Each year, in 1750 Magazine, we reveal the winners of our annual photography competition “Finlays in the Frame”
Finlays in the Frame sees Finlays people from across the world submitting a snap on a particular theme.
Our theme this year was “what tea means to me.”
Tea is clearly of huge importance to Finlays. It’s also the world’s second most popular drink and plays a central role in everyday life across the world. What’s fascinating is that, while tea is enjoyed the world over, how it is enjoyed and its role in culture varies from place to place. Whether that’s their morning brew, the role tea plays in their social life, the role it plays at work…or something else entirely.
Our judge, professional photographer and photography lecturer Giulio Mazzarini, has selected the best images amongst the many submitted.
We’re delighted to reveal the winners of the 2021 Finlays in the Frame photography competition:
OVERALL WINNER: ‘FATHER’ BY MRS. W.A.C. BERNADETH PERERA
Mrs. W.A.C Bernadeth Perera is a company nurse at the Beverage Packing Division at Welisara, Sri Lanka. Talking about her stunning image, she said: “Tea is very closely related to my life. This is because of my father, who is 94 years old now. He is a farmer, and still he is farming. Even at the age of 94, he is healthy. I believe the secret to good health is the fact that he has always drunk tea. Therefore his immunity system is at a very high level. This photo shows his granddaughter pouring tea to relieve his fatigue at the end of farming.
Judge Giulio said: “Master photographers such as Bresson, Parr and Salgado are great story-tellers and this photograph is telling us a beautiful story of kindness, values, humanity, nature, tea, health and wellbeing. The interesting angle and low point of view (with the high yellow grass in the foreground) add originality to the framing. It’s a perfect winning image!”
RUNNER UP: ‘FRESH LEAF TEA’ BY LUCY LIU
Lucy is the HR Director for Finlays in China. Discussing her image, she said: “The first photo was taken when an old woman had finished picking the fresh leaf tea from the mountain, after three years growing the little tea trees under the guidance of the Government. It reflects labour, vitality, harvest and nature. Tea, from the very beginning, indicates most of the factors in our life.
Judge Giulio said: “This image is an arresting close-up of beautiful hand-picked fresh tea. It has a very good composition – with a classic 45 degree viewpoint, original cropping, vibrant colours, excellent lighting and interesting details. Also, the fingers, knots of the basket and red-shirt have real stand-out quality.”
RUNNER UP: ‘TEA TIME’ BY SIÂN EDWARDS
Siân is our group Insights Manager, based in the UK. She explained: ““For me, drinking tea is about being with family. Enthusiastic responses to ‘hands up for tea’ are sure to be followed by good conversation, sharing stories and healthy debate around the table – and always another Welsh cake.”
Judge Giulio said: “lovely 90-degree view of a British classic: milky tea with delicious heart-shaped Welsh cakes. This Martin Parr-style vibrant image of tea, food and incoming hands is in one excellent square composition, full of round shapes. It’s the ordinary that magically turns into the extraordinary, the celebration of the Latin otium (resting). Well done to the photographer and a well-deserved place on the winners’ podium.”
We received a fantastic array of entries from across the world of Finlays, and picking just three as finalists was no easy task. Congratulations to all our finalists, and those who entered the competition!
