earbuds. My face is half obscured the cat in front of me.

The cat is a slightly scruffy but very cute looking black and white cat. His face is mostly white, with black across the top of his head and ears, and around his left eye. His eyes are half closed

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· Jun 19

I mean honestly the whole Grant Museum is excellent, one of those proper old school floor to ceiling things in jars museums

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· May 30

#BelieveInFilm friends! I have a Big Birthday coming up and to mark the occasion I am getting a very special camera. I need you to help me choose which one to buy. Requirements are in the screenshot here...but what my heart really wants is a Hasselblad So - is it a Hassy? And if so, which one?

What camera shall I buy?

Non-negotiable:

- Medium format SLR
- Modular system with plenty of options to add to it later
- Waist level viewfinder
- Interchangeable film backs
- Good quality / well built

Strong preference:

- Good macro lens available - or some means of getting close up
- Square format
- Not *too* hefty where possible (I realise this is relative)
- Decently weather resistant (I won’t take it diving but it does rain a lot here!)
- Can work without batteries / be all mechanical when I want it to be
- Some mechanism to alert me / prevent the shutter firing when the dark slide is still in!
- Multiple exposures possible
- Bulb mode

- SPACE CAMERA SPACE CAMERA SPACE CAMERA
- …it’s so pretty though!

Nice to have but not a deal breaker:

- Other aspect ratios available
- Eye level viewfinder available
- Built in metering

lol does this even exist?:

- A Polaroid back for the system would be lovely but I’m not sure that’s a thing!

Patrick from SpongeBob gazes longingly at a Hasselblad camera

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· May 12

Technical question: Recent photos with my OM2 all have the same distinctive black mark at the top left of the frame. Looking inside the camera I can see a bit of fluff stuck behind the shutter curtain that matches the shape and location, except it's at the bottom right...(cont) #BelieveInFilm

Black and white image of a hospital building.

Towards the top left corner of the frame, in an area of light sky, there is a clear black mark with a distinctive shape and sharp edges.

Black and white photograph that is mostly clear sky, with a couple of contrails visible, and a small portion of a tree and a TV aerial in one corner.

Towards the top left corner is a nearly identical black mark to the one in the other frame, in the exact same spot.

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· May 11

Had an appointment over at Stobhill Hospital this afternoon, a new place to me and as it turned out a good opportunity to explore Springburn park, which is unexpectedly lovely

Photograph taken near the entrance to a park on a sunny spring day.

A path made of scruffy wooden boards stretches straight out in front, with trees and grass at either side. The path leads to a large round metal sculpture in the distance; it is almost circular, forming an arch of rusty metal over the path that acts as a sort of gateway to the rest of the park. The arch is just the right size for a tall human to comfortably pass through. Neatly framed in the centre of the circle is a small tree, dead ahead as you walk along the straight path.

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· May 10

OK this has escaped containment so I'm gonna mute this thread now to maintain my sanity. Here are the accounts uncovered so far for you to boggle at and then block. If some kind soul with more time/energy/knowledge than me wants to construct a handy blocklist for these then go ahead!

Screenshot from Clearsky.app showing two entries in my blocklist:

mayahalvard.bsky.social

and

gerritrhoades.bsky.social

Screenshot from Clearsky.app showing another two entries in my blocklist:

hadleypenna.bsky.social

and

oysterwood.com

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· May 10

Anyway today smells of last night’s curry and whatever the teenagers next door have been smoking, which feels strangely right as I wear my John Lewis pyjamas to reorganise lens caps on a spring afternoon in Glasgow, Scotland.

Ralph Wiggum on the school bus meme, except instead of “I’m in danger” it says “I’m an influencer”

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· May 9

Vibes #BelieveInFilm

Square format, untidy, grainy autumnal photograph, showing some reddish autumn leaves clinging to the branches of a tree. One large dappled red and orange leaf is clearly visible in the centre, and the rest dissolve into a sort of tangled mass of twigs and red leaves. The bottom and right hand side of the frame fade into a very dark shadow with green and purple undertones, white the top left part is a slightly sepia sky. A single blurry tree branch angles up into the corner.

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· May 9

Actually looking again at that autumn roll, I think that the scans were quite a bit overexposed and pulling them right back to match the low light at the time really brings the photos to life. Cross processed Fuji Sensia II again #BelieveInFilm

Close up photograph of a dried out fallen leaf in autumn, caught in the branches of an evergreen tree. The fallen leaf is a rich amber brown colour, and the evergreen leaves are a very deep emerald, almost blueish green tone.

The photograph is quite dark overall, with very deep shadows in the evergreen tree and the background - the only brighter spots are a bit of light in the top right corner, and a highlight on the top edge of the leaf.

An earlier version of this photograph was posted earlier today - it is much lighter in tone but I think less effective.

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· May 9

This wee thread is partly for @wavesounds.bsky.social, who was asking to see some Xpro Sensia! Here's the autumn edition 🍂 It likes to be just slightly underexposed, and when it all hits just right it will give you these absolutely gorgeous unearthly rich colours with greens that are almost blue

Close up photographs of leaves on what I think is a Japanese Maple tree in autumn. The leaves are rich shades of red and orange, with lighter greens and yellows in the blurred background. Some of the deep shadows are almost purple in tone.

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· May 9

Photies! In colour! Been meaning to post these for ages... Very expired Fujichrome Sensia II 100, cross processed in C41 and exposed about half a stop under, all the way back in May 2022. The film expired in 2001, I'm not the speediest mover 😆 Looook at those colours though! #BelieveInFilm

Close up photograph of a small blossom on a tree in spring - I think it might be apple blossom. The flower itself is a soft muted pinkish colour with yellow stamens in the centre. There are other unopened buds behind it that are a darker, richer pink. The leaves are a deep rich almost blue-ish emerald green colour.

The whole photograph has a rich, deep, grainy tone to it.

Close up photograph of a small cluster of leaves emerging from a bud on a tree in sprint. They are just beginning on open up, spreading outwards from a central point. The green tones are very rich and vivid, with almost emerald greens at the base of the bud - while the blurred background is lighter, with more yellowish tones showing through.

Close up photograph of a small cluster of leaves on a tree, gently backlit by slightly muted watery sunshine. The leaves have a colour gradient from green at the base, through yellow and brown to deep red at the outer edges. One is facing directly towards the camera showing a very clear colour gradient and distinct veins, and the other is curled slightly upwards. The backlighting from the sun shows that they have fine 'hairs' at the edges which are gently glowing.

Another photograph of similar coloured leaves, but this time with more flat light and viewed straight on. The background is a flat pale green, and there are three leaves in sharp focus with a very clear leaf structure and rich colours that range from deep green in the centre, out to a rich ruby red at the edges. The middle leaf is darker, and has almost purple tones in places.

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· May 8

So before you all go block this obviously AI “film photography” account please join me in boggling at the incredible uncanny valley weirdness of it. It’s apparently obsessed with white T shirts and…uhh…what things smell like? Then block it.

Screenshot of an obviously AI generated “film photographer” Bluesky account called “Hadley Penna”.

Image shows a white woman in a white t shirt (of course) layered with a jacket and jeans, sitting at a desk with a laptop, “film cameras” and strips of 35mm negatives with the wrong aspect ratio.

“Quiet one in York tonight: editing photos, sorting 35mm, and noticing details I somehow missed the first time through.
The room smells like cold coffee and film sleeves, which feels weirdly perfect for a cloudy spring evening.
#YorkPA #FilmPhotography”

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· Apr 26

Four herons and a (blurry) cormorant #BelieveInFilm

Black and white portrait format photograph of a grey heron on a canal bank.

The bird is in the centre of the frame, facing to the left. It is clearly reflected in the water of the canal below it. Behind the heron is the wall of the canal, with rotting wooden vertical planks and a stone edge above. In the foreground is the water of the canal, rippling slightly.

The photograph has strong contrast and is quite dark overall, except for the pale coloured heron.

Grainy, blurry, dark black and white photograph of a cormorant on a canal, with its wings beginning to stretch out as if it is about to take off. There is a lot of movement in the photograph, and the bird has created small waves and a wake in the water. In the background are some overgrown dead grasses on the canal bank.

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· Apr 25

I think a lot of it is light. I go looking for light, usually at the window! It's the same reason I break out lots of fairy lights in the winter, you'll see those featuring regularly too. In fact today is the day my fairy lights are going away for the summer

Contrasty black and white photograph of some decorative items on a bookshelf, lit by a string a white fairy lights.

On the front part of the shelf is a black ceramic cat and a lighter coloured ceramic Christmas tree shaped ornament. The glow of the fairy lights is reflected in the bottom part of the ornaments and picks out the details nicely, especially in the ceramic cat.

In the background are a lot of photography books, and a box of postcards that is stylised like an old box camera.

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· Apr 25

Sometimes it gets too hot instead #BelieveInFilm

High contrast black and white portrait format photograph of a large chrome desk fan, pointing out an open window.

The fan is sitting on a shoe box to give it enough height to be level with the windowsill

Black and white portrait format photograph of an AEG portable air conditioner, with a set of curtains closed behind it.

The curtains are a pale colour, and they glow from the strong sunlight behind them. They have been pegged shut behind the air conditioner to keep the cool air inside.

The flap on the top of the air conditioner is up, indicating that it is running. It is a large white unit, about the size of a small fridge.

Black and white portrait format of the view from a window in a suburban street in high summer.

The photograph is taken from the first floor of a block of flats, and a man is mowing the grass in the front garden outside. He wears a sleeveless vest and large heavy work boots.

Across the road are semi detached houses, with another block of flats in the distance.

It is the same view as seen in the foggy photograph upthread.

Black and white contrasty photograph of a window, wide open on a sunny evening.

The interior of the room is in shadow, and the area by the window and the window frame itself is bright with strong sunlight flooding in. A black and white patterned curtain has been tied back out the way to let the air flow through.

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· Apr 25

We do have a lot of weather round here... #BelieveInFilm

Black and white portrait format photograph of raindrops on a window. It has just finished raining heavily, and the drops on the glass seem to swirl slightly. Many areas are blurry, adding to the effect.

The view out the window is blurred and indistinct, with light and dark patches that could be sky and scenery, but it is impossible to tell.

Black and white portrait format photograph taken through a window during a storm.

In the middle distance is a large evergreen tree, with motion blur at the edges and the branches bend and lurch in the wind. Further away the edge of a block of tenement flats can be seen.

In the foreground are blurry lighter spots where there are raindrops on the window.

Black and white contrasty portrait format photograph of a suburban street on a wet winter's day, taken from an upstairs window.

In them middle distance a parent is walking with a covered pushchair and two children. One child has an umbrella, and the others all have their hoods up. The ground is wet and both the road and the pavement are uneven, creating lots of puddles.

The far side of the road is semi detached houses, and this side of the road has a row of front gardens for the blocks of flats I am in.

There is a black bar down the left hand side of the frame, from the edge of the window

The same view from the same window as in the previous photograph in similar weather - but this time the focus is on raindrops on the window and the street outside is blurry and indistinct.

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· Apr 25

Looking through my long term project and there are definitely a few recurring themes emerging. Weather is definitely one! #BelieveInFilm

Black and white portrait format photograph showing the view from an upstairs window in a suburban street.

It is a foggy day - houses and cars across the street gradually become more indistinct as they get further away. In the middle distance, on our side of the street, there is a lamp post - the light is on and it glows gently, but even in the mist the daylight is enough to overpower it. In the foreground is the front garden of the block of flats I am in, and a damp untidy pavement that has been patched up a few too many times.

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· Apr 24

Anas Sawar does like a majestic low angle doesn't he? Compare and contrast.

Two current Scottish parliamentary election leaflets, held up in my hand against a blank wall.

One is from Scottish Labour, featuring leader Anas Sawar photographed from a low angle and gazing into the distance majestically, with his shoulders back and a mountain behind him. He looks like Brian Cox presenting a documentary about the universe.

The other is from the SNP, featuring leader (and current First Minister) John Swinney in a much less staged photograph, taken in what appears to be an ordinary garden with bushes behind him. He is smiling, and squinting slightly in the sun. It is taken from a more standard angle and generally just looks much less slick and majestic but more approachable

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· Apr 24

And on the subject of ‘photographers 100% do it on purpose’, it’s never not a good time to repost this gem:

Screenshot of a post by photographer Jake Walters, featuring a full length photograph of Sir Philip Green taken from a low angle, with two round bushes obscuring his feet. The shape and composition gives a distinctly phallic appearance.

Text of the post reads: “ My portrait of Sir Philip Green taken on his Arcadia office balcony on Oxford Street. He was unpleasant and rude to me and my assistant when we arrived to photograph him so I thought.. well if it's ok for you to act like a prick, it must be ok to make you look like one. So I did.”

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· Apr 22

For the camera(s) - kinda but not really pictured here but I like the photo! - I'm using an Olympus OM1n and an OM2n, with the Olympus Zuiko 50mm f1.8 and the 200mm f5, and a Vivitar 28mm f2.8 close focus. #BelieveInFilm

Black and white selfie taken with a film camera.

I am reflected in a clear glass shower screen, so the reflection is slightly transparent and the texture of a shower wall panel behind shows through creating an interesting textured effect.

I am a white woman with glasses and shoulder length hair, wearing a checked pyjama top, and holding a black Olympus OM1 camera.

There is a mirror behind me, so a partial reflection of the back of me can be seen in one corner of the frame.

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· Apr 22

For those who are interested in the technical details: I'm using 35mm @ilfordphoto.com XP2 Super for the project, due to the wide exposure latitude and ability to use it in dramatically different lighting conditions. Tell you what, XP2 really loves fairy lights! And deep shadows. #BelieveInFilm

Dramatic, contrasty black and white photograph of a large string of fairy lights, tangled up in a big pile on a carpet.

The outer edges of the frame fade into a deep rich black, and the only source of light is from the fairy lights, which are switched on. Each one is a point of brilliant white light with a slight 'glow' around it.

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· Apr 22

My favourite frames from inside the house are also all about the small details:

Black and white photograph of a vintage camera lens on a table by a window, with out of focus fairy lights creating blurry points of light in the background.

Hints of the string of fairy lights, the window, and the street outside can ben seen reflected in the front element of the lens.

For those who are interested: the lens is an Olympus OM F-Zuiko 200mm f5

Close up of a typewritten letter, with an envelope underneath it.

The letter opens with "Hi Morag!", and the envelope has an old school seal on it.

Part of a printed photograph can also just be seen

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· Apr 22

Anyway, here is a wee selection of my finds from those days I made it out! No real theme here beyond "I left the house today!" I think there's something about not going out much or going far that makes you really appreciate the details though. I've always been all about the details #BelieveInFilm

Black and white photograph of a section of textured concrete wall with graffiti on it.

The wall has been painted white - now slightly dirty - and it has a sort of brick texture to it.

Spray painted on it are the words "NO ONE IS ILLEGALS"

It's clear that somebody originally wrote "NO ILLEGALS", and somebody else has come along and added "ONE IS" in the middle to change the meaning. The added words are in slightly different handwriting, and the paint has dripped in a way that suggests less experience with a spray can.

Close up black and white photograph of a single fallen leaf stuck to a metal handrail in the rain.

The leaf is an almost-perfect classic 'leaf' shape, with strong visible ribs. The handrail has been painted a dark colour, and has lots of raindrops clinging to it

Black and white night photograph taken from inside a city bus shelter.

In the foreground in sharp focus you can just make out a decal with the stylised outline of a fish with a ring in its mouth, a reference to the Glasgow coat of arms.

Overall the image is very dark, but there are bright points of blurred light from the cars on the main road, and the reflection of a lit up advertising poster on the bus shelter.

Black and white landscape photograph showing a city suburb skyline, seen from an elevated viewpoint on a sunny winter day.

In the foreground are blurry tree branches, bare of leaves for the winter.

In the middle distance are some buildings and trees in deep shade, with a strong silhouette along the edge of a ridge. A building with distinct twin turrets can be seen in silhouette towards the centre right of the frame, with a chimney beside it putting out white steam that is catching the sunlight.

Behind that in the distance are a couple more layers of low city hills, each getting lighter as it gets further away. The furthest ridge has lines of trees along its length.

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· Apr 22

Long term followers might remember this! My project is still going, about 2 years in now. I've been taking one single photograph every single day to document my life with an energy-limiting condition. Don't really know where I'm ultimately going with it but definitely still going! #BelieveInFilm

High contrast black and white photograph taken in an unkempt wooded park on a sunny winter day.

The photograph looks along a path through a line of trees, branches bare for the winter. Lying along the right hand side of the path is a very large fallen tree, with a row of large twisted branches disappearing off up the path to where the top of the tree would have been.

There is some scrappy chalk graffiti on the trunk in the foreground, and somebody has written "Dylan" on the closest branch.

The image has very dark shadows and bright highlights from the low winter sun, giving it quite a dramatic feel.

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· Apr 14

Last one from Dawsholm Park - found this giant pile of masonry, all neatly sorted, shrink-wrapped, and stacked on pallets. Absolutely no idea what that's about. Bronica SQ-B with Zenzanon 80mm f2.8 lens @ilfordphoto.com FP4 Plus #fridayfavourites #FP4Party

Square format black & white photograph of a pile of masonry in an outdoor setting, with trees in the background.

A large number of what seem to be stone building blocks have been neatly stacked up on pallets and wrapped in plastic shrinkwrap. Some of the blocks have rounded tops, like they are intended to be the top of a wall or similar. They have been wrapped in small sets, sometimes just a couple of blocks together. One set facing the camera has a large X spray painted on the end.

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· Apr 14

Also quite taken with this last-of-the-roll effort - it has everything wrong with it, but I think that's kind of why it works? Bronica SQ-B with Zenzanon 80mm f2.8 lens @ilfordphoto.com FP4 Plus #fridayfavourites #FP4Party

Black and white square format photograph taken in a forest in winter.

A square rusty metal object is leaning on the roots of a fallen tree, echoing the shape of the photograph. It may have been a cover for something industrial or a manhole at one time, it is perfectly square, and appears to have a raised ' frame' around it.

There is leaf litter and general forest detritus on the ground, and the dead tree root mass behind is covered in moss and plant materials. Everything is untidy and tangled.

At the top of the frame is a solid straight-edged black bar where the film scanner is slightly misaligned with the image, and at the bottom is a fuzzy-edged bright white bar where light got in at the end of the film roll.

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· Apr 14

I'm only able to do things in a small way at the moment so my tiny #FP4Party was just 1 (one!) roll of 120 film that I took to the park. This one is my favourite - you can almost *hear* it crawling towards you 💀 Bronica SQ-B with Zenzanon 80mm f2.8 lens @ilfordphoto.com FP4 Plus #fridayfavourites

Black and white photograph of the lower part of a tree in a forest clearing in winter, taken from a low angle.

The tree trunk is leaning backwards away from the camera at quite a dramatic angle, with roots reaching out towards the viewer. A large dead branch cut from another tree is leaning across the top of the roots, giving the sense that the tree roots are crawling out from under it to reach you.

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· Apr 10

Important:

Morag Perkins@moragperkinsphoto· Apr 3

Uhhh, hi Bluesky 👋 I made a post about space photography with a Nikon DSLR and now my notifications are melting... ...anyway, you should know that this afternoon I took a picture of a heron on 35mm film using this sexy boi from 1979. Adjust your expectations accordingly.