Best Coffee Photograph Of The Year Finalists

James Robert Pipkin

Best Coffee Photograph of the Year Finalist

Statement: Since 2015, we have had the privilege of working alongside the Lima brothers, Ricardo and Fernando, whose profound dedication to coffee production in El Salvador has become the cornerstone of Clifton Coffee Roasters. My entry captures the journey and the moments shared with these remarkable farmers, whose heritage, innovation, and passion for coffee are deeply embedded in their work and landscape.

Our first day with Fernando was spent exploring his lush farms—El Corozo, Santa Elena, El Mirador, Campanula, and Las Laderas—positioned between 1400 to 1900 masl on the Santa Ana Volcano. Across these slopes, Fernando cultivates an impressive range of coffee varieties, from pacamara to SL28, with his prized geisha thriving in the recent near-perfect growing conditions. As Fernando shared with us, the cherries are currently balanced between ripe and under-ripe, signaling that within the next month, the farms will be ready for harvest. On the second day, we started at Finca Serbia, Fernando’s dedicated micro mill for processing high-end coffees. Here, he uses both traditional clay patios and raised African drying beds, noting only the slight difference in drying time, with African beds taking a few additional days.

Later, we visited the Cuzcachapa Cooperative, one of the largest co-operatives in El Salvador, producing over 100,000 sacks annually. At a blind cupping session, highlights included Fernando’s farms, Rumania and El Milagro, and Finca Buena Vista, which produces our E1 Espresso. Our final day was spent with Ricardo Lima, who meticulously oversees the farming of our E1 Espresso. Ricardo’s forward-thinking approach includes developing hybrid root systems to strengthen plants against rust and nurturing 15,000 coffee seedlings in his nursery. His innovative cultivation techniques, such as training seedlings to grow horizontally for optimal sunlight and evenly ripening cherries, underscore his commitment to quality and resilience. To tackle pest control sustainably, Ricardo has set up red, sticky discs with a methanol-alcohol mixture to attract and eliminate harmful insects, strategically placing 5000 of these discs across his farms.

Beyond the fields, Ricardo extends support to 1200 families in his community, providing access to free drinking water, asking only for clean villages and cared-for animals in return. With a bag of dog biscuits in hand, we ensured the journey was a warm one for the farm dogs we encountered. Through my lens, I aim to convey the depth of Ricardo and Fernando’s connection to the land and their community. Their dedication to ethical, sustainable coffee production is truly inspiring, and I am honoured to capture their story for this submission.